'Dinosaur Obsessed'
Quite a high percentage of young children visiting my shop are dinosaur obsessed. They become so animated when they see my display of dinosaur puppets ranging from the cute (the soft and cuddly ones) to the awesome (lifelike with scary silicone teeth)! That's not even mentioning the response to the wonderful dinosaur games and board games you can get your hands on.
Children also get incredibly excited to tell me facts they recently learnt about dinosaurs - like did you know T-Rex had teeth the size of bananas?? - and thoroughly enjoy correcting any mistakes I might make when talking about them or trying to pronounce their names.
Studies show children who have an obsession with our prehistoric friends (or similar obsessions like trains, planes or bugs) develop a greater level of knowledge, persistence, attention span, information processing and linguistic skill. All great abilities for later life.
So why dinosaurs?
Children are naturally curious, and once this interest is ignited they can often spend hours looking at books, trying to memorise their favourite facts. Their young minds are able to grasp that these gigantic creatures lived on our planet a very long time ago. The idea of these monster-like creatures roaming the land an incomprehensible amount of time ago naturally leads to the parents being asked questions. Lots of questions!
Us parents are far more likely to indulge our dinosaur-loving children as we too are drawn to admire and learn more about this fascinating time period. This is a great way to bond and create great memories with a visit to a museum or a dinosaur themed event.
The benefits of learning and play!
Children who are interested in dinosaurs are also expressing an interest in pretend play, which is important in many ways. It encourages improved vocabulary, boosts creativity, builds confidence and allows their imagination to run wild. It also helps children to interact with others, another amazing life skill!
Using puppets, especially our Dinosaur range (we have one particular puppet with silicone teeth which adds to the sensory experience) allows children to explore their wonderful imagination. These dinosaur games help children to both play on their own (Check out our blog on learning how to play on your own!) and playing alongside others whilst indulging their passion for these prehistoric creatures!