What happens when dinosaurs meet mathematics? You might picture a T-rex chomping on your high school algebra book, but we have something a bit different in mind. Most kids love dinosaurs. Maybe it’s the teeth, or maybe it’s just that dinosaur toys are so cool.

But let’s be honest, many kids don’t have quite the affinity for math that they do for dinosaurs. Math has no sharp, pointy teeth, and it hardly ever roars. More than most other subjects, math gets challenging pretty early on, and this can cause kids to think they are not good at it. We can help, but you’re gonna need some dinosaurs.

One early math skill that kids need to master is patterns. Because there are so many different kinds of dinosaurs, yet so many similarities between them, dinosaurs lend themselves to teaching children patterns.

It works like this. Start by lining up a few dinosaurs in a simple pattern. Then give your child a group of dinosaurs and have him pick the one that comes next. Consider one of these basic patterns:

• Dinosaurs walking on two legs
• Dinosaurs walking on four legs
• Plant Eaters
• Meat Eaters

As your child masters simple arrangements, transition to more complex patterns, like ones that alternate or require more attention to detail. Praise your child often as he succeeds at this, letting him know that he is solving difficult math problems. Success breeds success in math. If your child feels that he is doing well, he is more likely to confidently approach a harder problem.

In the end, your child gains confidence and practice with patterns, all while playing with his favorite dinosaurs. Now if only there were a way for dinos to teach Algebra.