The dinosaur volcano sensory bin provides an opportunity for kids to learn about dinosaurs, volcanoes, and the natural world in a hands-on way. Not only can kids explore dinosaurs, but they can also dive into facts about volcanoes and then learn about chemical reactions! We have many fantastic dinosaur activities to create an entire dinosaur unit! Look for the free printable activities.

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Dinosaur Volcano Small World.

This baking soda and vinegar science activity combines hands-on fun with educational concepts about dinosaurs and volcanoes, making it a great way to engage kids’ curiosity and imagination while learning about Earth’s natural processes.

Dinosaurs and volcanoes can be connected educationally for kids through various activities and discussions. Here’s how you can help kids understand the connection between dinosaurs and volcanoes:

  1. Dinosaur Habitats and Volcanic Landscapes:
    • Explain that during the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic Era), the Earth looked different from how it does today. There were active volcanoes and different types of landscapes.
    • Discuss how some dinosaurs lived near or on volcanoes and how volcanic activity might have affected their habitats and environments.
  2. Volcanic Eruptions and Extinction:
    • Introduce the concept of volcanic eruptions and how they can cause massive changes in the environment.
    • Talk about the possibility that a major volcanic eruption could have been one of the factors contributing to the extinction of the dinosaurs, along with other theories like asteroid impact.
  3. Hands-On Dinosaur Volcano Activity:
    • Engage kids in a hands-on activity where they create a simulated volcanic eruption with toy dinosaurs.
    • Discuss the scenario of dinosaurs encountering a volcanic eruption, fostering imaginative play and storytelling.

Dinosaurs and Volcanoes

Dinosaurs and volcanoes have a captivating connection that intrigues young minds in kids’ science. Imagine a world millions of years ago where enormous dinosaurs roamed diverse landscapes.

These ancient giants coexisted with active volcanoes, which played a significant role in shaping their environments. Volcanoes are powerful geological forces!

Volcanic eruptions unleashed molten lava, transforming the landscape and creating new habitats for plant life and prey.

The ash and gases from these eruptions impacted the climate, including the availability of food, water, and even living space (habitats) for the dinosaurs. Fossil evidence suggests that some dinosaur habitats were affected by volcanic activity.

Make an Erupting Dinosaur Volcano Experiment

Kids will have a blast playing with their favorite dinosaurs as well as exploring the fun chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar! It’s all rolled into one hands-on and playful sensory bin experience.

Dinosaur Volcan Science Set UpPin

Easy Dinosaur Volcano Setup

A dinosaur volcano activity for kids could be a fun and educational project that combines the excitement of dinosaurs with the fascinating world of volcanoes. Here’s an idea for such an activity:

Title: Dino Volcano Eruption

Objective: To create a simulated volcanic eruption using simple household materials and incorporate a dinosaur theme to make it fun and educational.

Materials Needed:

  • Baking soda
  • Vinegar
  • Dish soap
  • Red food coloring (to represent lava)
  • Water bottle
  • Plastic toy dinosaurs
  • Rocks (optional)
  • Playdough or modeling clay
  • Small plastic cup or container
  • Tray or shallow pan (to contain the eruption)
  • Safety goggles (optional but recommended for eye protection)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Volcano:
    • Use the playdough or modeling clay to build a volcano shape around an empty water bottle on the tray or shallow pan. Alternatively, you can shape the dough or clay into a volcano with an opening at the top.
  2. Set the Scene:
    • Place the plastic toy dinosaurs and rocks around the volcano’s base to create a prehistoric scene. You can use plastic trees too!
  3. Make the Eruption Mixture:
    • Add a small amount of baking soda and a few drops of dish soap to the container inside the volcano. Add several drops of red food coloring to represent lava.
  4. Create the Eruption:
    • When you are ready for the eruption, pour vinegar into the water bottle volcano containing the baking soda mixture.
    • Watch as the chemical reaction between the vinegar and baking soda produces a fizzy eruption that simulates volcanic activity. The red food coloring will create the appearance of flowing lava.
  5. Observe and Learn:
    • As the “lava” flows down the sides of the volcano, discuss with the kids how real volcanoes erupt and the role of lava in shaping the Earth’s surface.
    • Discuss the connection between dinosaurs and volcanic activity during the Mesozoic Era, emphasizing how volcanoes could have affected their habitats and environment.
  6. Play and Explore:
    • After the eruption, encourage the kids to play with the “lava” and plastic toy dinosaurs in the aftermath of the eruption.
  7. Safety Precautions:
    • Ensure adult supervision, especially when handling the eruption materials.
    • Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from any splashes.
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Dinosaur Volcano Learning Opportunities

Making a dinosaur volcano with kids can provide a range of valuable learning opportunities across multiple subjects and skills. Here are some of the key things that kids can learn through this hands-on activity:

  • Science Concepts:
    • Geology and Volcanology: Kids can learn about the structure of volcanoes, how they erupt, and the role of magma and lava in shaping the Earth’s surface.
    • Chemical Reactions: The reaction between baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) demonstrates a basic chemical reaction, producing carbon dioxide gas that leads to the eruption.
    • States of Matter: The transformation of substances from solid (baking soda) to liquid (vinegar) to gas (carbon dioxide) during the eruption illustrates the concept of states of matter.
  • Paleontology and Dinosaurs: (See our list of dinosaur activities below)
    • Dinosaur Habitats: Kids can understand how volcanic activity affected prehistoric environments and learn about the relationship between dinosaurs and their surroundings.
    • Hands-on Exploration: Manipulating toy dinosaurs and creating a volcanic scene fosters imaginative play and encourages kids to think about the interactions between dinosaurs and their world.
  • Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Learn more about the Scientific Method!
    • Predicting Outcomes: Kids can predict what will happen when the vinegar (acid) reacts with the baking soda (base), promoting critical thinking and logical reasoning.
    • Observation and Analysis: Observing the eruption and its effects helps children practice making observations and drawing conclusions based on evidence.
  • Fine Motor Skills:
    • Manipulating Materials: Using playdough, placing dinosaurs, and pouring the eruption mixture requires fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
  • Communication and Collaboration:
    • Sharing Ideas: Kids can discuss their predictions, observations, and thoughts about the activity with each other and with adults, enhancing communication skills.
    • Collaborative Play: Engaging in the activity together fosters teamwork and cooperation.
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Dinosaurs and Volcanoes in the Mesozoic Era

The Mesozoic Era was divided into three parts: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. Imagine a world where dinosaurs ruled the land, sea, and sky.

In the Triassic period, the first dinos appeared, some as small as chickens and others much bigger. Then came the Jurassic period, when huge dinos like the Brachiosaurus and Velociraptors. The Cretaceous period included famous ones like the Triceratops and the king of them all, the T. rex!

The oceans were also full of amazing sea creatures like the fierce Ichthyosaurs and the humongous Kronosaurus. It wasn’t just dinos; early mammals and flowering plants started popping up too!

Volcanoes are like nature’s fireworks, erupting and changing the land. Volcanoes helped shape the world where dinos lived, creating new mountains and valleys. The fiery explosions also influenced the weather, making it rain more or less, which affected the plants and rivers where these dinosaurs got their food and water.

More Fun Dinosaur Activities for Kids

Don’t let the fun stop at a dinosaur volcano! We have various science and sensory activities, early math printables, art, and more!

Printable Dinosaur Project Pack

This printable dinosaur project pack is perfect for Pre-K, K, 1st-grade ages, and any kiddo that loves dinosaurs.

What’s Included:

  • Frozen Dino Egg Discovery
  • Hatching Fizzy Eggs
  • Dino Egg Slime
  • Dino Dig Activity
  • Making Fossils
  • Dino Dirt Cups Snack Recipe
  • Video of each dino science activity
  • Supplies and set-up information for each activity

Dino Early Learning Pack Includes:

  • Paleontologist I-Spy
  • Paleontologist Mini Book
  • Fossil Matching
  • Dino Skeleton Matching
  • Dino Trivia Cards
  • Dino Bones Board Game
  • Dino Playdough Mat
  • Dino Basic Math Activities (counting, tallying)

Will your dinosaurs come to life?

16 Comments

  1. What a great sensory bin idea! It must have been so exciting for him to watch his volcano “erupt!”

  2. how did he cope with the smell? As my son just can’t cope – what sort of vinegar did you use, as maybe its a better smelling kind than the one we usually use for these experiments here in Sweden!

    This is fun – I wonder if the diet coke and mentoes would work for this too?

  3. Hmmm. Well it didn’t really seem to bother either of us. I actually had him sprinkle spices for pretend food and in the end it did sort of smell like an italian bread baking! I just used a cheap bottle of white vinegar. I bet the diet coke and mentos would work! Hope you get to make a volcano!

  4. This looks like so much fun! We are featuring your post this week for Share It Saturday on Sugar Aunts!
    Colleen

  5. I think it must be different vinegar then… you would have certainly noticed the smell of the kind typically used…

    the Italian bread smell sounds much better!

  6. Love this! I will be featuring this post in my Homeschool Review on Friday. Thanks for sharing!

  7. Love the pics and the fun. Featuring at Family Fun Friday!
    Monica

    http://happyandblessedhome.com/category/family-fun/

  8. Thanks again, for a wonderful resource. I linked to this from my Homeschool Review post.

  9. Thanks so much for mentioning us! We have been doing a lot of color mixing this week for primary and secondary colors.

  10. I just wanted to stop by to say a quick Thank You for the inspiration for this dinosaur sensory bin! We just finished a mini dinosaur unit and created a similar dinosaur / volcano bin, which was a huge hit with my daughter!

    http://unschooltheteacher.blogspot.com/2013/08/fun-with-dinosaurs.html

    Thanks again!!

  11. I loved “making lava” when I was a kid! Totally doing this with my littlest tomorrow. Thanks for sharing at Magic Moments Monday!

  12. Love this bin! I’m on it this week! The kiddos will have a blast. Thank you for sharing!
    PS Coming over from Teaching Preschool blog!

  13. This is wonderful! Thanks so much for linking up to Discover & Explore this week 😉

  14. Pingback: Over 40 Dinosaur Printables and Activities for Kids – 3 Boys and a Dog
  15. Pingback: 10 of the Best Hands-On Dinosaur Activities for Kids

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