School Trips to: Isle of Wight
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ED the squirrel welcomes you to Dinosaur Isle

School Trips to Dinosaur Isle

/ Isle of Wight Trip Activities / Museums / Dinosaur Isle

DINOSAURSFOSSILSPREHISTORIC


Fossil Fun

A purpose-built interactive dinosaur and fossil museum conserving the rich collection of artefacts discovered primarily on the Isle of Wight.

As well as every child's highlight of handling coprolites (dino poo!) they will engage with materials teaching about the formation of fossils, rock cycles and coastal erosion.

Then it's off to the nearby beach, part of the Isle of Wight UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, to scour for fossils under the watchful eye of an experienced paleontologist.



School Trip Information Sheet for Dinosaur Isle
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Dinosaur Isle is in the Isle of Wight School Trips top 10

Dinosaur Isle is a TOP 10 Isle of Wight School Trip Activity!

See The Whole Top 10

Fun Factor 60%
Educational 90%


Average rating from past clients: 4 out of 5

Best Suited To

Dinosaur Isle is best suited for children 7 years and up as well as adults


Dinosaur Isle is great for all ages, but perhaps a little overwhelming for the very youngest visitors

Location of Dinosaur Isle

School trip Isle of Wight location map for Dinosaur Isle
Within Walking Distance...

Forget the coach and take a walk to:


More details about Beach Visit - Sandown

5

MINUTE WALK

Beach Visit - Sandown

Gorgeous Soft Sandy Beach

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More details about Sandham Gardens (Dino Islands)

5

MINUTE WALK

Sandham Gardens (Dino Islands)

Journey to a Forgotten Land!

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More details about Wildheart Animal Sanctuary (IW Zoo)

5

MINUTE WALK

Wildheart Animal Sanctuary (IW Zoo)

Home of the Isle of Wight Zoo

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More details about iSurf Watersports

10

MINUTE WALK

iSurf Watersports

Fun Intro to Surfing

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More details about National Poo Museum

30

MINUTE WALK

National Poo Museum

A World of Waste Awaits!

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Dinosaur Isle FAQs

Here's some of the most frequently-asked questions about school visits to Dinosaur Isle, posed by teachers and other group leaders

Are there any special requests or processes for group leaders on arrival?

Assemble the students on the grassed area outside the museum, and send in an adult to check in.

Usually you will be assigned a staff member who will come outside to greet the group and take over from there. You will need to supervise.

The running order of your visit will depend on safe tide times. It may be that you undertake the indoor activities first, followed by the beach, or vice-versa.

Are there any toilets on-site or nearby?

There are toilets inside the museum building. At the beach, public toilets are available in the car park close to where you will enter the beach area.

Are there any special or unusual requirements I need to know about before visiting?

Dinosaur Isle includes a beach fossil hunt. Sturdy footwear and clothing suitable for the weather conditions are required. There is a small chance that feet may get wet, so spare socks/shoes might be worth packing.

Are there any special requirements?

Obviously for the beach part of the visit there's a chance of getting wet or sandy, so we recommend wellies or a pair of old shoes/trainers for this along with a spare pair of socks in one's rucksack just in case. Whilst the fossil hunt can be modified or curtailed in really bad weather, this is very unusual. They generally do go ahead in 'normal' rain so a quick check of the forecast is a good idea and come prepared. The biggest safety concern is of course tidal conditions and wind.

Are there any accessibility concerns?

Within the museum everything is on two levels connected by a lift. For the beach fossil hunt it is possible to arrange the use of a special beach wheelchair with large pneumatic tyres. However the distance from the museum to the beach is around a quarter of a mile each way so some walking is required.

Is there space to sit and eat a packed lunch picnic?

You can use the grassed area outside the museum or in poor weather, subject to availability, you may use the education room inside.

How much time should we allow for a visit?

Usually a half day is sufficient. Many schools couple a visit to Dinosaur Isle with other activities in Sandown such as the Zoo, more independent time on the beach or a trip to the pier. There's also a dino-themed crazy golf course just along the road.

Is there anywhere on-site or nearby selling snacks, drinks or ice cream?

No

Are there any considerations regarding infection control?

Hand sanitiser available throughout the building

How does payment work?

We will pre-book your visit for you and your entry charges will be paid directly by Education Destination. All you need to do is show up at the agreed time, line the kids up outside, identify yourselves to staff and you'll be handling dinosaur poo in no time!

What about toilets?

There are toilets within the museum and there are public toilets close to the area of beach used for fossil hunts.

Educational Resources for Dinosaur Isle

The following Dinosaur Isle educational resources are FREE to use when you book your trip with Education Destination. Some include pre or post-visit classroom work, others are on-site activities. All are accompanied by detailed Teacher Notes and some even have sample lesson plans!

Prepared by our expert team of teachers with local Island knowledge, each resource addresses a specific National Curriculum topic. Click on any image for full details.

Dinosaur Isle is proud to be part of the Island Classroom

Include Dinosaur Isle in your next Isle of Wight school trip!

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