Behind door 17, a guest post from Cotton On’s Kerry Ollerenshaw and Science From the Start’s Dr Laura Hobbs – if you create a dinosaur tree decoration, let us know in the comments, on their Facebook pages or via #geoadvent on twitter!

“Earth Science Week 2016 saw two afternoons of dinosaur invasions at Cotton On in Morecambe, as children were encouraged to come and make unusual Christmas decorations while learning all about the prehistoric subjects of their creations. It wasn’t all about the crafts, with additional activities such as a dinosaur hunt provided by Laura from Science from the Start.

Kerry from Cotton On provided plenty of templates to choose from and examples of finished dinosaurs, although children were encouraged to design their own.

The Stegosaurus was one of the most popular designs. To create it, cut out the template below and pin it onto felt so that you cut out two dinosaur shapes (one in reverse).

Glue or stitch a ribbon to the reverse of one piece at the top and add the triangles in the same way.  Add a button for eyes, one each side and stitch mouth if required.

Decorate the dinosaurs however you like; there is no right or wrong when designing your own dinosaur!

Blanket stitch around the edge, leaving a small bit open for stuffing. Stuff the dinosaur, and close the gap. Instead of stitching, you could use fabric glue instead.

Kerry and Laura would love to see what you have created so if you make a dinosaur, please share photos of them to their Facebook pages! You can find them at Cotton On and Science from the Start.

Here are the vital statistics for Stegosaurus to go with your felt creations:

Length: 9 m

Food: Plants

Lived: Late Jurassic (156-144 million years ago)

(Source: Natural History Museum Dino Directory)

You can find more free related resources from Cotton On and Science from the Start, including further templates, blanket stitch instructions and dinosaur facts, here.