A homemade island map offers a flexible setting for dinosaur pretend play. Children can plan a river crossing, decide where a visitor starts, or explain a route to a partner. The island is fictional: it should not imply that all dinosaurs lived together or on one real island. A plain sheet of paper is enough to begin.
What you need
Choose a few figures from your collection, broad sheets of paper or card, and drawing materials suitable for the child. An adult can help with reading, writing, cutting, or device use where relevant. Begin with a small selection and keep unused pieces stored.
Set up the activity, step by step
1. Decide what the map needs
Choose a starting point, a destination, and two landmarks before drawing decorative details. A large rock, a lookout, and a pretend stream can anchor the story. Ask the child to leave broad open areas where the figures can stand without covering every label.
2. Draw a simple map key
Use a few repeated symbols: a line for a path, a wavy line for water, and a triangle for a hill. Place the symbols in a key beside the map. They are invented map conventions for your game, so agree on them before the journey begins.
3. Place the available scenery
Add suitable accessories from the assortment only after the route is clear. A piece can stand for a landmark even if it is not a realistic model of one. Keep figures and small parts on the table rather than scattering them across a walking route.
4. Plan the first journey
Give the explorer a reason to travel: delivering a message, finding a missing sign, or guiding a museum visitor. Ask the child to describe the planned route before moving the figure. Start with two landmarks and add complexity only when the instructions are easy to follow.
5. Change one condition
Close one path with a folded paper sign or move the destination to the other side of the map. Invite the child to find an alternative route. Keep the problem achievable; the aim is to revise a plan rather than trap the explorer in an impossible scenario.
6. Tell the journey afterward
Trace the final route with a finger and retell what happened in order. An adult can write three short captions beneath the map. Keep the map if the child wants to revisit the story, or erase the route and prepare a different expedition.
Questions to explore together
Choose one question that fits the moment rather than interrupting the story to ask every question. Give the child time to demonstrate an answer with the figures, a drawing, or words.
- Which landmark tells you that you are nearly there?
- Can someone follow your directions without watching your hand?
- What changed when one path was closed?
Try a different version
Make a partner version in which one person sees a route card and describes it to the other. A younger participant can choose between two destinations while an adult handles the map key. An older participant can add a compass rose after checking a reliable introduction to map directions.
Bring the activity to a useful finish
The map becomes useful when it helps someone do something. Prioritize a readable route over a densely decorated island, and keep the prehistoric setting openly imaginative. Your collection does not need a particular dinosaur or accessory for the story to work.
Frequently asked question
Does the island need to show a real prehistoric place?
No. Use a clearly fictional map so landmarks and routes can change to suit the story.
Choose your play materials
The Dinolino Dinosaur Discovery Egg Playset contains 50 total pieces across figures, scenery, and accessories—not 50 animals. Assortments vary. The egg case is approximately 33 × 23 cm. Small parts: not for children under 3; follow the packaging’s age guidance and supervise play.
For a separate reference reading session, visit our dinosaur guide for kids. Keep confirmed dinosaur information separate from the fictional characters and model observations in this activity.