Looking for fun things to do in Leicester relating to dinosaurs? Why not take the kids out to see our live Dinosaur show, it is definitely one of the fun things to do in Leicester! Book your tickets online now and be a part of one of the most spectacular and fun things to do in Leicester with Children.

Dinosaur World Live is playing at Leicester Haymarket Theatre Friday 29 – Sunday 31st March. Too book tickets please visit https://www.haytheatre.com/whats-on/dinosaur-world-live 

10 fun dinosaur facts for kids

While dinosaurs came a long time before us humans, fossils and modern technology have helped us piece together what dinosaurs may have looked like and even how they might have behaved. Have fun reading our wide range of cool dinosaur facts that are perfect for kids.

Fun Fact 1 –

The term “dinosaur’ was invented in 1842 by a biologist from England named Sir Richard Owen. He used the term “Dinosauria” in order to identify a new group of animals which had only been identified recently. The term itself is derived from two Greek words, namely “deinos” meaning ‘terrible’ and “sauros”, meaning ‘lizard’. Therefore, ‘dinosaur’ translates to ‘terrible lizard’ in a rough manner. Even though dinosaurs are not lizards, strictly speaking, there is no doubt that the name fits!

Fun fact 2 –

Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for over 160 million years, from the Triassic period around 230 million years ago through the Jurassic period and until the end of the Cretaceous period around 65 million years ago.

Fun fact 3 –

Dinosaurs lived in every continent on Earth; more than 700 different species have been discovered worldwide.

Fun fact 4 –

There were three major dinosaur groups – sauropodomorphs, theropods and ornithischians – all of which first emerged in the Triassic Period. These dinosaurs triumphed over other animals to become the dominant life form on land during the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic periods.

Fun fact 5 –

Scientists believe that the event leading to the extinction may have been a massive asteroid impact or huge volcanic activity. Events such as these could have blocked out sunlight and significantly changed the Earth’s ecology.

Fun fact 6 –

The study of ancient life is called Palaeontology, and a scientist who studies that is called a palaeontologist.

Fun fact 7 –

Rather than being carnivores (meat eaters), the largest dinosaurs such as the Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus were actually herbivores (plant eaters).

Fun fact 8 –

The most ferocious of dinosaurs on the planet was the Tyrannosaurus rex, the bite of a T-rex could easily crush through bone and was eight times more powerful than a lions bite.

Fun fact 8 –

Birds descended from a type of dinosaurs known as theropods.

 Fun fact 9 –

Pterodactyls are actually not dinosaurs, but other flying reptiles which lived in the same age.

Fun fact 10 –

We rely on dinosaur fossils to teach us about the history of these incredible creatures so we cannot be sure of their colours, however it is suggested that many small dinosaurs were coloured brightly; and larger ones were similar to modern day elephants and rhinos.