Chicago families can use the new Dinosaur Train Dino Track Discovery Pack cards to help preschool fans of the PBS Kids show Dinosaur Train learn even more facts about these prehistoric creatures. Young boys and girls can follow trails of three different kinds of dino footprints to a final card that reveals which creature left the trail, read facts printed on the back of each colorful card, and try two active Dino Activity Challenges. These educational cards are recommended for children ages 3 and up.
About Dinosaur Train Dino Track Discovery Pack cards
Each Dino Track Discovery Pack comes with 10 cards printed to look like Tank's Stegosaurus tracks, 10 cards printed to look like Tiny's Pteranodon tracks, 10 cards printed to look like Buddy's Tyrannosaurus rex tracks, a Tiny card, a Buddy card, a Tank card, and two egg-shaped cards, one printed with the Dino Activity Challenges and the other printed with directions for using the footprint cards.
To play with each set of footprints, parents can lay the cards trivia fact-side down in a trail around the house, with the final card being the one that shows which Dinosaur Train character made the prints (also placed face-down). As young explorers follow the trail, they should examine the prints, think about what they know about dinosaurs, and form a hypothesis about whose prints they are following. The final card, of course, reveals the solution.
To make the game even harder and more educational, parents can ask kids to identify the dinosaur or ancient reptile shown on the reverse of each print. Each one is a friend from Dinosaur Train, pictured next to a short paragraph full of fun facts about that kind of prehistoric creature.
Along with honing their tracking and dinosaur identifical skills, boys and girls can also play two active games. By lining Buddy's footprints up, children can simulate the length of one T. rex step and see if they can jump that far. Then children can repeat the same challenge with Tank's footprints.
Dinosaur Train Dino Track Discovery Pack review
Overall, this is a lovely and well-made educational science toy that can lead to lots of learning and active play. Boys and girls can have fun making trails for each other with the prints or having a parent read the trivia facts to them and quiz them about their new dino knowledge. Being able to visually represent the length of one stride of a Tyrannosaurus rex or a Stegosaurus also helps children understand how truly large these prehistoric creatures were.
The cards themselves are sturdy and brightly printed. They should hold up well after being placed all over the floor and walked and jumped upon. At the same time, they stack well back into the original package and can be stored neatly away when playtime is done.
We were sent this educational science toy from Uncle Milton for review, but Chicago families can find it for sale locally at places like Toys R Us, where each kit should retail for around $12.99. Other playthings from this line that kids may enjoy include Dinosaur Train Dino Poop (which teaches about the diets of prehistoric creatures) and Dinosaur Train Hatchers (eggs out of which kids can hatch their own toy figures).
Children with an interest in dinosaurs and science may also like playing with the Charlie's Playhouse Giant Evolution Timeline Playmat, the Learning Resources Primary Science Set, and The Magic School Bus Diving into Slime, Gel, and Goop Young Scientists Club science kit.
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