Dinosaur Activities for Infants

Puppets

• To incorporate dinosaurs into your infant's playtime, you can make or purchase dinosaur puppets and use them as educational and entertaining toys. Scientific research suggests that infants receive the most stimulation from colors with a high level of contrast, that is, black and white. However, infants can, even by two weeks of age, appreciate colors, even if they cannot see them as vividly as adults or distinguish different shades from one another. Look for puppets that have colors with a lot of contrast, for example, a red and white puppet instead of a red and orange puppet.

Songs

• According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, the most intensive period of development of speech and language is during the first three years of a human life. Infants can recognize sound patterns, which then create the foundations upon which the child will eventually begin to create his own language; the sound of a parent is especially important. You can sing songs to your infant to help her develop her capacity for language, incorporating dinosaur themes into them at your will. For example, you can replace "I'm a Little Tea Pot" with "I'm a Happy Dinosaur," and make up your own lyrics to the tune.

Reading

• There are plenty of children's books with dinosaur themes. Because infants are at a critical point in their language development, it's very beneficial for them to be exposed to language constantly, especially by hearing their parents talk. Reading dinosaur-themed books will introduce your infant to the concepts of dinosaurs while exposing him to language. Although your infant cannot understand the words that you are using, reading to a steady rhythm helps him associate himself with the language much more quickly.

Stuffed Animals

• As they grow, infants develop control over their muscles and refine their motor skills. Exposing your infant to a variety of textures, like soft stuffed animals, will stimulate her mind and help her develop the motor skills necessary for grabbing and holding objects. Pick stuffed animals that are soft, as your infant's skin is very sensitive to abrasive textures, with few colors. While color is a great stimulant, infants cannot distinguish between shades of colors, but are most stimulated by contrasting colors.