Do you know your Brontosaurus from your Brachiosaurus? Your Troodon from your Pterodactyl? No? Well, you’re not alone – nearly 90 per cent (88%) of parents admit to have been outsmarted by their children’s knowledge on their favourite topics. A study of 1,000 British parents and carers by DK Books found that half (51%) feel as though they can’t keep up with children on the topics that they’re most passionate about.
Dinosaurs and natural history are a key passion point for children, with eight in ten (82%) kids interested in the topic. The T-Rex reigns supreme amongst UK children – with more than a third (35%) calling it their favourite dinosaur – yet 1 in 10 parents couldn’t identify it, and 46% of couldn’t identify their second favourite dinosaur, the triceratops. But it’s not for lack of trying – parents are trying to keep up with their children’s passions, and almost three-quarters (73%) of parents admit to brushing up on their knowledge before helping or speaking to a child about the topics they love.
DK, the world’s largest publisher of dinosaur books, launches its first annual Dinosaur Day, which will call on the nation to channel their inner kids and reconnect with our love of dinosaurs and natural history. Sarah Larter, DK Children’s Publishing Director said: “Dinosaurs are one of the world’s most remarkable curiosities, so it’s no wonder that kids today are obsessed with them.
“We want to make it easier for parents to be able to talk to their children about the things they’re most interested in and passionate about, especially dinosaurs and natural history. No matter the age, we publish books created by trusted voices, backed by expert information and brimming with roarsome fun. We want children to walk in the footsteps of giants and feel like they're part of their world because reading is, and always should be, a truly immersive experience.
“That’s why we’re launching the UK’s first-ever annual Dinosaur Day on June 30, to encourage adults to keep using their imaginations, embrace the adventure of growing their knowledge, remain curious, and reconnect with the love they had for dinosaurs and natural history.
“We also hope that parents use Dinosaur Day as an opportunity to learn more about the subject together with their children – our study also revealed that mutual discovery plays an important part in strengthening the bond between parents and their children.”
Reading books (69%), visiting exhibitions and museums (68%) and playing games (66%) are the top ways that parents show an interest in and nurture their children’s passions, and more than half (52%) stated their relationship with their child feels stronger after they show an interest in something their child likes, while forty-nine per cent say their child seems more confident.
Chris Packham, naturalist, television presenter and ambassador for DK’s first-ever Dinosaur Day, added: “It’s no surprise to me that dinosaurs continue to top the list of British children’s’ favourite topics – many of us were also fascinated with dinosaurs ourselves as kids and still are as adults. What’s interesting about the study is that we are clearly losing that excitement and knowledge as we become adults, which means we are having to brush up again on subjects we used to love when we’re interacting with our children.
“Continuing to learn as we go into adulthood has many benefits to our wellbeing, so creating an annual moment with DK will ensure that we as adults are equipped to embrace our children's passions and nurture their interests, whilst learning a thing or two ourselves.”
For the UK’s first-ever Dinosaur Day on June 30, the team at DK are partnering with schools across the nation, providing their world-renowned dinosaur books, activity sheets, competitions, online lessons from their ‘ologists (Palaeontologists and other Prehistoric experts), and crafting activities for kids to enjoy.
Local bookshops can also download activity packs and a range of other resources to host their own Dinosaur Day events. For more information about how to enjoy Dinosaur Day at home, visit www.DK.com.
