Celebrate Kindergarten Month on the DINOSAUR TRAIN & a Giveaway

There are many things that can be done to help prepare children for kindergarten, including working with your child on basic academic skills such as writing his/her name and reading letters; teaching critical thinking skills  by encouraging them to ask “Why” questions; working on arts-and-crafts projects to get your child more comfortable using scissors, markers and other supplies he/she will see plenty of in kindergarten; and making shopping for school supplies a fun experience by letting your child make some choices of their own, like the color of his/her backpack or pencil case. 

The DINOSAUR TRAIN website www.pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain offers parents (and teachers) a wealth of activities to encourage basic scientific thinking skills for pre-school children.  Here are a few examples:

• Help your child practice the letters of the alphabet while learning about the diversity of dinosaurs that once lived on Earth with the “Dinosaurs A – Z song.”  Basic supplies needed include 26 index cards (4x6 or 5x7), a thick marker, crayons, lyrics to "Dinosaurs A to Z" song    and the Printable page of all 26 dinosaurs in the song.     For instructions visit http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/handson/dinosaursatoz.html 
• Help your child learn some basic insect anatomy by creating a model of a dragonfly, and learn that some animals seen in the world today also lived at the time of the dinosaurs.  Basic supplies needed include  construction paper, wooden popsicle sticks, strong tape, pipe cleaners, colored markers, glue and glitter (and photographs of real dragonflies from books or the Internet).   For instructions visit http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/handson/dragonfly.html 
• Help your child understand and apply the term "hypothesis,"  investigate and make predictions about the science of color, using household basics including food coloring, clean food jars/containers, colored markers and a cookie sheet.   For instructions visit http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/handson/colorfulhypothesis.html

“Get ready for Kindergarten” shopping ideas for play, learning and fun include: 

Dino Train T-Rex Backpack From Accessories 22: The DINOSAUR TRAIN 16” backpack features our favorite T-rex Buddy.  It also features adjustable padded shoulder straps and 3 easy zippered compartments making it great to carry DINOSAUR TRAIN toys and school supplies as well as mesh side pockets for markers, pencils, etc. The glossy Buddy appliqué makes Buddy virtually come alive on both the blue and brown styles.  This is a definite back-to-school must have for any DINOSAUR TRAIN fan! MSRP $14.99; available now.

DINOSAUR TRAIN I am a T-Rex from Grossett & Dunlap: Buddy has spent his whole life in a pteranodon nest. He knows he's not a pteranodon, but he's not sure what he is. When his family decides to visit a new stop on the DINOSAUR TRAIN, Buddy finally learns the truth. He's a T-rex! This simple storybook is the perfect introduction to the world of DINOSAUR TRAIN! Ages 3 and up. MSRP $3.99; available now.

Triceratops for Lunch by Golden Books; Illustrated by Caleb Meurer: A Little Golden Book about DINOSAUR TRAIN! The Triceratops are coming over for lunch. Do you serve them plants or fish? That's what Buddy and his dinosaur siblings need to figure out before Tank and Trudie Triceratops arrive at the train station. This Little Golden Book retells an episode of the new PBS Kids animated series DINOSAUR TRAIN. It explains to young readers the difference between herbivores and carnivores—so that the next time you're dining with a dino, you'll know what to expect! Ages 2-5; MSRP $3.99/$4.99 Can; on sale now

DINOSAUR TRAIN Take 'n' play anywhere Go Fishing magnetic activity from patch products: Now kids can help Buddy and his family catch fish! They’ll practice hand-eye coordination and matching skills as they use the magnetic fishing pole to grab fish and try to land them in just the right spot. DINOSAUR TRAIN Go Fishing teaches cooperation, trial and error, or listening to and following instructions. Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere activities feature big magnetic pieces that are easy for kids to use and hard for kids to lose! Ages 4 and up; MSRP $9.99; available August at specialty stores, amazon.com or patchproducts.com. 

DINOSAUR TRAIN Dinosaur collectible 3-packs from Learning Curve:  Perfect for hours of imaginative dinosaur play, these 3-packs feature three detailed DINOSAUR TRAIN character figures and a special collector card. The 3-pack figures can be enjoyed separately or can fit inside train cars (sold separately) for more role play fun.  The 3-packs are currently available in the following sets:  Mrs. Pteranodon, Shiny & Derek; Mr. Pteranodon, Don & Velma; Boris, Annie & Pete; Dolores, Ollie & Oren. Ages 3 and up; MSRP $7.99; available now.

DINOSAUR TRAIN All Aboard game from Pressman Toy Corp.:  Join Buddy and his friends on the DINOSAUR TRAIN!  Choose a character – Buddy, Tiny, Shiny, Don, Cory, Tank or Mr. Conductor – and try to move the fastest along the tracks.  Speed through the three dinosaur eras: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous along the beautiful scenery.  Special Stopwatch spaces will help you get closer to the nest, while Dinosaur Crossing spaces will send you back.  The first player to reach the nest area in the center of the board wins.  For 2 to 6 players; Ages 4 and up; MSRP $12.00; available now at Target and Amazon.com.

My son and I both love the DINOSAUR TRAIN.  I am very excited about these new products and the educational value the website offers.  I hope you all will check out the site and use it as a tool with your children.

Win it: 1 lucky Coupon Clippin' Mommy reader will win DINOSAUR TRAIN themed products, including a DINOSAUR TRAIN themed backpack full of DINOSAUR TRAIN products available for the first time this summer, fall and holiday season that foster play, learning and fun.

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This giveaway will end on September 4, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US residents only.

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post.  My family loves Dinosaur Train so I wanted to share these products with you.  All view expressed are my own opinions.