Build a Trap for Dinosaurs

This month’s Virtual Book Club for Kids is featuring Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs: As Retold by Mo Willems. Because the dinosaurs set a trap for Goldilocks, we were inspired to build a trap for dinosaurs of our own. Affiliate links are included in this post. Clicking on the book titles or covers will take you to Amazon.

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs: As Retold by Mo Willems

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs: As Retold by Mo Willems is a funny twist on the classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears story. The jacket description describes the book perfectly: “Once upon a time, there were three hungry Dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur . . . and a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway. One day—for no particular reason—they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then—for no particular reason—they decided to go . . . someplace else. They were definitely not setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl. Definitely not!”

Build a Trap for Dinosaurs

Since the dinosaurs were setting a trap for poor unsuspecting Goldilocks, we decided to set a trap for the dinosaurs. Aiden brainstormed several different options for a dinosaur trap and drew up a few designs. I suggested we head outside to build a trap for dinosaurs and he was game.

Aiden has a hidden play area under the trees in our backyard. There are two piles of rocks. He likes to use his trucks and buckets to move the rocks between the two piles. The rock pile was the perfect place to build the trap. We dug a hole in one of the rock piles.

Aiden wanted the bottom of the trap to have lava rocks. This would represent real lava that would take care of the fallen dinosaur.

Aiden transported some more rocks to help make the walls of the trap higher.

In the end we had a pit deep enough for the dinosaurs.

Now what should we use to cover the pit? We thought of three solutions – tree bark (the cedar tree had lost quite a bit), leaves, and grass. Aiden wanted to try the bark and the leaves.

We covered the pit with cedar bark and waited for the dinosaurs to come by. Aiden built pretend signs warning the dinosaurs of going other directions. They were sure to come straight over the trap.

We next tested the trap with leaves. This vine seemed to work well across the top of the trap.

Aiden and I decided that we preferred the leaf covering to the bark. The dinosaur fell into the trap a little better.

How will you design and build a trap for dinosaurs?

More Activities for Mo Willems’ Books

Things That Go Experiment inspired by The Pigeon Loves Things That Go!
The Duckling Gets a Cookie Math Games – Play a counting game and make sticker shape cookies.
Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly! Sorting Game – Which of the characters can fly? Have fun sorting them into categories.

Also check out my We Love Books by Mo Willems Pinterest Board

More Ideas from the Virtual Book Club for Kids

See more activities inspired by Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs: As Retold by Mo Willems:

How Many? Questions for Dinosaur Maths from Rainy Day Mum
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs Sensory Retelling from Growing Book by Book
Dinosaur Prewriting Practice from The Pleasantest Thing
Dinosaur Ice Egg Preschool Experiment from Preschool Powol Packets
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs Gross Motor from 3 Dinosaurs
Dinosaur Alphabet Board Game from Mom Inspired Life
Hot Chocolate Pudding from Sugar, Spice and Glitter
LEGO Norwegian Flag from Mama Miss
Chocolate-Filled Little Dinosaur Bon-Bons from I Can Teach My Child
Dinosaur Shapes from The Educators’ Spin On It

Also stop by the Virtual Book Club for Kids Facebook page to see what others are sharing!

Next month we’ll be featuring The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. See our entire Virtual Book Club for Kids book list here.

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