Top 10 Fun Facts About Dinosaurs for Kids

Introduction: Why is it Important to Know Fun Facts about Dinosaurs?

The term "dinosaur" was coined in 1842 by Richard Owen, an English paleontologist. The word comes from the Greek words dinos meaning terrible or fearful, and sauros (σαυρος) meaning lizard. Owen is considered the founder of modern paleontology (a branch of science concerned with fossil animals and plants).

Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic era, which occurred approximately 252 to 66 million years ago. They went extinct about 65.5 million years ago. The Mesozoic era is broken up into three periods: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods. Earth was becoming very dry with less and less water on the planet, and eventually, it became so dry that no rain fell. This would have led to the extinction of most plant life on Earth. Dinosaurs first appeared in the Jurassic period, which occurred 183 million to 145 million years ago.

They were a diverse group of animals, adapted to nearly all environments. They ranged in size from less than a meter long to more than 12 meters (40 feet) in length, and their weight varied from about 90 kilograms (200 pounds) to well over 77,000 kilograms (169,756 pounds). Dinosaurs lived on every continent except for Antarctica. Today we have identified about 700 species of dinosaurs from all continents.

Kids love to learn about dinosaurs. They are fascinated by them, and the idea of these giant reptiles roaming the earth is both terrifying and exciting at the same time. In this article, we will explore fun facts about dinosaurs that you can share with your curious children.

Top 10 Fun Facts about Dinosaurs for Kids?

It's always fun to learn about dinosaurs and find out all of the cool facts. Here are some of the top 10 fun facts about dinosaurs for kids that you might not know. 

1. The Argentinosaurus is one of the biggest dinosaurs discovered.

   The Argentinosaurus is one of the biggest dinosaurs ever discovered. It can grow up to 130 feet long and about 100 tons.

2. So far we have discovered 700 species of dinosaurs.

   There are currently 700 species of dinosaurs discovered. While we know more about these extinct creatures than ever before, there are still many mysteries associated with them. In fact, some scientist think we have plenty more. dinosaurs to discover.

3. Triceratops means "three-horned face."

   The triceratops is a large and imposing dinosaur that roamed the Earth in the late Cretaceous period (about 65.5 to about 68 million years ago). It had a massive head with three horns, a wide mouth, and sharp teeth.

4. There were some dinosaurs with feathers, like Sinorn.

   Sinornithosaurus is one of the earliest known feathered dinosaurs. It was unearthed in northern China and was first discovered by Xu Xing and his team in 1999. Sinornithosaurus were feathered with bristles for camouflaging themselves from predators. They also had a large claw on each foot, which may have been used to impale their prey.

5. Tyrannosaurus Rex was the most fierce dinosaur, with its teeth also being the longest at 8 inches.

   The Tyrannosaurus Rex is one of the most iconic dinosaurs in history. The teeth on the T-Rex are 8 inches in length, making it the longest teeth of any carnivorous dinosaur.

6. The Micropachycephalosaurus has the longest dinosaur name.

   The Micropachycephalosaurus, pronounced MY-cro-PACK-ee-SEFF-ah-low-SORE-us, was discovered in 1978 by Dong Zhiming in the woodlands of Asia. Unlike its name, the Micropachycephalosauruswas only about two feet long and 5-10 pounds

7. Lizards, turtles, snakes, and crocodiles all have been shown to descend from dinosaurs.

   Lizards, turtles, snakes, and crocodiles all evolved from dinosaurs. Some scientists believe that they descended from the same common ancestor. While all four groups of creatures have different features and lifestyles, they do share a few similarities as well.

8. A lot of dinosaur skulls had big holes that allowed them to have a lower weight and keep cool.

   The discovery of these giant holes in the skulls of dinosaurs have been a mystery for nearly a quarter century. But now, researchers are suggesting that these large holes were actually cooling systems for the inside brain.

9. The fastest dinosaur was the Dromiceiomimus, which we estimate ran at speeds of 60 kilometers per hour.

10. Dinosaurs lived on every continent.

    Scientists believe that dinosaurs lived on every continent. Fossil evidence found in Antarctica and Patagonia, the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia show that dinosaurs roamed these continents.

What is the Best Way to Teach Children About Dinosaurs?

The best way to teach kids about dinosaurs is to use a hands-on approach. For example, you could take a trip to a natural history museum and have the kids observe dinosaur fossils and bones. Another way is to have them read books about dinosaurs. This will allow them to learn about the different types of dinosaurs and the different ways that they lived.

At Ivy Camps USA, we offer a course called Animals of the Past & Present, in which your child can have the opportunity to learn about dinosaurs! Sign them up today!