[train whistle toots] - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ Once upon a time, there was a mom ♪ ♪ Her name was Mrs. Pteranodon ♪ ♪ Sitting on her nest, she heard a scratching and said ♪ - Oh, boy, my eggs are hatching!

- ♪ One by one, her kids popped free ♪ ♪ Baby Pteranodons, one, two, three ♪ - I'll name you Tiny, Shiny, and Don.

- ♪ But Tiny said ♪ - Wait, there's one more, Mom!

- ♪ The last little baby was a different size ♪ ♪ With teeth and a tail and big green eyes ♪ ♪ He didn't look anything like the rest ♪ - What am I doing in a Pteranodon nest?

- ♪ But dear old Mrs. Pteranodon said ♪ - Oh, this is your family, and I'm your mom.

You may be different, but we're all creatures.

All dinosaurs have different features.

Come on, Buddy, we'll take a vacation.

I'll get us a ticket at Pteranodon Station.

We'll travel the world in sunshine and rain and meet all the species on the... - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ We're gonna ride... ♪ - ♪ Ride, ride, ride, ride ♪ [train whistle toots] - ♪ The Dinosaur Train ♪ - [roars] - Good night, Tiny doll.

Sweet dreams.

- Tiny, be careful.

I'm putting my shells in order of size.

- Shh!

You'll wake up my Tiny doll.

She'll be cranky all day.

- Okay, but watch out for my shells.

- [sighs] Mom, I don't think this nest is big enough for the two of us and my doll and her shells.

- Tiny, I don't think the size of the nest is the problem.

I think you girls need to-- - I got it!

I got it!

I got it!

Ow.

I don't have it.

- Oh, no!

Don, my shell.

- Sorry about that, Shiny.

It was an accident.

I'll fix it later.

Not a lot of room around here.

- [sighs] - Hey, hey, hey, neighbor.

So remember how you were talking about going on vacation?

- Uh-huh.

Yeah, Larry, I remember.

Why?

You trying to get rid of me so you can eat my leaves?

- [gobbles] Oh, I would never do that.

[gulps loudly] Anyway, I just talked to an old friend of mine, a Pterosaur too-- Nemicolopterus to be exact-- and he's got a fantastic nest with a terrific view.

He's looking for a vacation too.

So I bet he'd swap nests with you.

- Oh, that's actually not a bad idea.

- Plus, they've got five kids.

So I bet their nest is even bigger than yours.

- Yeah, well, I don't know, Larry.

Let me think about it.

- What's to think about?

They're Pterosaurs.

You're Pterosaurs.

It's perfect!

- Mom, Tiny's doll is on my side of the line again.

- But Shiny's shells are on my side.

- [squawks] - Oh, hey, team.

What if we could take a mini vacation away from here-- maybe swap nests with another family of Pterosaurs, who have a big, beautiful nest with a great view, huh?

- Yes!

I mean, I'd think about it.

- That's what I told Larry.

- I already talked to my friend.

It's all set, neighbor.

You can thank me later.

- I wonder what the new nest is going to be like.

- I hope there's a big play area, just for my Tiny doll.

- And room for my shell museum.

- I need a collection section for my stuff too.

- Dad, Mom, if we're staying in this other family's nest, where are they staying?

- Well, right here, of course.

That's the other part of a nest swap.

- You mean in our nest?

But what if they go into my Tiny Place?

- I don't want them touching my shells.

I'd better pack them all.

- I'm gonna bury my stuff someplace safe.

- Ooh, me too.

Sounds like we need a hole.

- [squawks] Hold on.

I'm sure they're a very nice family, just like we are.

And if you keep some of your toys around, the visiting kids will have something to play with.

- But, Mom.

- Uh, kids, you can each take one special thing and leave the rest here.

- So everyone ready to go?

- Yeah, as long as they don't go into my Tiny Place, we'll be fine.

- Tiny, everything will be fine.

Come on, team, to the Dinosaur Train... and our vacation nest!

[squawks] - [sighs] I will return.

- Tickets, please.

Hello, Pteranodon family.

all: Hello, Mr.

Conductor.

- Where are we off to today?

- Ooh, we're going on a mini vacation.

- Yeah, we swapped nests with the Nemicolopterus family.

They're pterosaurs too.

- Hmm, a nest swap with a family of Nemicolopteruses, huh?

That'd be the early Cretaceous.

Sounds fun!

So what are you most excited about?

- Great view.

- Bigger nest.

- Extra space.

- Oh, uh, you did say Nemicolopterus, didn't you?

- Yeah, why?

- Well, Nemicolopteruses are toothless pterosaurs who tend to live in forests.

- Ooh, do they eat fish, like us?

- Nope, they eat smaller things.

Since they tend to be a-- a lit-- [bells chime] Ooh, Time Tunnel!

Time Tunnel approaching!

Next stop, Nemicolopterus Nook Station in the early Cretaceous.

Have a great vacation, Pteranodons!

all: Thanks!

Bye!

- Okay, Larry said the Nemicolopteruses' nest is at the top of a tree that's right next to a huge moss-covered rock.

- Look!

- Oh, nice job, Tiny.

Let's go, team!

- Oh, boy, I can't wait to check out the view and stretch out in the great, big nest.

[squawks] Can't stretch out!

- Well, I can't see the view, Tiny.

Your whole head is in my face.

- How's the view up there?

- Ugh, I should've known Larry would forget to mention something.

From the looks of it, the Nemicolopterus family must not be any higher than my knee-- not even a foot tall.

- We may need to get a ladder.

- And a bigger nest!

- Hang on.

I'm coming for you, Buddy.

- Where am I going to put my shell?

- Where can I play Dino-ball?

- Now, kids, sometimes vacations can be full of surprises, like the living situation.

We have to keep looking at the bright side.

- Right.

Sure, the Nemicolopterus family is apparently way, way, way smaller than us, but maybe we can learn a lot about them.

Wouldn't that be fun?

- Great idea, Dad.

First, let's learn what they eat.

I'm starving.

- Oh, me too, Buddy.

Let's go fishing in Nemicolopterus Lake.

all: Yay!

- Uh, Dad, that kid is eating a bug.

- Yeah, that one too.

Is anyone here looking for fish?

- Do they even have fish?

- Well, I'm sure there's fish around here somewhere.

- Why don't you kids go over and introduce yourselves?

- [squawks] Good idea, Mom.

Hi, I'm Tiny Pteranodon.

And these are my sister and brothers-- Shiny, Don, and Buddy.

- Hi.

I'm Nelly Nemicolopterus.

- And I'm Nancy Nemicolopterus.

- Wow.

You guys are tiny.

And I like tiny.

Nemicolopterus makes me feel like a giant.

[Nemicolopteruses laughing] - Um, do you mind if we compare features?

It's kind of my thing.

- Oh, sure.

- So you're both pterosaurs, like my sisters and brother.

You both have wings and beaks with no teeth.

- That's right.

We eat bugs... - You eat bugs?

- Mmm, nothing like freshly caught bug.

You want to try?

- Ooh, thanks.

I love bugs.

- Mmm.

- Um, tastes like bug.

[chuckles] - Yeah, want another?

- Um, no, thanks.

We're good.

- Moving on, I see that your feet are different from Pteranodons.

Your claws are more curved than theirs.

- Yeah, our claws help us grip tree branches when we climb.

- And our flatter feet help us walk faster.

[gasps, grunts] I'm okay.

[chuckles awkwardly] - Wow.

It's amazing that pterosaurs come in all different shapes and sizes.

Don't you think?

- Glad you've made some new friends.

Is anybody hungry for fish?

both: No, thanks.

kids: Yes!

- Well, it's getting late.

So let's go back to the nest.

Say good-bye to your new friends for now.

kids: Bye, Nelly and Nancy!

- Good to compare features with you!

both: Bye!

[Pteranodons grumbling] - Stop it, Tiny.

- Your head's in my face.

- All right, team, we just need to keep positive.

If we curl up into little balls like this-- You see?

I'm super comfortable.

Perfect sleeping position.

Hey, try it.

- But why can't we sleep in the nest that Mom and Buddy made down there?

- Yeah, Buddy can't fly, so it's not safe for him to sleep in a nest this high off the ground.

And your Mom volunteered to sleep down there with him, so he wouldn't be alone.

- Oh.

- Come on, let's try sleeping like the Nemicolopterus do.

It'll be fun.

- Okay, Dad.

- Hey, move over.

- You're sitting on my wing.

- You see?

Plenty of room.

- Stop it!

- Good night.

- Good night.

- Good night, kids!

kids: Good night, Buddy.

Good night, Mom.

[Mr. Pteranodon snoring] - Ow.

I'm just gonna go-- uh, go check on Buddy and Mom.

- Hey, you think maybe we should also go check on-- - Yes!

- [yawns, sighs] [chuckles] Good morning, kids.

Uh, kids?

Hey, where did everybody go?

[clears throat] - Oh, good morning, everyone.

Did you sleep well, dear?

- Of course.

I told you there was plenty of room up there.

- Great.

Let's go have some fun.

kids: Yeah, let's go!

- I'll be right behind you.

[bones crack] [groaning] Ow.

Oh, boy.

♪ ♪ - [grunts] - Whoa!

[all laughing] [kids laughing] [plays melody] [all laugh] - [squawks] This was a nice little vacation.

- See, isn't it nice to try new things once in a while?

- Sure, but I still like fish much better than bugs.

- Well, it's time to head home.

And I bet our old nest will seem really huge to us now.

Ready, team?

[kids cheering] - [gobbles, gulps loudly] Hey, neighbors, welcome home.

So did you have a good time?

- Well, it wasn't what we were expecting, Larry.

The nest was on the small side.

- But we had fun playing with their toys.

- And making new friends.

- And trying new foods.

- Yeah, bugs!

- Oh, actually, the Nemicolopterus family had some trouble adjusting to your giant nest.

They said they only slept in that one little area.

Uh, what's it called?

Tiny's Place.

- What?

In my Tiny Place?

I left my Tiny doll in there!

[squawks] Wow, it's so clean.

- It looks like the Nemicolopterus family took good care of it.

- [squawks] - Tiny, they made you a doll and left it as a thank-you gift.

- It's like we've been saying all along-- Mom and Dad, this nest swap was a great idea.

[squawks] - Hi, there, I'm Dr. Scott, the paleontologist.

One of the most amazing things about dinosaurs is that they're not only big, but bizarre.

And some of the most bizarre and interesting dinosaurs, were horned dinosaurs, like Triceratops.

Their heads are adorned with big, boney frills and spikes.

They've got horns over their eyes and over their nose.

We used to think that all horned dinosaurs had these horns so they could fight with Tyrannosaurs and other kinds of big predators.

But it turns out that's not the case.

If we look at animals today with horns, things like deer and antelope, they use them mostly to fight with each other and to show off.

If you look at the horn of Einiosaurus, curving forward, that wouldn't be very good fighting against a predator.

And we think, instead, that these animals used all this stuff to intimidate, to show off, and sometimes to fight.

So they would drop their heads, move them around, to see who's the biggest, and then if they needed to fight, they could lock horns together and have these wrestling contests to see who was strongest.

So Triceratops, Einiosaurus, all these animals are different.

Every species has a different set of bony bells and whistles on their head.

So, next time you go outside, think about putting on a fancy hat with big horns on it and think about just how scary you'd look.

- Hello, folks.

It's me, the Conductor.

Today the family takes a trip with Tank to his favorite picnic spot.

I wonder if it'll be as perfect as he remembers.

So come on along with me on the Dinosaur Train.

All aboard!

[train whistle toots] [kids laughing] - This is gonna be the best day ever.

Not only do I get to spend the whole day with you guys, we get to spend it at my most favorite, best picnic place.

- Yeah, I can't wait.

- Tank and I found this place a few months ago.

We love it.

- You know your picnic spots, Tank.

I bet it's the best.

- It is.

Triceratops Picnic Park is so green and so filled with all kinds of yummy plants that just talking about it is making me hungry.

- Next stop, Triceratops Picnic Park Station, in the late Cretaceous.

- Oh, that's it.

That's our stop.

[kids cheering] - We're going to have a picnic, Mr.

Conductor.

- And it's gonna be perfect.

- Well, Triceratops Picnic Park is pretty much a perfect picnic place.

[chuckles] That's a lot of Ps.

[wheels screech] kids: Yeah, we're here!

Let's go!

- So long, Pteranodons, Triceratops, and T. rex.

Have a perfect picnic!

[herd munching loudly] - Oh, the herd got here first.

- The herd?

- Yep.

Triceratops mostly travel in groups called herds.

It can be fun, because there's always someone to play with.

[both laughing] But it can also get kind of crowded and loud sometimes.

[Triceratops belches] And they eat all the food.

- Well, maybe it's not perfect, but I bet if we look around, we can still find a place that's really nice.

- Uh, okay.

[herd chattering] - Don't mind if I do.

[chattering continues] - [gasps] Hey!

Whoa!

That was close.

[herd murmuring] - Yikes!

- Ooh, sorry, Little Horns.

Didn't see you there.

- Uh, that's all right, Mister... - Trenton.

My apologies.

I should watch where I'm stepping with these big feet of mine.

- Tank, are you okay?

- Sure.

I'm--I'm all right.

[all munching loudly] - Mrs. Triceratops, I don't think Tank's having a very good time.

I have a hypothesis.

I think he doesn't like having to share his picnic spot with the herd.

- That's a very good hypothesis, Buddy.

Sometimes Tank doesn't like big crowds.

- [squawks] So finding the herd at his favorite picnic place may be making him a little uncomfortable.

- Tank, with the herd here, this place is a bit more crowded than we expected, isn't it?

- Yeah.

- Would you like to get away from the crowd and go to a different picnic area?

- Can we?

Yes, yes!

I'd love to go to a new place.

- Well, then that's what we'll do.

- [squawks] That's what we'll all do.

- Whoo-hoo!

Yippee!

Everyone who's going to the new picnic area, follow me.

Ready?

Forward march.

[humming marching song] ♪ ♪ [all humming marching song] ♪ ♪ Wow!

Look at this place!

[all laughing] Grass and leaves and grass!

- [squawks] And the pond's nice and cool.

- It's just as great as my old perfect picnic place.

Maybe even more perfect than perfect, because it's all ours.

Let's eat!

Mmm, yum.

Mmm.

- I'm a Stegosaurus.

Grr!

- Arr!

I'm an Allosaurus.

- Mmm, this water is so refreshing.

- And do I detect a hint of lily pad?

[both sigh] - Mmm.

What?

- Mmm.

[snarfing] How you doing, Little Horns?

- Mr. Trenton, what are you doing here?

- We saw your group leave the other area, so here we are.

- We?

- The whole entire herd?

- Absolutely.

[all chattering loudly] - [squawks] - Oh, excuse me.

- Oh, pardon me.

[both laughing] - [coughing] [all munching] [all slurping and gulping] - Well, at least it was quiet for a while.

- [squawks] Hey!

- Oh, uh, were you gonna eat that?

Sorry.

- I have an idea.

Why don't we look for another picnic area?

I'm sure we can find another one just as nice as this one.

both: Yeah!

- Well, okay.

[all humming marching song] ♪ ♪ - Hmm, not much grass.

- Ow!

Ah, thorns.

- I can't eat vines.

They get stuck between my teeth.

- Well, there are some leaves.

- Well, yeah.

- And we have it all to ourselves.

- That's true.

No one else is gonna want to picnic here.

both: Exactly!

- Okay, let's picnic.

- Whoo-hoo!

- Yeah, let's go!

- Hey, hey, Little Horns.

- I can't believe it.

It's the herd again.

[herd chattering] - [sighs] - It looks like we're on the move again.

[herd chattering] - Not again.

[chattering loudly] - [gasps] Oh, look, Tiny.

- [gasps] They're beautiful.

You know, I really think it's important to sometimes stop and smell the-- - No time.

[herd chattering loudly] - [gasps] - [sniffs] - [breathing heavily] Can we take a little rest break?

- Oh, that's a wonderful idea.

Let's take a minute to enjoy the fresh air.

- [panting] I guess that would be all right.

- Whoo!

[all breathing heavily] - I just can't believe that the herd shows up everywhere we go.

- Hmm, there must be a reason the herd keeps following us.

- Oh, maybe they think we're following a secret treasure map.

both: Eh, eh.

- Maybe we could ask them.

- [gulps] Face the whole herd?

- Oh, Tank, you don't have to get in front of the whole herd.

You could ask that nice Mr. Trenton.

Remember, it is okay to politely ask a question.

And in this case, it might also be a big help.

[herd approaching] - [sighs] Okay, I'll do it.

[herd chattering loudly] - Uh, hey, good to see you again, Little Horns.

- Uh, Mr.--Mr. Trenton?

- Yes?

- Are you and the herd following us?

- Of course we are.

- But why?

- Because we're a herd.

It's what we do.

- Huh?

- You see, one dinosaur on its own isn't just lonely, it's vulnerable to predators.

- Predators?

- Hi.

What?

- I never thought about that.

- So being in a group-- a herd--means more eyes to watch for danger.

And more bodies to scare off those predators.

- But doesn't being in a herd make it easier for predators to find you?

- Oh, sure, predators could find a herd, but once they do, they'll have to get through a whole wall of Triceratops.

And that's not easy.

Roar!

[both laugh maliciously] all: Roar!

- [roars] - Ah, nah, forget it.

- Whoa!

- Cool!

[kids laughing] - The fact is, being part of a herd and moving to new places is about protection.

But that's not the only thing.

Let's face it-- some of us Triceratops are big eaters.

[chuckles] So, uh, moving to a place with more food is always a good thing.

- Huh.

I knew herds were always around, I just never knew how important they were.

And thanks a lot for keeping me and my friends safe.

But, uh, uh, there are times when I'd like it to be quiet.

That's why I kept moving on.

- Ooh, I know what you mean.

I always like a little me time every now and then.

- So is there a way to be part of the herd and still have some quiet?

- No problem, Little Horns.

Okay, everybody, formation 17B!

[herd chattering] - Ooh, look at them go!

- Ooh!

- Whoa.

- Look!

- Peace, quiet, and all the leaves I can eat-- mmm, this is the perfect picnic place.

- [slurping] It sure is.

- Yep, there's more than one way to be part of a herd.

- Okay, everyone, let's give them a show!

Formation 53!

[upbeat music] - Cool!

Dinner and a show.

- That's so cool!

- Whoa!

Look at them go!

♪ ♪ - Hi, there, I'm Dr. Scott, the paleontologist.

These flying reptiles are called pterosaurs.

What do they all have in common?

- Wings.

- Beaks.

- Right, and pterosaurs had hollow bones, and their wings were made of skin attached to a really long fourth finger.

Imagine stretching your fourth finger to be longer than your entire body.

Pterosaurs came in all different sizes.

Peteinosaurus was small.

Its wingspan was only about 24 inches.

The biggest bird today, is the wandering albatross, with a wingspan of up to 12 feet.

Now let's look at the largest pterosaurs.

Pteranodon had a wingspan of more than 20 feet, and Quetzalcoatlus was even bigger, with a wingspan of up to 40 feet.

Okay, remember, get outside, get into nature, and make your own discoveries.

- We love playing games.

- Like "All Aboard"!

You can play too.

- Online at... - And lots of other games.

- There's so much to learn about all kinds of dinosaurs.

- Go to... both: Pbskids.org.

- ♪ The Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ The Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ Dinosaur Train ♪ - ♪ We're gonna ride... ♪ - ♪ Ride, ride, ride, ride ♪ [train whistle toots] - ♪ The Dinosaur Train ♪