Dinosaur Dig at Preschool Playground Leads to Shocking Discovery

A recent discovery of dinosaur fossils by preschoolers at the Crescenta-Cañada Cooperative Nursery School has created a firestorm of controversy in the paleontological community.

Well, not really. The Crescenta Valley was under an immense ocean in the days when dinosaurs once roamed the earth, and the only fossils found here are the remains of ancient marine creatures. But for one morning, local preschoolers at CCNS imagined that dinosaurs did indeed once walk the Crescenta Valley.

It began when a mysterious map was found in the CCNS “Busy Bear” (kids aged 4 and 5) classroom.

“The maps had measurements indicating places at various places on the property, including in the sandbox area where the children play,” said Busy Bears teacher Mrs.Cindy McCauley. “We didn’t see any harm in letting the children digthere, and certainly didn’t think we were going to find what we did.”

Using the maps to measure out the approximate points of interest, the children began digging--and before long, they were shocked to find something far more interesting than a long-lost sand toy, or forgotten Hot Wheels car.

What they found were dinosaur bones.

“We found them all over the playground,” says Mrs. McCauley. “We just kept digging and finding more and more of them.”

The teachers, children, and helper parents transported the bones--and there were a lot of them--to a tarp-covered table. There the kids used brushes and magnifying glasses to examine their finds, just like real paleontologists. They also discussed what kinds of dinosaur the bones could have come from, and from which part of the body.

Experts will probably never be called upon to examine these bones for authenticity, so how and why they ended up buried in a preschool playground will remain an intriguing mystery. One thing is certain, though: it was yet another fun morning of discovery and learning for the kids at CCNS.

Crescenta-Cañada Cooperative Nursery School is a preschool that offers an exceptional early childhood experience for the entire family. It serves the following communities: La Cañada, La Crescenta, Glendale, Eagle Rock, Los Feliz, Sunland-Tujunga and Pasadena. CCNS is a place where parent involvement makes all the difference.