I asked my toddler what she was drawing.
“A coelophysis.” She replied, nonchalantly.
Rightio, then.
Thanks to Dino Block, an amazing board book by Christopher Franceschelli and Peskimo, her dinosaur knowledge is pretty insane. This book is on very high rotation at our place. Best of all, it comes with a pronunciation key for each dinosaur (luckily for me.)
The pages are card and the book is thick, hence the “Block” concept.
Each dinosaur is likened to something easily recognisable for children.
“I have a neck like a goose.” The page edge is cut to reflect the illustration of a goose’s curved neck.
We turn the page to meet a coelophysis.
This is one of the best Dinosaur books out there currently.
It inspired me to make some Dino Blocks to accompany our readings.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Some balsa blocks (ours are from Spotlight.)
Paint
A pencil
Craft glue
Googly eyes
Black marker
I cheated and used some dinosaur toys to get rough shapes for bodies.
I drew bodies on one balsa block and heads on another.
Go crazy with paint.
Use your craft glue to stick googly eyes on. Use a black marker to outline dinosaurs.
And there you have it- mix and match Dino Blocks!
Together with Summer Lane and Spotlight, we’re giving away a copy of Dino Block and some roarsome craft supplies pictured below. Including the balsa blocks and paint I used to create the DIY Dino Blocks. Click here to enter… Good luck!
Thanks to the fab folk at Thames and Hudson Australia for our copy of Dino Block.