Dinosaur Train "Get Ready For Kindergarten" Giveaway



3Po and Jammy are in first grade now, but I well remember the anxiety they felt last year when they began kindergarten. Fortunately, they quickly got used to the routine, and I think the pre-kinder skills they learned-- knowing how to write their name, knowing how to use scissors, being accustomed to a routine, understanding how to perform simple experiments, etc -- played a big part. The Jim Henson Company has lots of fun activity ideas on their Dinosaur Train website that can help children to learn some basic preschool level science concepts. They're fascinating and fun and a great way to build up your child's confidence before he enters kindergarten. Here are a few examples:

* Help your child practice the letters of the alphabet while learning about the diversity of dinosaurs that once lived on Earth with the “Dinosaurs A – Z song.” Basic supplies needed include 26 index cards (4x6 or 5x7), a thick marker, crayons, lyrics to "Dinosaurs A to Z" song and the Printable page of all 26 dinosaurs in the song. For instructions go to: http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/handson/dinosaursatoz.html

* Help your child learn some basic insect anatomy by creating a model of a dragonfly, and learn that some animals seen in the world today also lived at the time of the dinosaurs. Basic supplies needed include construction paper, wooden popsicle sticks, strong tape, pipe cleaners, colored markers, glue and glitter (and photographs of real dragonflies from books or the Internet). For instructions go to: http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/handson/dragonfly.html

* Help your child understand and apply the term "hypothesis," investigate and make predictions about the science of color, using household basics including food coloring, clean food jars/containers, colored markers and a cookie sheet. For instructions go to: http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/handson/colorfulhypothesis.html


You can find more ideas on the DINOSAUR TRAIN website. Dinosaur Train is a favorite with my kids; they love the cute characters and the real-life educational segments at the end of each episode. I think it's a great show for about-to-become-kindergarteners, kindergarteners, first graders, and any schoolchild who loves to learn!


Win a Dinosaur Train Kindergarten Prize Pack
August is "Get Ready for Kindergarten" month, and to celebrate, one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a "Get Ready for Kindergarten" prize pack featuring some great Dinosaur Train products (worth over $50!):



* Dinosaur Train 16" backpack featuring Buddy the T-rex, from Accessories 22.

* Dinosaur Train: I Am a T-Rex book from Grossett & Dunlap.

* Triceratops for Lunch book from Golden Books.

* Dinosaur Train Take N' Play Anywhere™ Go Fishing™ magnetic activity from Patch Products.

* Dinosaur Train Dinosaur Collectible 3-Pack dinosaur figures from Learning Curve.

* Dinosaur Train's All Aboard game from Pressman Toy Corp.


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share your own tip for helping your child get ready for kindergarten. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

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3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the Dinosaur Train Get Ready for Kindergarten giveaway!
http://tinyurl.com/385g29b

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win a Dinosaur Train Kindergarten prize pack worth over $50 from @bonggafinds
http://tinyurl.com/385g29b #giveaways


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 15, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on September 16 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. US addresses only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

89 comments:

  1. Charlie loves Dinosaur Train! Having him in preK I think helped with starting Kindergarten this year. Over the summer I kept up his skills by having "homework" time in the afternoon. We spent 15mins every other day practising our sight words, printing, & workbook sheets.

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  2. I am getting my kids ready for Kindergarten by making sure they know there letters, numbers, sight words, can read and do basic math. We use workbooks, DVDs and the computer. Kids that go to school confident that they know what they are doing seem to do better.

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  3. Follow and tweeted

    http://twitter.com/mnsteph/status/22515674813

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  4. We went and took a tour of the school and met the teacher!
    polsen11atcomcastdotnet

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  5. We are teaching him his numbers, letters and responsibility as well as sharing as he is a only child.

    italiaangel80@gmail.com

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  6. I subscribe via email

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  7. i follow on network blogs

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  8. Tweet
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  9. Daily Tweet

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  10. My daughter has a few years before Kindergarten but to get her ready for Pre-K this year or next year this summer we have been learning a new letter each week. We cut out pictures that start with that sound, then do activities and crafts that begin with that letter.

    dropcqueen at yahoo dot com

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  11. I Wrote the message on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (Jana Leonard)

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  12. I Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs

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  13. Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger

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  14. I follow on twitter and tweeted http://twitter.com/dropcqueen/status/22617658702

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  15. Tweet
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  16. I think a practice run of getting dressed, having breakfast, getting all the school supplies together and driving to the school and walking around the school yard will help your child feel less worried because they have seen what they need to do and can know what to expect.

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  17. I am a facebook fan and left the message on your wall
    Liz Bee

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  18. Daily Tweet

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  20. My son is in preschool this year and to get him prepared we're juts reviewing what he learned last year, going school clothes shopping, and of course we let him pick out a backpack and lunchbox to get him super excited!
    dgoodridge84@yahoo.com

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  21. I follow on networked blogs
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  22. I follow on google friend connect
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  23. I wrote on your facebook wall
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  24. We purchased a dry erase board for both Jay and Gabs to pratice drawing out letters and numbers. They both know how to sounds out quite a few letters, we started giving them the fun job of making a grocery list. They are really trying to sound out words now
    karenmed409 at comcast dot net

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  25. subscriber
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  29. Daily Tweet

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  31. tweet http://twitter.com/dropcqueen/status/22807034980

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  32. We got our son excited for Kindergarten by shopping for a new backpack and talking about the new friends he'd be making.

    treflea4 at gmail dot com

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  33. GFC follower

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  34. Daily Tweet

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  36. tweet http://twitter.com/dropcqueen/status/22925171316

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  37. I am working with her on the basics like manners, the ABCs, numbers, etc.

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  38. I am an email subscriber

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  39. I wrote your message on your Facebook page
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  40. I follow you on Networked Blogs

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  41. I follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger

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  42. I follow you on Twitter and tweeted about your giveaway
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  46. tweet https://twitter.com/dropcqueen/status/22993309700

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  47. Where are going over her letters, colors, numbers, and shapes daily.

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  48. Daily Tweet

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  69. tweet
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  70. tweet https://twitter.com/dropcqueen/status/24198909119

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  71. I am getting my son ready by teaching him to enjoy books and reading and counting. I also take care of another little boy his age so he can socialize with children his age.
    veniceangel@hotmail.com

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  72. I subscribe via email
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  76. I made a comment on your face book page about entering this contest.

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  77. My youngest was so ready for kindergarten from watching the older three go to school. I prepared my kids by reading books about school, visiting the school and just talking. They went to pre-school so they had a basic idea.

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  78. Daily Tweet

    http://twitter.com/mnsteph/status/24376227709

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  85. Read to them, find books that engage them.

    steffanie771 at hotmail dot com

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  86. Congratulations to the winner: #78, Angela!

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