Dinosaurs are fascinating for people of all ages, and the best dinosaur toys help kids imagine a world full of these exciting creatures. It may be that we’re intrigued by dinosaurs because they were a world-dominant species for millions of years or that they make us think about the future of our own species theorizes W. J. T. Mitchell, Gaylord Donnelley distinguished service professor at the University of Chicago and author of The Last Dinosaur Book: The Life and Times of a Cultural Icon. Regardless of why people of all ages are intrigued by dinosaurs, we know that they are, which is why dinosaur toys are so popular.
Capture their imaginations with the best dinosaur toys, from realistic figures to Lego sets. Dino Egg Toy
Many kids go through a dinosaur phase, but you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy dinosaur toys, figures and books. Keep your tacos in hand with a dinosaur taco holder or liven up your desk with a historically accurate dinosaur figure. Of course, this list is abound with the best dinosaur toys for kids too, like this dino dig play set.
Any Jurassic Park fan will enjoy recreating this epic scene from the film. The set includes a T-rex, four minifigures, two vehicles, a faux electric fence and more. Designed for experienced Lego builders, this set is fun to play with or to enjoy as a collector’s item. Unsurprisingly, many dinosaur fans and experts enjoy the movie franchise. “Jurassic Park, however, was the game changer: a whole generation of now early- to mid-career paleontologists caught the fever from the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World series,” says Dr. David Fastovsky Ph.D, professor emeritus at the University of Rhode Island.
Kids can build these flexible tracks any which way they desire to send the dinosaur cars zooming down the road. The kit comes with 144 track pieces, dinosaurs, dinosaur cars and props. Combine it with other dinosaur play sets to create an immersive world especially for those kids who like active toys/
Dinosaurs go hand in hand with volcanoes in many people’s minds; kids can reenact one of the many popular dinosaur extinction theories with this set that includes a volcano that lights up and sprays a mist. You can choose to purchase the dinosaur figures with the volcano, the dinosaur figures with a play mat or all three together. The set also includes nine dinosaur figures.
Kids can race their Hot Wheels cars right into a T-rex’s mouth with this dinosaur-themed race track. If they time it right, they’ll defeat the dinosaur. “The interactive set adds dino-chomping action to kids favorite car-launching play pattern,” says Ali Mierzejewski, editor-in-chief at The Toy Insider.
Dig for dinosaur bones over and over again with this Kinetic Sand play set. It includes an excavation site, a pickax, over 10 bones to make three dinosaurs and more. Because Kinetic Sand never dries out, kids can dig for bones over and over again. Keep in mind, this set is designed for kids ages 6 and up.
This dinosaur dig kit is a bit more hands-on and requires kids to use tools to uncover their fossil just like a paleontologist would in the field. It’s a thoughtful educational toy that comes with a full-color book about dinosaur records. The fossil they’ll uncover is a T-rex tooth replica that’s designed based on a real fossil, giving it an authentic feel.
Little explorers can use the provided tool to uncover 12 different dinosaurs, each encased in a hard egg. With their chisel and their brush, kids can get to the center of the egg and then identify their dinosaur using the provided dinosaur learning cards. Some of the dinosaur figures include T-rex, Dilophosaurus and Ankylosaurus. Note: These excavation-style toys are super engaging for kids but highly messy. We recommend setting up a drop cloth or taking the fun outdoors.
If you’re looking for the gold standard in dinosaur figures, look no further than Safari Ltd. While it sells figures of the tried and true favorites, the line also includes many lesser-known dinosaurs. “They are of extremely high quality, larger than the little 2 to 3 inch ones of my youth, painted fancifully but reasonably (and artistically; some claim ‘hand painted’), and reasonably up to date,” says Dr. Fastovsky.
Schleich also makes a line of high-quality and beloved dinosaur figures. They’re durable enough for play and beautiful enough to display. Some of the dinosaurs the brand sells include Therizinosaurus, Brachiosaurus and Triceratops. Schleich does a good job of making figures that fit a more modern conception of dinosaurs, which according to Dr. Fastovsky includes variations in size and feathers.
Kids who really want to amplify their dinosaur play will be able to do so with these action figures that are over 3 feet long (much larger than the 3-inch dinosaur toys Dr. Fastovsky played with as a kid). Available dinosaurs include Giganotosarus, Atrociraptor, Carnotaurus, T-rex and Velociraptor. The jaws open and close, and the dinosaurs can swallow smaller dinosaur figures, which is pretty cool. The sizable toy is ideal for ages 4 and up.
If you want to have a little extra fun with your dinosaur action figures, check out this dinosaur taco holder. Use it to make the dining room table more festive when your kids eat tacos or sandwiches. Who knows: It might even encourage dinosaur-loving picky eaters to take a bite.
Before they get to wear this chomping dinosaur costume, kids need to learn how to make it, offering them a hands-on learning experience that results in something super fun and playable. It’s made out of felt, and the jaw actually opens and closes. The kit comes with all the supplies they’ll need, and it also includes a booklet with information about fossils and science.
Bring the dinosaur fun outside with these dinosaur rockets that soar up to 100 feet in the air. The toy comes with a volcano launcher that kids stomp on to activate and launch three dinosaur blasters. The harder they stomp, the higher the dinosaurs fly.
If your kids need to cool off and get some energy out, you can’t go wrong with this giant dinosaur inflatable sprinkler. It hooks up to your hose and sprays water out its mouth. This water toy is sure to cool kids off and spark their imaginations as they pretend to run from dinosaurs and create a fun play world. It would be a hit at a dinosaur-themed birthday bash, too.
This large floor puzzle is just enough of a challenge for toddlers and young kids. It’s a 25-piece puzzle, including six pieces that aren’t a traditional puzzle piece shape, offering a bit of a challenge. The finished scene is full of dinosaurs, fossils, footprints and a volcano.
Take your kids’ love of dinosaurs into the kitchen with the official Jurassic World cookbook. Some recipes you can try include gentle giants churro fries, Jurassic fritters and the ultimate carnivore’s burger. The cookbook includes pictures of the completed meals along with dinosaur facts.
If your dinosaur lover is ready to take their knowledge to the next level, they’ll enjoy this book that includes 400 dinosaur-related words and definitions. They’ll learn more about dinosaurs from their inception through present time relations. The book also includes a glossary for easy reference.
These reusable stickers allow kids to create their own dinosaur scenes over and over again. It includes five different scenes or settings and over 75 stickers to place and pose throughout the book. Melissa and Doug sticker pads are a go-to in my house for rainy days and long car trips.
Kids can pretend they’re in the midst of dinosaurs when they hide in their very own dinosaur tent that includes a button to activate a dinosaur roar. Or, make it a cozy reading nook with blankets and pillows where they can enjoy a new dino book or sticker pad. Either way, kids will enjoy having this unique space to call their own.
The love of dinosaurs typically starts young, and it doesn’t get much better for toddlers than to combine dinosaurs and cars, another crowd-pleaser. These dino cars come in a four-pack, meaning they’re affordable and everyone has a playmate right out of the packaging.
Make snack time fun with dinosaur popsicle molds. The popsicle portion resembles a dinosaur while the handle serves as its tail. Once kids (or adults) are done eating, they’ll find a dinosaur skeleton underneath their sweet treat.
As a mom of three young kids and an e-commerce writer, I have experience testing and evaluating toys of all types. I also closely follow trends in the toy industry. To choose the best dinosaur toys, I combined my knowledge of the industry in general with research on dinosaur toys specifically.
I also consulted with three experts to learn more about dinosaurs and dinosaur toys. I interviewed W. J. T. Mitchell, Gaylord Donnelley distinguished service professor at the University of Chicago and author of The Last Dinosaur Book: The Life and Times of a Cultural Icon; Ali Mierzejewski, editor-in-chief at The Toy Insider; and David Fastovsky Ph.D, professor emeritus at the University of Rhode Island.
Most dinosaur toys today are more accurate than toys from the past. However, there is still room for improvement. Dr. Fastovsky would like to see more diversity in dinosaur toys as well as more accurate depictions so that more dinosaurs include feathers and different colors than we’re used to seeing. Additionally, he explains that “many of the bipeds (The T. rexes of the world and their relatives) are posed in uncomfortable kangaroo-like positions that were long ago (like 100 years long) rejected as natural poses.”
One of the best gifts to get a dinosaur-obsessed kid is a high-quality dinosaur figure. When choosing a gift, consider the child’s age and interests to help narrow down your search. Younger kids might like dinosaur cars, and older kids might like a dinosaur Lego set. Pay attention to manufacturer recommended ages to avoid frustration and safety issues.
“Tyrannosaurus rex. This creature is perhaps the most famous and popular dinosaur among people of all ages,” says Dr. Fastovsky.
Many people have become interested in dinosaurs because of their prevalence in popular culture, the Jurassic Park franchise being a major influence. Dinosaurs are intriguing to people of all ages, which makes playing with them fun. Psychologist Stephen Jay Gould summed up the reason for their popularity in three words: dinosaurs are “big, fierce and extinct.”
Dino Surprise Egg There’s something about the mix between something being fierce yet nonthreatening that makes dinosaurs interesting to toddlers. “Ferocity gets the headlines, but it is easy to make them cuddly for children,” says Mitchell.