If the Dinosaurs Came Back Art Lesson Activity for Elementary Kids

Dino art project on a 12″ x 18″ sheet of white paper

Some very wise kindergarten teachers taught me years ago that one of the best ways to launch a new art lesson is to begin with a read-aloud. A good story helps students settle in, focus their attention, and jump-start their imaginations before pencils (or markers!) ever hit the paper.

In a pinch, almost any book with a loosely matching theme will work. But every now and then, the perfect match comes along—and If the Dinosaurs Came Back is one of those gems. It’s developmentally spot-on for kinders, and the illustrations are simple enough for students to confidently imitate without feeling overwhelmed.

In this project, students create a lively city scene and then add a bold dinosaur collage on top. To keep things spontaneous (and to avoid the “tiny, careful, barely-there” drawings that can happen with pencil), students draw directly with a big, thick marker—no pencil lines allowed. After they finish their background, they cut a dinosaur shape from brightly colored cardstock, assemble it, and glue it down with a glue stick for an instant pop of color and texture.

Kinder students making a Dinosaur Art Lesson

Managing the logistics (even with up to 8 large kinder classes a week)

To keep this lesson running smoothly, a little prep goes a long way:
• Preprint lots of the Dino Template on red, green, yellow, and blue cardstock.
• Let students choose the color they want for their dinosaur.
• Students draw a city scene directly on their drawing paper using a big, thick marker (again—no pencils!).
• When the drawings are finished, students cut out their dinosaur pieces, assemble, and glue everything down with a glue stick.

Optional paper upgrade: go wide!

If you have access to large 12″ x 18″ paper, it’s really fun to mix things up by giving students extra-wide drawing space. You can use the paper full size, or try cutting it into thirds so each student gets a long 6″ x 18″ strip. That extra width encourages them to fill the space with lots of buildings instead of drawing one or two and calling it done—and the final “city skyline” look is adorable.