Does your kid have a dinosaur obsession? If you said yes, you are about to learn something cool – Experts Say Kids Who Are Obsessed With Dinosaurs Are Smarter! It is no mistake that kids love dinosaurs and the cool thing is that these dino-obsessed kids may end up better off in the end.
Dinosaurs and Kids
Whether it is a birthday or holiday, you might want to consider getting your kids a (affiliate links) dinosaur toy or some dinosaur books because science has found it actually makes them smarter to be obsessed with them.
Why?
Kids Interested In Dinosaurs Research study
Well according to a research study conducted in 2008, children that have intense interests (such as those obsessed with dinosaurs) had an increased knowledge and persistence, a better attention span, and deeper information-processing skills.
Basically, they were found to be smarter among their peers of the same age (this was particularly found for ages 4-6).
Another study in 2007 found similar results:
” One third of young children have extremely intense interests.”
Of those interests, cars and dinosaurs ranked at the top and those that were into those sort of things, were found to be smarter again.
Why Do Kids Like Dinosaurs?
I love it so much because not only are kids clearly benefiting from these types of “obsessions” but they are also learning about different fields.
Take dinosaurs for example, kids are learning all about these extinct animals and maybe, just maybe one day that will result in them going to school to become a Paleontologist.
Kelli Chen, a pediatric psychiatric occupational therapist at Johns Hopkins told CNN:
“A dino obsession, then, can be a kid’s way of taking in a new subject in a way that feels familiar to them: through the business of having fun. Asking questions, finding answers, and gaining expertise is the learning process in general. Exploring a topic and mastering it is beneficial because that’s how we form careers as adults. A kid’s primary occupation is play, so they’re going about their job of playing through the lens of this thing they’re interested in learning about.”
So, the next time you are concerned with just how much your kid loves dinosaurs (or really has any intense interest) keep this mind!
My 30-year-old husband is obsessed with dinosaurs and has been his entire life, so I am guessing that’s what has made him so smart?! HA.
Learn how to encourage higher level thinking in your kids!
Reasons Kids are Fascinated by Dinosaurs
- Size and Power: Dinosaurs are typically depicted as massive and powerful creatures. This grandeur can be awe-inspiring for children, who are usually smaller and less powerful in their own environments.
- Mystery and Imagination: Since dinosaurs are extinct, they leave a lot to the imagination. Children can create their own stories and scenarios about what dinosaurs were like, which fuels creativity.
- Learning and Discovery: Dinosaurs are a part of history and science, making them educational. Learning about them can be a child’s first foray into subjects like paleontology, geology, and biology.
- Variety and Uniqueness: Dinosaurs come in a vast array of shapes, sizes, and types. This diversity is captivating for children who are in a stage of life where they are learning about the world and all its various components.
- Cultural Influence: Dinosaurs are prevalent in media and toys. Movies, books, and television shows about dinosaurs, such as “Jurassic Park” or “The Land Before Time,” make these ancient creatures a regular part of a child’s world.
- Fear and Fascination: There is a thrilling aspect to dinosaurs, particularly the carnivorous ones. The concept of these giant, sometimes scary creatures excites children in the same way that fairy tales and adventure stories do.
- Connection to the Past: Dinosaurs provide a tangible connection to the distant past, which can be a profound concept for a child to grasp. It opens up discussions about time, evolution, and the history of the Earth.
- Collectibility and Memorabilia: Many children enjoy collecting things, and dinosaurs are a popular choice. From toys and figurines to books and posters, there’s a wide range of dinosaur-themed items for kids to collect.
More Dinosaur Fun from Kids Activities Blog
- Dinosaur coloring pages to keep our kids engaged and active so we’ve created an entire collection for you.
- Did you know you can grow and decorate your own dinosaur garden?
- These 50 dinosaur crafts will have something special for every kid.
- Check out this awesome video of this guy doing dinosaur impressions!
- Check out these dinosaur themed birthday party ideas!
- Cute dinosaur coloring pages you don’t want to miss
- Or these baby dinosaur coloring pages are so sweet
- Dinosaur zentangle coloring pages
- Stegosaurus coloring pages
- Spinosaurus coloring pages
- Archaeopteryx coloring pages
- T Rex coloring pages
- Allosaurus coloring pages
- Triceratops coloring pages
- Brachiosaurus coloring pages
- Apatosaurus coloring pages
- Velociraptor coloring pages
- Dilophosaurus dinosaur coloring pages
- Dinosaur doodles
- How to draw a dinosaur easy drawing lesson
- Dinosaur facts for kids – printable pages!
- Check out these dinosaur popsicle molds on Amazon!
- There’s an interactive dinosaur book that’s perfect for your dino loving kid!
- Click here to see how your little one can find their own dinosaur egg!
- There’s an interactive dinosaur map that tells you if dinosaurs lived in your town!?
Why do you think your child likes dinosaurs?
very helpful article!
just an FYI – the link for the 2007 study no longer works / leads to “page not found”. i know studies are important in supporting the info we share with the world. i figured you would want to be made aware in order to fix it : )
Thank you for letting us know, Keri!
Hi Kellie!
My little guy (5) loves everything dinosaur, too. Is this a recent comment? We live in AZ, and I would like to know more about this dig! I would even love to connect the two to chat about dinosaurs- I think it would take it to the next level. Here is my email if this was a recent posting and if you can tell me more about the summer dig.
Thank you,
Angella
[email protected]
My 19 year old nephew could tell you everything about any dinosaur by the age of 4 years old. He would lecture us for hours about them. He is now going to school to get his doctorate in Paleontology and is working at his university updating the fossil collection catalog from the dig they are doing near the school only being a sophomore in undergrad!! He is working to going to a special dig in Arizona this summer and we couldn’t be more proud!!!
That’s amazing!