Dinosaur Day

June 1

What is Dinosaur Day?

Dinosaur Day falls on June 1st and is all about celebrating prehistoric life—especially dinosaurs—and sparking curiosity about science, fossils, and natural history. It’s often used as a way to introduce people (especially children) to Paleontology, the study of ancient life through fossils.

Why it matters

Beyond the fun, Dinosaur Day promotes interest in science, evolution, and Earth’s history. Dinosaurs help scientists understand extinction events, climate change over millions of years, and how modern animals (like birds!) evolved.

Tips on how to celebrate

1. Go see real fossils

If you’re up for an outing, nothing beats standing under a giant skeleton. Find a Natural History Museum near you, perhaps you’ll see iconic species like Tyrannosaurus rex and Stegosaurus up close.

2. Have a dino-mite movie night

Queue up classics like Jurassic Park ir its sequels. If you want something lighter, animated options like The Land Before Time are great too. Add themed snacks, like dino nuggets, to make it more fun.

3. Go all out and plan a party for the day

Everyone loves a party! Luckily we have a whole host of tips for you to plan a rawr-some Dinosaur Day themed party…or a kids birthday!

4. Try a mini “fossil dig” at home

Bury small toys in sand or dirt and excavate them.

Make “fossils” using clay or salt dough and press in leaves or toy dinosaurs.

Learn how real paleontologists work in Paleontology.

5. Learn something new

Pick a dinosaur and go deep:

What did Velociraptor actually look like (hint: probably feathers)?

How big was Brachiosaurus compared to modern animals?

You can turn it into a trivia night if you’re with friends or family.

6. Get Creative

Draw or paint your favorite dinosaur

Build one out of LEGO or craft materials

Design your own prehistoric species (name it, decide its diet, habitat, etc.)

7. Take it outside

Visit a park or nature trail and imagine what the landscape might’ve looked like millions of years ago. Dinosaurs lived in environments that weren’t so different from some ecosystems today.

8. Go full themed

Wear dino prints, eat dino-shaped foods, and maybe pick up a model or book. Even small touches make the day feel special.

Dinosaur Fun Facts

• Birds are actually modern descendants of theropod dinosaurs. That means animals like pigeons and chickens are living relatives of species like Tyrannosaurus rex.

• We used to picture all of them as scaly, but many—including Velociraptor—likely had feathers. They probably looked more like fierce, oversized birds than reptiles.

• Long-necked dinosaurs like Argentinosaurus could reach lengths of 100+ feet and weigh as much as multiple elephants combined. Nothing on land today even comes close.

• They lived for about 165 million years—far longer than humans have existed (~300,000 years). They were incredibly successful.