National Draw a Dinosaur Day on January 30 celebrates the mysticism and magic that surrounds these magnificent animals that once roamed the world eons ago. On this day, kids and adults paint and sketch all types of dinosaurs — cute, scary, jovial, wicked, e.t.c., and have fun while doing so.
History of National Draw A Dinosaur Day
On a seemingly unassuming day in 2007, a student named Todd Page was attending an anthropology class. To relieve the boredom, he put pen to paper and, out of nowhere, drew a dinosaur. He found it fun and stimulating. He motivated his classmates to sketch dinosaurs too, and they all found it to be fun. He decided to create a day when folks could just let their imaginations run riot by drawing the most mystical creatures that have inhabited our planet.
Todd Page registered the day — January 30 — as National Draw a Dinosaur Day and popularized it through social media. Since then, folks across the United States and Canada draw a dinosaur on the day and share their creations over social media.
It’s no secret that kids love dinosaurs. Ask any kid to do anything connected to dinosaurs, and they are over the moon! Drawing is a constructive way of engaging children. The celebrations on the day are simple — just draw a picture of a dinosaur and post it on various social media platforms. The picture is not essential, but having fun while doing it is! The idea is to motivate people, especially children, to let their imagination flow freely on paper or canvas.
Over the years, kids and adults have sketched their perceptions and visualizations of dinosaurs and shared them online.
So, on January 30, take out your pencils, wax crayons, color pens, paintbrushes, or even your stylus to draw your very own version of the most mystical creature to have ever walked the Earth.
National Draw A Dinosaur Day timeline
On January 30, Page, who is bored during his anthropology class, draws a dinosaur on paper, realizes it's fun, and decides to register it as a holiday.
On the first celebration, Page encourages participation through social media and receives a reasonably good response, with over 50 sketches posted on his timeline.
Over time, Page creates a website dedicated to the day, and the movement grows as the day turns ten.
More people love the day and increasingly share dinosaur sketches on their social media pages.
National Draw A Dinosaur Day FAQs
How is Todd Page associated with National Draw a Dinosaur Day?
Page was a student who accidentally discovered that drawing dinosaurs is fun and stimulating and decided to create a holiday for it.
Was National Draw a Dinosaur Day created by a paleontologist?
It was created by a student and has nothing to do with the study of dinosaurs or other extinct animals.
How do I draw a dinosaur when I'm not good at sketching?
You don’t need to be accurate or realistic. The idea is to draw your visualizations, however funny, cute, or even goofy they may seem. If you are serious about it, there are many how-to-draw-dinosaur videos on YouTube.
National Draw A Dinosaur Day Activities
Draw a Dinosaur
As the holiday suggests, simply sketch a dinosaur with readily available material. The best part about the day is that there are no elaborate preparations required to celebrate it. Just take a piece of paper and let your imagination run wild. Don't forget to give your dinosaur funny names such as ‘prettyrascalarus’ or ‘goofysaurus.’
Conduct a 'Draw a Dinosaur' contest in the neighborhood
Go ahead and ask the kids and grown-ups in your neighborhood to draw, sketch or paint a dinosaur. If assembling at a particular point is inconvenient, let the people draw in their homes. Put up a poster on the notice board or send a message over WhatsApp to announce the competition. They can then submit their creations to you, after which you can judge and suitably reward the best creators.
Spread the cheer on social media
Post your own or your kids' drawing on social media using the hashtag #DrawADinosaurDay. Share some fantastic facts about dinosaurs every day leading up to the day. Make sure that people realize how much fun the silly yet creative activity can be.
5 Dinosaurs That Are Fun To Draw
Tyrannosaurus Rex
The fierce T-Rex is a favorite amongst kids owing to its potential to be turned into a goofy-faced creation.
Indominus Rex
Its bony and sharp features require a bit more involvement, which engages and stimulates children who enjoy freehand drawing.
Triceratops
This huge herbivore is a part of every small kids' bedtime story, and they just love to breathe life into their imaginations.
Mosasaurus
For those who love dabbling with colors, this aquatic dinosaur presents a nice opportunity for creations with turquoise, blue and green hues.
Velociraptor
Ideal for grown-ups who love some degree of symmetry when using freehand.
Why We Love National Draw A Dinosaur Day
Drawing dinosaurs is fun
Drawing dinosaurs is fun because it's silly yet creative. Allow yourself a little bit of madness on this day.
It helps us bond with our kids
Kids love dinosaurs and love drawing them even more. It is a great way to draw their attention away from the videos and cartoons that they are exposed to over the internet. Bond with them by watching how-to-draw videos and helping them sketch a dinosaur.
We can celebrate these magnificent creatures
These creatures from the Jurassic world have always fascinated humans. Their aura has become bigger over the years, and people love to know more about them. The day provides us with a fabulous opportunity to celebrate, in a fun way, the most unique creatures that ever lived on planet Earth.
National Draw A Dinosaur Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | January 30 | Thursday |
| 2026 | January 30 | Friday |
| 2027 | January 30 | Saturday |
| 2028 | January 30 | Sunday |
| 2029 | January 30 | Tuesday |
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