Momma Findings | Houston Mom Blog: Back-To-School: Get Ready for Kindergarten Month {Dinosaur Train Prize Pack}

Back-To-School: Get Ready for Kindergarten Month {Dinosaur Train Prize Pack}

Thursday, August 19, 2010 Leave a Comment

All month long, I've been bringing you all kinds of posts about Back-To-School. This year, I've got an incoming 3rd grader and 1st grader, while my 3-year-old preps for his entrance into Pre-school next year. I've got a soft place in my heart for all the Mommas who have children entering Kindergarten, because I've been there. It can get pretty emotional, so I've partnered with the Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train to celebrate “Get Ready for Kindergarten” month in August.

There are many things that can be done to help prepare children for kindergarten. Working on basic academic skills such as writing his/her name, arts-and-crafts projects to get your child more comfortable using scissors, and making shopping for school supplies a fun experience by letting your child make some choices of their own can make a difference in a creating a positive Kindergarten experience.

Activities for Kindergarteners:

At The Jim Henson Company, the immersive and compelling DINOSAUR TRAIN website at www.pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain offers parents (and teachers) a wealth of activities to encourage basic scientific thinking skills for pre-school children.

Help your child practice the letters of the alphabet while learning about the diversity of dinosaurs that once lived on Earth with the “Dinosaurs A – Z song.” Basic supplies needed include 26 index cards (4x6 or 5x7), a thick marker, crayons, lyrics to "Dinosaurs A to Z" song and the Printable page of all 26 dinosaurs in the song. Click Here for Instructions.

Help your child learn some basic insect anatomy by creating a model of a dragonfly, and learn that some animals seen in the world today also lived at the time of the dinosaurs. Basic supplies needed include construction paper, wooden popsicle sticks, strong tape, pipe cleaners, colored markers, glue and glitter (and photographs of real dragonflies from books or the Internet). Click Here for Instructions.

Help your child understand and apply the term "hypothesis," investigate and make predictions about the science of color, using household basics including food coloring, clean food jars/containers, colored markers and a cookie sheet. Click Here for Instructions.

Get ready for Kindergarten shopping ideas:

Dino Train T-Rex BackPack From Accessories 22: The DINOSAUR TRAIN 16” backpack features our favorite T-rex Buddy. It also features adjustable padded shoulder straps and 3 easy zippered compartments making it great to carry DINOSAUR TRAIN toys and school supplies as well as mesh side pockets for markers, pencils, etc. The glossy Buddy appliqué makes Buddy virtually come alive on both the blue and brown styles. This is a definite back-to-school must have for any DINOSAUR TRAIN fan! MSRP $14.99; available now.

Dinosaur Train I AM A T-REX From Grosset And Dunlap: Buddy has spent his whole life in a pteranodon nest. He knows he's not a pteranodon, but he's not sure what he is. When his family decides to visit a new stop on the DINOSAUR TRAIN, Buddy finally learns the truth. He's a T-rex! This simple storybook is the perfect introduction to the world of DINOSAUR TRAIN! Ages 3 and up. MSRP $3.99; available now.

Triceratops For Lunch BY Golden Books; Illustrated By Caleb Meurer:
A Little Golden Book about Dinosaur Train! The Triceratops are coming over for lunch. Do you serve them plants or fish? That's what Buddy and his dinosaur siblings need to figure out before Tank and Trudie Triceratops arrive at the train station. This Little Golden Book retells an episode of the new PBS Kids animated series Dinosaur Train. It explains to young readers the difference between herbivores and carnivores—so that the next time you're dining with a dino, you'll know what to expect! Ages 2-5; MSRP $3.99/$4.99 Can; on sale August 10, 2010

Dinosaur Train Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere™ Go Fishing™ Magnetic Activity From Patch Products: Now kids can help Buddy and his family catch fish! They’ll practice hand-eye coordination and matching skills as they use the magnetic fishing pole to grab fish and try to land them in just the right spot. DINOSAUR TRAIN Go Fishing teaches cooperation, trial and error, or listening to and following instructions. Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere activities feature big magnetic pieces that are easy for kids to use and hard for kids to lose! Ages 4 and up; MSRP $9.99; available August at specialty stores, amazon.com or patchproducts.com.

Dinosaur Train Dinosaur Collectible 3-PACKS From Learning Curve: Perfect for hours of imaginative dinosaur play, these 3-packs feature three detailed DINOSAUR TRAIN character figures and a special collector card. The 3-pack figures can be enjoyed separately or can fit inside train cars (sold separately) for more role play fun. The 3-packs are currently available in the following sets: Mrs. Pteranodon, Shiny & Derek; Mr. Pteranodon, Don and Velma; Boris, Annie & Pete; Dolores, Ollie & Oren. Ages 3 and up; MSRP $7.99; available now.

Dinosaur Train All Aboard Game From Pressman Toy Corp: Join Buddy and his friends on the DINOSAUR TRAIN! Choose a character – Buddy, Tiny, Shiny, Don, Cory, Tank or Mr. Conductor – and try to move the fastest along the tracks. Speed through the three dinosaur eras: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous along the beautiful scenery. Special Stopwatch spaces will help you get closer to the nest, while Dinosaur Crossing spaces will send you back. The first player to reach the nest area in the center of the board wins. For 2 to 6 players; Ages 4 and up; MSRP $12.00; available now at Target and Amazon.com.

Win It!

Thanks to the Jim Henson Company, one lucky Momma Findings reader will win a "Get Ready for Kindergarten" Prize Pack. This includes the above backpack full of EVERYTHING you see above!

How to Enter:
Required Entry:

Tell me, in the comment section, one thing you feel is most important when preparing for BackToSchool.

Extra Entry Options:

FOUR EXTRA ENTRIES if you "like" the Momma Findings Official Facebook Fan Page. Go ahead and comment once you get there! We love wall comments!
THREE EXTRA ENTRIES by following both me on Twitter. Then, tweeting about this giveaway. A great Tweet would be @Sarann is celebrating Get Ready for Kindergarten Month. Enter to Win a Dinosaur Train Prize Pack at Momma Findings. (link)
ONE EXTRA ENTRY becoming an email subscriber. Form on the right side.
ONE EXTRA ENTRY becoming a Facebook Networked Blog follower.
ONE EXTRA ENTRY follow us on Google Friends.

Contest starts today August 19th - September 2nd 11:59 CST and open to US residents only. Leave each entry in separate comments. You don't have to be a blogger to enter, but please leave a valid email address for contact purposes.

***CONTEST HAS NOW ENDED*** Congrats to MLisa, our lucky winner. Please check your inbox on how to claim your prize.

This post made possible by Jim Henson Company and representing PR agency who provided me with the above products for giveaway purposes. Opinions stated are, solely, my own and not wavered or compensated in any other way, unless stated.

111 comments »

LindaBell said:

PATIENCE!!! Kids get so excited about starting back to school, supplies have to purchased, clothes shopping, getting in last minute fun, putting backpacks together for the first day, sleepovers...there is so much to do and everyone wants to do so much...without patience, the whole thing would be miserable. Being patient with kids when they are getting ready for back-to-school makes it fun for all of us!
lbell_pta@yahoo.com

August 19, 2010 12:17 PM

Ticia said:

Routine. It helps to get back into one. Or so goes the theory.

August 19, 2010 1:14 PM

Ticia said:

Entry one for FB like.

August 19, 2010 1:15 PM

Ticia said:

2 FB like.

August 19, 2010 1:15 PM

Ticia said:

3 FB like.

August 19, 2010 1:16 PM

Ticia said:

4 FB like.

August 19, 2010 1:16 PM

Ticia said:

email subscriber.

August 19, 2010 1:16 PM

Ticia said:

follow on Networked blogs

August 19, 2010 1:17 PM

Ticia said:

and finally follow you on GFC

August 19, 2010 1:18 PM

Anonymous said:

Definitely getting back to an earlier bedtime - no more sleeping in!
greenlancer at comcast dot net

August 19, 2010 2:26 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

I think it's good to get back on a routine.
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:45 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

Facebook like (1)
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:45 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

Facebook like (2)
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:46 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

Facebook like (3)
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:47 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

Facebook like (4)
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:47 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

twitter #1
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:47 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

twitter #2

August 19, 2010 2:48 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

twitter #3

August 19, 2010 2:48 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

email subscriber
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:49 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

Facebook networked blog.
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:49 PM

theamazingjohnsons said:

google follower.
tiffdeon at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 2:50 PM

Andrea said:

Getting the children ready to be up and early

tiggeraj at yahoo dot com

August 19, 2010 9:26 PM