Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies, open until May 30, 2022, at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, is an interactive exhibition that offers an astounding array of authentic dinosaur eggs and nests collected from all across the globe, in addition to great hands-on play experiences! Kids can dig for eggs, dress up like a parent dinosaur to brood their nest, and feel the texture of dinosaur eggs. Cute babies and fun dinosaur facts will keep the whole family playing and learning. The exhibit is divided into four sections based on the different families of dinosaurs: Ceratopsians, Sauropods, Theropods and Ornithopods. Each space provides visitors with a bevy of interesting information and activities about that particular type of dinosaur.
What are Ceratopsians?
Ceratopsian means “horned face” and refers to a herbivorous group of dinosaurs who were famous for the ornate horns on their faces and frills protecting their necks. The most well-known of the group is Triceratops, with three horns on their face.
• They were gregarious animals that lived together in herds or flocks.
• “Hatching the Past” features two types of Ceratopsians. Psittacosaurus, which are the earliest known Ceratopsians with no frill and only small horns (jugal horns) protruding from their jaw, and Protoceratops, which has a frill and jugal horns but no facial horns.
What can kids do at the Ceratopsian section in Tiny Titans?
• Interact with a life-sized baby Triceratops.
• See fossilized eggs and skeletons of Psittacosaurus and Protoceratops.
• Find out how Ceratopsians took care of their young.
• Use toy dinosaurs to stomp around the terrain in the Jurassic Play Land.
What do kids learn at the Ceratopsian section in Tiny Titans?
• Protoceratops laid soft-shelled eggs, similar to turtles, which is why they didn’t fossilize well.
• Psittacosaurs had self-sharpening teeth for cropping and slicing tough plant material.
• Triceratops and other Ceratopsians lived in family groups and may have protected their young like elephants do today.
• Earlier Ceratopsians swallowed stones called gastroliths to help wear down food as it passed through their digestive system.
Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies is a traveling exhibit series created by Silver Plume Exhibitions and featuring artwork from Luis V. Rey and Mark Hallet, as well as stunning photography by Louie Pshioyos. The exhibit is generously sponsored locally by the Topeka Lodging Association and Visit Topeka, Inc. Tiny Titans will be on display at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center from February 24 to May 30, 2022, and is included in regular admission.
MORE DINO INFO: Find out more about the Sauropods here.