National Draw a Dinosaur Day

Over the years, adults and children alike have fallen in love with the imagination, fantasy and history that comes along with dinosaurs.

From visiting museums to see their bones and fossils, to watching recreations of them in films and television shows, dinosaurs have been a fascination since their bones were first discovered in the 17th century – and at first no one could even guess what they really were!

Today, National Draw a Dinosaur Day offers a full range of fun ideas for celebrating this creature from the past that is not only enormous in physical size but also holds a large place in the hearts of so many humans today.

How to Celebrate National Draw a Dinosaur Day

Kids of all ages (even the adults who are kids at heart) can have tons of fun celebrating National Draw a Dinosaur Day! Get inspired by some of these ideas for celebrating the day:

Draw a Dinosaur, Obviously

When the instructions are in the name, it’s a really good day because everyone knows what to do! The first order of business is to get out that pad of paper with a pencil or markers and start drawing up some dinosaurs. Perhaps get even more creative and try a hand at some watercolors, acrylics or oil paints. Or, in a fun twist of events, get out on that pavement or driveway with some sidewalk chalk and draw a huge colorful dinosaur in honor of National Draw a Dinosaur Day!

Those who are teachers or parents can certainly take this one step further and be sure to not only draw a dinosaur themselves, but encourage the children in their care to draw one too. Expressing the arts and creativity is an important part of brain development as it can promote higher functioning and even increase serotonin levels. Remember, the critique of the art piece is not important – it’s much more important that they have fun.

And if a child wants to draw something other than a dinosaur on National Draw a Dinosaur Day? Well, that’s perfectly fine as well!

Watch a Dinosaur Movie for Inspiration

Whether it’s just watching a little dinosaur cartoon or show with the kids for inspiration (think Barney) or getting into a full-fledged live action dinosaur movie, National Draw a Dinosaur Day is a great time to grab a sketch pad and draw what is seen on the television. Here are some movies to consider:

• Dinosaur (2000). This Disney animated film is a live-action, computer animated flick that tells the story of a lone, orphaned dinosaur left to be raised by lemurs.
• The Land Before Time (1988). Children of the eighties will remember this beloved family animated movie which features the journey of several dinosaurs trying to get back home. It’s a fun story and also gives some basic animated dinosaurs to try to copy when drawing.
• Jurassic Park Series. Starting in 1993 and moving into more recent versions brought to life by Chris Pratt, the Jurassic Park films move all the way into 2022 and beyond, with at least six different dinosaur themed films.
• Land of the Lost (2009). This comedy sci-fi movie starring Will Ferrell is a remake of the 1970s series of the same name, and the movie features a variety of inspirational dinosaurs that would be perfect for sketching and drawing.

Take a Drawing Class

Not feeling super equipped when it comes to trying to draw a dinosaur in honor of National Draw a Dinosaur Day? That’s okay! There is plenty of time to learn and it may even become a fun hobby. In fact, learning to draw might even be part of the joy of celebrating the day. Perhaps this day would be a great time to enroll in an art or drawing class, given by a local artist or at a community college, where the skills of a sketch artist can be developed under the tutelage of a professional.

Visit a Museum with Dinosaurs

Perhaps watching a movie doesn’t offer quite enough inspiration and a better way to go about it would be to visit some museums that contain actual dinosaur bones! A little online search can reveal which museums are the closest locally, but here are some of the most famous dinosaur museums that are worth visiting in places all over the world:

• Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois, USA. This museum is famous for its giant friend, Sue, who greets visitors proudley as the largest Tyrannosaurus in the world. This natural history museum features dinosaurs from distances such as Madagascar and Antarctica.
• Museum of Natural History (Museum fur Naturkunde) in Berlin, Germany. Housing the bones of the tallest dinosaur in the world, this museum has a huge collection, particularly of dinosaur bones from Tanzania.
• Zigong Dinosaur Museum in Zigong, China. Situated directly on top of an actual fossil site, this museum provides visitors with an up-close and personal view of a dinosaur fossil excavation site.
• Jurassic Land in Istanbul, Turkey. One of the largest theme parks in Europe, Jurassic Land offers fun with dinosaurs on a more experiential level where it mixes dinosaur fossils and skeletons with animatronics, and it even includes egg incubators.

History of National Draw a Dinosaur Day

National Draw a Dinosaur Day was founded in 2007 when a student named Todd Page began doodling during a boring anthropology class. After he realized how fun his own drawings of dinosaurs were, he encouraged his fellow classmates to do the same and the rest is ancient history!

Today, National Draw a Dinosaur Day offers people the reminder that there is more to life than just the moment that is present in front of our eyes. Sometimes, it takes some imagination, combined with a little bit of past history, to produce something creative, unique and also tons of fun!