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🦅 Sky and sea giants

Were the flying reptiles dinosaurs? Simple, true sky and sea giants facts for young children, each with a fun fact, a tiny activity and a question to talk about together.

Tap a question to reveal the answer, share the fun fact, try the tiny activity, then talk about it together.

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Were the flying reptiles dinosaurs? Revealexpand_more

The flying reptiles of the dinosaur age, called pterosaurs, were close cousins of dinosaurs but not dinosaurs themselves. They ruled the skies on wings made of skin stretched between their bodies and a very long finger. Some were as small as a bird, while the biggest had wings wider than a small plane.

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Talk about itWould you rather glide on skin wings or feathered wings?

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Did you know?The largest pterosaurs were as tall as a giraffe when standing on the ground.

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Try itStretch one arm out wide and imagine skin running from your body to your fingertip. That was a pterosaur wing.

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🦅🌊What else lived with the dinosaurs?🪽How did pterosaurs fly?🦅What was the biggest animal ever to fly?

🤖Still curious?How were pterosaur wings different from bird wings?arrow_forward

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What giant reptiles swam in the seas? Revealexpand_more

While dinosaurs ruled the land, huge reptiles ruled the ancient oceans. Some looked like dolphins with long snouts, others had long necks and paddle-shaped flippers, and a few were fierce hunters bigger than a bus. Like dinosaurs, these sea reptiles were not fish and had to come up to breathe air.

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Talk about itWould you rather explore the ancient seas or the ancient land?

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Did you know?One giant sea reptile had eyes as big as dinner plates to see in the deep, dark water.

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Try itMake slow paddling strokes with your arms like flippers. That is how some sea reptiles powered through the water.

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🦅🌊What else lived with the dinosaurs?🦅Were the flying reptiles dinosaurs?🎨How do we know what colour dinosaurs were?

🤖Still curious?Did the sea reptiles lay eggs like dinosaurs did?arrow_forward

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What was the biggest animal ever to fly? Revealexpand_more

The biggest flying animals of all time were the largest pterosaurs, giant reptiles from the dinosaur age. The very biggest had wings as wide as a small aeroplane, yet light hollow bones helped them take to the sky. Standing on the ground, one could look a giraffe in the eye.

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Talk about itWould you feel amazed or a little scared to see a giant flying reptile overhead?

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Did you know?Despite wings wider than a bus, the biggest pterosaurs may have weighed less than a grown person.

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Try itMeasure a few big steps across a room to picture a giant wingspan. Now imagine that lifting off the ground.

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🦅🦅Were the flying reptiles dinosaurs?🪽How did pterosaurs fly?🪶What holds a plane up in the air?

🤖Still curious?How could such a huge animal get off the ground?arrow_forward

schedule2 minstarMediumgroupTogether

How did pterosaurs fly? Revealexpand_more

Pterosaurs flew on wings made of a tough, stretchy skin held out by one enormously long finger. Their bones were hollow and light, which made lifting off easier, and their strong shoulders and chest powered each flap. Many were superb gliders, riding the wind for long distances with barely a beat.

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Talk about itWould you rather flap hard to fly or glide gently on the wind?

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Did you know?A pterosaur's wing was supported by a single finger stretched out incredibly long.

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Try itHold a light scarf between your hand and body and sweep it through the air. Feel it catch the air like a wing.

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🦅🦅Were the flying reptiles dinosaurs?🦅What was the biggest animal ever to fly?🪶What holds a plane up in the air?

🤖Still curious?How did pterosaurs launch into the air to start flying?arrow_forward

🦅 Sky and sea giants

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