Why are children so fascinated by dinosaurs and what is the benefit of this? We explain

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If you have children or younger siblings, you’ve probably witnessed their “dinosaur addiction.”

Many children adore dinosaurs, watch movies about them with enthusiasm, read encyclopedias and tell lots of interesting facts.

Why do kids like dinosaurs so much, and why is it actually good for them?

We spoke with a child psychologist Anna Pokrovska, and also used CNN’s material.

Why do children love dinosaurs?

Photo: orlaimagen/Depositphotos

• Dinosaurs are strong, large, and combine many unique traits

Objectively, dinosaurs are very interesting creatures and do not resemble modern animals. Dinosaurs known to people are mostly very large, have spines, interesting coloring, and they are also poorly studied, which gives room for imagination.

“Kids love dinosaurs because it’s a very good metaphor for the combination of strength, a very bright, colorful look, and something powerful. It’s also a metaphor that you can be legitimately aggressive in order to protect yourself.

Children have the idea that there are predatory dinosaurs that attack, and there are good dinosaurs – big, herbivorous ones that eat leaves and walk in the forest. And in general, there is nothing terrible about dinosaurs in the imagination of children.”– says child psychologist Anna Pokrovska.

• Children are interested in exploring what happened before them

From a certain age, children begin to be interested in the question – what was in the world before them?

From the expert’s experience, even small children very quickly remember the scientific names of dinosaurs and distinguish them.

And parents are surprised that such research activity is awakened in children when they see dinosaurs.

Read also: Did they chirp or growl? Scientists have speculated what sounds dinosaurs could have made

• Dinosaurs fit perfectly into a child’s world of imagination

Photo: Iurii/Depositphotos

Arthur Lavin, chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, explained children’s love of dinosaurs this way: Between the ages of 3 and 4, children go through a period of hyperfixation, which Lavin called “imagination-based play.”

From this period, children begin to take a deep interest in topics such as fairies, monsters, unicorns or dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs fit into the children’s world of imagination and seem like mysterious creatures because they are extinct, they do not exist in modern times.

“Dinosaurs are something that you can imagine, fantasize. Every dinosaur that a child sees in an encyclopedia, in a cartoon, or if there are dinosaur figurines at home, can be given the qualities that she likes. Today it can be a dinosaur with aggression, which throws everything around the room, wants to destroy everything, hungry, irritable, and the next day – very kind, friendly, who can protect someone.

For children, a dinosaur is a symbol of strength and kindness, and on the other hand, a symbol of being big and even aggressive when needed for protection. You can have such an unusual look, you can have sharp claws. What other animal can combine such qualities as a dinosaur?” – says Anna Pokrovska.

According to the psychologist, the ability to imagine “your dinosaur” and associate it with yourself can help children learn about their emotions and develop.

What is the benefit of being interested in dinosaurs?

Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Fascination with dinosaurs is actually good for a child’s cognitive development.

A 2008 study found that children with strong interests (such as dinosaurs) have better knowledge, attention span and deeper information processing skills, and are more persistent.

Scientists noticed that such children are smarter than their peers of the same age (this was especially noticeable at the age of 4-6).

Another study conducted in 2007 found similar results for children’s intelligence. A third of the younger children who participated in the study were very passionate about something.

Among these interests, cars and dinosaurs were the most popular.

Photo: Gorodenkoff/Depositphotos

Of course, being interested in dinosaurs does not mean that the child will become a paleontologist.

Scientists say that a child’s “obsession” with a topic usually lasts from 6 months to 3 years. And only 20% of children become interested in their “childish” interest after entering school.

However, an interest in dinosaurs helps a child learn new knowledge about the planet in the usual way: through play.

“Any game is useful for a child. The game develops his personality, his emotional intelligence, imagination, thinking, logic. The child builds his scenario and develops the game, imposes his qualities on the characters, this is a very important process for the brain.

A child brings dinosaurs to life with his imagination. At this time, she can protect her psyche, react to the aggression that has accumulated. It happens that in the office of a child psychologist, a child immediately collects dinosaurs and says “they will destroy everything, attack.” This suggests that somewhere the child received the experience of stress, especially in the conditions of war.

It is very important for a child to vent these emotions somewhere. And it’s very good if it’s a game.” – adds Anna Pokrovska.

Read also: How did dinosaurs have sex?

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