Local Paleantology

If you ask Dane, he's already a paleantologist. He takes it as a personal affront if one assumes he is simply going to be one. As a result, he loves everything dinosaur and knows more than anyone I've ever met. Admittedly, I don't know any other paleantologists and I don't know very many other 5-year-old boys intimately; nonetheless, I'm impressed with his knowledge.

Aubrey has climbed aboard the dinotrain too, and together they work to recall which dinosaurs lived in specific eras (Triassic, Jurassic or Cretaceous); almost daily they categorize their plastic dinosaurs into carnivores, herbivores and omnivores; and they try to memorize sizes and speeds. In addition to being able to name/identify about thirty of them they're also intrigued by other prehistoric creatures as well. (The first mammal, anyone? The kids are sleeping now, so I can't ask them--but it would take about one second to find out, trust me.)

Their favorite resources: the BBC's Walking With Dinosaurs DVD narrated by Kenneth Brannaugh, the kids version of that with Ben Stiller narrating the show as Prehistoric Planet, their LeapPad dinosaur booklet, and about twenty books from the library over the past few months--serious books. We also visited UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science for their Big Dino exhibit, which has life-size robot dinosaurs that'll curl your blood. (In fact, the Ceolophysus did just about that--just ask Aubrey.)

Their favorite stories: Sid and Marty Kroft's Land of the Lost series on DVD (1970s), Syd Hof's Danny and the Dinosaur (the book and the Scholastic DVD), The Magic School Bus "Dinosaur Detectives" chapter book (and, well, anything Magic School Bus really), Dinosailors, All Aboard the Dinotrain, and the How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night series.

Some favorite games: "Dinosaur Bingo" and "Dinosaur Excavation." (Remember the old "Operation" game? Think T. Rex fossils and a roar instead of a buzzer. It still takes a very steady hand...)

In the photos here, the kids are excavating two different dinosaur fossils, a T. Rex and a Velociraptor each, which they then assembled.