Kindergartens & Early Childhood
Little Raptors Program
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We bring a hands-on Dinosaur Museum to your Kindergarten/Early childhood center together, with a fun and amazing educational and entertaining presentation.
Your little VIP's (" That is very important paleontologist") will be able help Dinosaur Darren & Rista the Raptor handler; showcase our genuine fossils, and amazing dinosaur & Ice Age Museum quality casts. Our fun filled, informative and entertaining presentation is easy for young children to follow and understand. The children will also, meet "Tai" our baby Velociraptor, who will have everyone captivated, rolling on the floor with laughter. Tai also, teach the young ones, something new about the wonderful world of dinosaurs! |
Impressions Childcare Centre
Pirongia, 4th May 2023
What an absolute privilege it was to have the incredible Darren and Rista from Legends Unleashed Dinosaurs Aotearoa , who came in to Preschool to share their passion and knowledge of the Mesozoic era with us.
It was an interactive morning packed with lots of amazing learning, some very cool specimens and a ton of laughs as we explored and watched on in amazement. Darren and Rista brought their friend Tai the Velociraptor with them, and a very hungry little triceratops that we got to have a ride on. He liked to eat lots of leaves. We got to feel a real fossilised dinosaur egg which was extremely cool, AND we even touched real fossilised dinosaur POO!! Yep, that's right... the only time we are willing to touch poo! It was fascinating to learn that this 'poo' gives paleontologists some insight about the dinosaurs that may have once roamed the area it was found in, and that they could identify what that type of dinosaur liked to eat as well. Some were real fossils and others were museum quality resources which were exact replica's of fossils found around the world, so we got to see exactly what they would look like in real life. We got to get up close and touch them and just explore and observe all of the differences as we got more of an idea of what these incredible animals may have been like when they were alive.
Pirongia, 4th May 2023
What an absolute privilege it was to have the incredible Darren and Rista from Legends Unleashed Dinosaurs Aotearoa , who came in to Preschool to share their passion and knowledge of the Mesozoic era with us.
It was an interactive morning packed with lots of amazing learning, some very cool specimens and a ton of laughs as we explored and watched on in amazement. Darren and Rista brought their friend Tai the Velociraptor with them, and a very hungry little triceratops that we got to have a ride on. He liked to eat lots of leaves. We got to feel a real fossilised dinosaur egg which was extremely cool, AND we even touched real fossilised dinosaur POO!! Yep, that's right... the only time we are willing to touch poo! It was fascinating to learn that this 'poo' gives paleontologists some insight about the dinosaurs that may have once roamed the area it was found in, and that they could identify what that type of dinosaur liked to eat as well. Some were real fossils and others were museum quality resources which were exact replica's of fossils found around the world, so we got to see exactly what they would look like in real life. We got to get up close and touch them and just explore and observe all of the differences as we got more of an idea of what these incredible animals may have been like when they were alive.
They say; "a picture speaks a thousands words..." When we receive the photos from our schools and early childhood centers after visiting them we again, realized how privilege we are to share our dinosaur fossil program and being able to make such a wonderful memory for our children here in Aotearoa. With this said, we sincerely appreciated the support of everyone who has seen us in action and has referred us on to other schools and pre-schools
Testimonies
To Dinosaur Darren
5th Aug 2005
Thank you for bringing Dinosaurs to life for not only the children, but the teachers and parents.
It was so great to have you and your pets at our kindergarten.
The fact that everything was so hands on made the whole day so exciting.
Our children have not stopped talking about you.
The photos are wonderful and we now have a great display on our wall - that will be hard to take down.
We highly recommend your Dinosaurs to young and old - you can't help but be fascinated.
Thank you once again and good luck for your future adventures - keep us up to date!
Regards
Martinborough Kindergarten
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Hi Dinosaur Darren
25 June 2005
Once again, we want to thank you for coming to us on Thursday and bringing along your amazing collection of dinosaur exhibits. Children and adults found the whole experience educational, exciting, intriguing, and, above all, fun. From the moment you started unloading the exhibits to the time the certificates were handed out, the children were absorbed and engaged. The hands-on and interactive opportunities enabled the children to extend their own knowledge as well as discovering new and fascinating facts
We highly recommend your services to other early childhood centers and kindergartens and would be more than happy to be used as a reference.
Dinosaurly yours,
Lyn, Jo, and Frances.
Maungaraki Kindergarten
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Pencarrow Kindergarten Wainuiomata
1 Dec 2004
It was to be an interactive fun filled morning for the children. It was much more than that. And it all started when they pulled up in their wagon. They passed over the fence to the children the ‘mini’ dinosaurs – they were much bigger than the ones that we have, some of the children were able to name them. While the children were playing with these, they set up their display inside. The last thing to be unpacked was the blow-up dinosaur.
It was huge, taller than the outside swings. The children were able to measure themselves against it to see how big some dinosaurs actually were. It was a pleasure for the children to be able to play with the mini dinosaurs anywhere – inside or out; it was a definite hands-on experience.
After everything was finally set up inside the children came in for a mat-time where Dinosaur Darren then explained to the children all about dinosaurs, the different types of fossils – trace fossils and body fossils. The children were invited to take part in the presentation and to interact by comparing their bodies against the dinosaur bones and fossils.
Dinosaur Darren told stories to the children about how dinosaurs would capture their prey; he pretended to use a child as ‘bait’- comparing the dinosaurs jawbone size to that of a child’s head. He also showed how the dinosaurs would have used their claws to grab hold of what they wanted to eat; again, he used a child as ‘bait’.
This was followed by the children painting a plaster cast of a dinosaurs ‘trace fossil/foot print. Some children did dinosaur sponge painting others drew pictures. All the children were then able to touch, hold and feel the dinosaur items on display. Several children were able to sit on top of the three-foot-high T-Rex.
At the end of the session Dinosaur Darren officially shook their hand and presented them with a certificate, which they were immensely proud to receive.
To Dinosaur Darren
5th Aug 2005
Thank you for bringing Dinosaurs to life for not only the children, but the teachers and parents.
It was so great to have you and your pets at our kindergarten.
The fact that everything was so hands on made the whole day so exciting.
Our children have not stopped talking about you.
The photos are wonderful and we now have a great display on our wall - that will be hard to take down.
We highly recommend your Dinosaurs to young and old - you can't help but be fascinated.
Thank you once again and good luck for your future adventures - keep us up to date!
Regards
Martinborough Kindergarten
----------------------------------
Hi Dinosaur Darren
25 June 2005
Once again, we want to thank you for coming to us on Thursday and bringing along your amazing collection of dinosaur exhibits. Children and adults found the whole experience educational, exciting, intriguing, and, above all, fun. From the moment you started unloading the exhibits to the time the certificates were handed out, the children were absorbed and engaged. The hands-on and interactive opportunities enabled the children to extend their own knowledge as well as discovering new and fascinating facts
We highly recommend your services to other early childhood centers and kindergartens and would be more than happy to be used as a reference.
Dinosaurly yours,
Lyn, Jo, and Frances.
Maungaraki Kindergarten
-------------------------------
Pencarrow Kindergarten Wainuiomata
1 Dec 2004
It was to be an interactive fun filled morning for the children. It was much more than that. And it all started when they pulled up in their wagon. They passed over the fence to the children the ‘mini’ dinosaurs – they were much bigger than the ones that we have, some of the children were able to name them. While the children were playing with these, they set up their display inside. The last thing to be unpacked was the blow-up dinosaur.
It was huge, taller than the outside swings. The children were able to measure themselves against it to see how big some dinosaurs actually were. It was a pleasure for the children to be able to play with the mini dinosaurs anywhere – inside or out; it was a definite hands-on experience.
After everything was finally set up inside the children came in for a mat-time where Dinosaur Darren then explained to the children all about dinosaurs, the different types of fossils – trace fossils and body fossils. The children were invited to take part in the presentation and to interact by comparing their bodies against the dinosaur bones and fossils.
Dinosaur Darren told stories to the children about how dinosaurs would capture their prey; he pretended to use a child as ‘bait’- comparing the dinosaurs jawbone size to that of a child’s head. He also showed how the dinosaurs would have used their claws to grab hold of what they wanted to eat; again, he used a child as ‘bait’.
This was followed by the children painting a plaster cast of a dinosaurs ‘trace fossil/foot print. Some children did dinosaur sponge painting others drew pictures. All the children were then able to touch, hold and feel the dinosaur items on display. Several children were able to sit on top of the three-foot-high T-Rex.
At the end of the session Dinosaur Darren officially shook their hand and presented them with a certificate, which they were immensely proud to receive.
Learning Outcomes
Belonging
The children develop an interest and pleasure in discovering an unfamiliar wider world.
This was the first opportunity for most of the children to have a hands-on experience with
With dinosaur fossils and their actual sizes.
Contribution
Children develop a perception of themselves as capable of acquiring new interests.
The children will now take a deeper interest in dinosaurs because they have had an
Opportunity to have a hands-on experience.
Communication
Children develop an opportunity to extend their language, their vocabulary.
The children have had an opportunity to learn new words or the opportunity to reinforce
Others. Example – Herbivore, Carnivore, fossil, trace fossil, body fossil.
Exploration
The children develop their ability to explore and modify their own working theories about the
Natural world.
After listening to Darren the children have learnt that the most well-known dinosaur the T-Rex was in actual fact a ‘scavenger’ and probably ate kills left over from other dinosaurs.
Pippa – Head Teacher
Pencarrow Kindergarten, Wainuiomata
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