Dinosaur Feet

When shopping for summer reading this winter, I saw this great product from Discount School Supply.  We have a lot of active programs during the summer and a large meeting room to put it in.  I just didn't know how to tie it all together.  So the product came in and sat under my desk til today when I had inspiration.

Above is Dino Stomp Line Activity Mat from Discount School Supply.  It is 20 feet long.  While you can't totally see it, along the right side is a ruler with the inches and feet marked off.  There are 20 numbered dino footprints.

In addition, there are 20 dinosaur egg circles that can correspond with each of the footprints.  While you can match the circles and work on your early childhood math skills, I personally have been using it as a hopscotch-like mat.  In addition to being fun, this works on gross motor skills.

All of our programs are held in a large meeting room that seats 100 people.  This includes outside performers, story times, etc.  The sides of the room have large metallic doors which I have adopted as display space since we really don't have any in the library.  Above is the completed dino feet display so you can see the whole thing.

I made a giant T-Rex foot.  Yes, the size is accurate.  There is a nearby label that says "A T-Rex foot was 3.3 feet long."

Then I traced my foot on purple.  I added another sign that says, "Mrs. Lisa's foot is 9 inches long."  To get the kids (and their parents) thinking, I made a couple more signs:

• How big is your foot?
• Which foot is the biggest?  The littlest?
• You can fit about 20 of Mrs. Lisa's feet in T-Rex's footprint. 

With the Dino Stomp Number Activity Line, kids can measure their feet.  Then they can answer the questions.  Check it out-we're doing math!