FROM DINO TO BARNEY, children have been enchanted by cartoonish examples of dinosaurs, animals that ruled the Earth more than 230 million years ago.
For Fred and Wilma Flintstone, Dino was a well-loved pet. And Barney, the lovable purple dinosaur, is recognized by children everywhere as a gentle creature. Actually, the word dinosaur comes from the term Dinosauria, which means "terrible lizards."
Although one of the most recognizable dinosaurs, the tyrannosaur, was a huge, fierce meat-eater, some dinosaurs were no larger than a chicken and ate only plants.
Until the 1960s, researchers thought dinosaurs had no descendants living today, but recent research has led some scientists to believe birds descended from particular kinds of small dinosaurs.
You can make your own toy dinosaur with these easy instructions using plastic foam pieces found at craft stores.
Supplies you will need
* Plastic foam pieces in the following shapes and sizes: one 2 1/2-inch ball, three 1 1/4-inch balls, one 1 1/2-inch egg, one 3 7/8-inch cone and five 1/2-inch balls
* Two 10-millimeter wiggle eyes
* 1 plastic knife
* Green and black acrylic paint and brush
* Black marking pen
* Pencil with eraser
* Toothpicks
* Glue
How to make it
Slice the egg into quarters using a plastic knife. Set two pieces aside for another project. Cut one 1 1/4 ball in half and set one piece aside. Using your fingers, mold one of the 1/2-inch balls into a cone shape for the end of the dinosaur's tail.
Paint all the pieces green and set aside until dry. Paint the front of the large cone black using the photo for directions.
Connect the pieces using toothpicks and glue. Connect the smaller balls together to make a tail, then attach it to side of the bottom of the large cone. Attach two of the 1 1/4-inch balls to the front of the body for feet, and attach the quartered pieces of the egg to either side of the cone for arms.
Attach the half-ball to the lower half of the largest ball for a muzzle, then glue the head to the top of the cone. Glue the eyes above the muzzle. Draw two dots for a nose, and make a mouth with a black marker.
Dip the eraser end of the pencil into black paint and dot the dinosaur's tail, feet and arms. Set aside until dry.