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Diggin' Dinosaurs

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When Gina Guzman and her husband Tony set off on a cross-country vacation with their three kids a few years back, they knew they'd need to make a lot of stops. Armed with regional guidebooks and a shared passion for the prehistoric, they sought out dinosaur- and fossil-related exhibits along the road, turning the trip into a Dinosaur Adventure the family will never forget.

Why not combat this summer's "Brain Drain" with a family vacation that keeps kids learning? When you focus on fossils, it's easy to turn your summer vacation into an educational expedition everyone will enjoy!

Museum Madness: Dinosaur museums and exhibits abound in the deserts and badlands of Utah, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming and the Dakotas. Kids love the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland Park, Colorado, which features a wide variety of fossils from North America's Cretaceous Period, a working fossil lab, and lots of hands-on activities. Another popular site is the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana, home to the largest collection of dinosaur fossils from the United States. And while western U.S. deserts are hotspots for fossil activity, you'll find exciting dinosaur exhibits in every region of the country, from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, to the University of California's Museum of Paleontology in Berkeley and the Honolulu Community College Dinosaur Exhibit on the Island of Oahu. To find local exhibits, check out regional guidebooks, contact each state's department of conservation, or visit the DinoDatabase for an online list.

Off-the-Beaten Path: Sometimes the most exciting exhibits aren't the most well-known. When the Guzmans ventured into the badlands near Rapid City, South Dakota, they came upon a small museum where they met paleontologists who had worked on excavating the T-Rex "Sue" in Alberta, Canada. The scientists took the time to talk with the family, and when a local hobbyist came in for help in identifying a fossil he had found, the kids got a first-hand look at how modern day paleontologists do their jobs.

Dinosaur Destinations: Why not choose your route and destination to maximize dinosaur and fossil viewing? A variety of fossils have been found throughout the United States and Canada, and many outdoor sites preserve them for visitors to see. At Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, you can see real dinosaur footprints, and at Dinosaur National Monument, which spans parts of Colorado and Utah, you'll find over 1,500 dinosaur fossils. Central Oregon's John Day Fossil Beds offers visitors a chance to hike on easy trails while viewing excavated fossils in plastic cases. A good guidebook or your travel agent can help you plan the perfect fossil-viewing trip.

Dino Digs: If digging in with both hands sounds more exciting than simply looking around, consider a dinosaur digging vacation. Many tour companies offer trips of varying lengths and difficulty. The Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada, (where the largest number of dinosaur species have been found!) offers 90-minute dinosaur digging trips for ages four and up as well as longer trips for families with older children. Montana's Timescale Adventures can take you on an educational and exciting trip lasting from one day to over a week in the Rocky Mountains. Or check out Wild West Vacations and Travel for an eight-night tour that includes two days of dinosaur digging along with other adventures in and around Yellowstone National Park.

Do Your Prep and Follow-Up: To make the most of the prehistoric lessons on your adventure, plan related activities for before and after the trip.

Research: Before you leave, read dinosaur books about the different types of dinosaurs you might see and the places you plan to visit. Practice with fossil digging kits so kids can see how to excavate bones gently and carefully and to give them a sense of how the bones fit together to form a complete skeleton.

Record: Have your kids keep a journal of what they see and learn along the way. Younger children can draw pictures in their journals while older kids can keep a field journal or compile a photographic record of the trip.

Review: Talk about what you learned – and what else your kids would like to learn – when the trip is over. Continue playing with fossil digging kits and other dinosaur-related toys so they don't lose the excitement and knowledge they gained out on the road.

At DiscoverThis.com science kits, we're as fascinated as you and your kids are by all things prehistoric! Here are some of our favorite dinosaur kits and books to get your family ready for a dinosaur adventure of your own!






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