KIDS CORNER
Triassic Period
The Dawn of Dinosaurs: Dinosaurs first appeared during the Late Triassic. They were generally smaller and shared the land with other types of large reptiles.
Jurassic Period
The Golden Age: This is when dinosaurs truly dominated. It was the time of the giant long-necked sauropods (like Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus) and large meat-eaters (like Allosaurus).
Cretaceous Period
The Final Act: This was the longest period and saw the most diverse array of dinosaurs, including famous ones like Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor. It ended with the mass extinction event that wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs.
Amazing Dinosaurs!
Imagine a world long, long ago, even before your great-great-grandparents were born, and even before there were any humans at all! This was the time of the dinosaurs, and they were the most incredible creatures to ever walk the Earth!
Dinosaurs lived millions and millions of years ago. We know about them because smart scientists, called paleontologists, dig up their bones, which have turned into super-hard fossils over time. By looking at these fossil bones, they can figure out what dinosaurs looked like, how big they were, and even what they ate!
What does “Dinosaur” even mean? The word “dinosaur” means “terrible lizard.” But don’t let “terrible” scare you! It meant “awesomely powerful” or “amazingly big” because many dinosaurs were HUGE! But some were as small as chickens!
Meat Eaters vs. Plant Eaters Just like animals today, dinosaurs ate different things.
Carnivores (Meat Eaters)
These dinosaurs had sharp, pointy teeth perfect for tearing meat. The most famous meat-eater was the Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex). Imagine a creature as tall as a house with teeth like steak knives! It was a super-predator. Other carnivores included the speedy Velociraptor (even though they were much smaller than in the movies!) and the giant Spinosaurus with its huge sail on its back.
Dinosaurs lived millions and millions of years ago. We know about them because smart scientists, called paleontologists, dig up their bones, which have turned into super-hard fossils over time. By looking at these fossil bones, they can figure out what dinosaurs looked like, how big they were, and even what they ate!
What does “Dinosaur” even mean? The word “dinosaur” means “terrible lizard.” But don’t let “terrible” scare you! It meant “awesomely powerful” or “amazingly big” because many dinosaurs were HUGE! But some were as small as chickens!
Meat Eaters vs. Plant Eaters Just like animals today, dinosaurs ate different things.
Herbivores (Plant Eaters)
These dinosaurs had flatter teeth, perfect for grinding leaves and twigs. Some of them were enormous! Think of the Brachiosaurus with its super long neck, stretching up to eat leaves from the tallest trees. Or the Stegosaurus with its cool plates down its back and a spiky tail. And don’t forget the Triceratops with its three horns and big frill, which was probably used to protect its neck.
Why did Dinosaurs disappear?
This is a big mystery that scientists are still studying! The most popular idea is that a giant asteroid (a huge rock from space) crashed into Earth. This caused massive dust clouds that blocked out the sun, making plants die, and then the plant-eating dinosaurs starved, and then the meat-eating dinosaurs starved too. This happened about 66 million years ago. But don’t worry, many other animals survived, and over millions of years, new animals evolved, including the ones we see today!
Dinosaurs are still around!
Wait, what?! Yes, they are! Scientists believe that birds are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs. So, every time you see a pigeon, a robin, or a sparrow, you’re actually looking at a modern-day dinosaur! How cool is that?
Dinosaurs were truly amazing creatures, and learning about them helps us understand the incredible history of our planet! What’s your favourite dinosaur?
Hey kids – three of the TLD band members are in the poster below. Can you find them?
Dinosaurs were truly amazing creatures, and learning about them helps us understand the incredible history of our planet! What’s your favourite dinosaur?
Hey kids – three of the TLD band members are in the poster below. Can you find them?
