“Dinosaurs and dinosaur toys are the gateways to science for so many children,” Ashley Hall, outreach program manager at the Museum of the Rockies, tells Verywell Family. However, not all dinosaur toys are created equal, so when you’re on the hunt for something for your child, it’s important to pay close attention to the type of toy, the materials it’s made from, and whether or not it’s age-appropriate. To help you with your search, we’ve researched some of the best dinosaur toys on the market, considering a variety of age levels, types of play, and durability. Here are the best dinosaur toys to buy kids of all ages right now. The track pieces can turn left or right, allowing for twists and turns throughout a course; the dino cars light up (batteries not included); and the set comes with all kinds of fun accessories like signs, trees, and even a Dinosaur Park gate that looks like something out of a movie. “Grab a bag of dinosaur toys, and open up conversations with the children in your life and engage with them: ‘Tell me about this one—was it a meat-eater or a plant-eater? How do you know? What’s this one’s name?’” Hall says of engaging kids in dinosaur conversations. “Soon enough, they will be teaching you about dinosaurs and correcting your pronunciations and facts.” Once the dinosaurs are put together, they have realistic features and textures but are still colorful with whimsical touches, like big, cartoonish eyes. Once the toys are put together, the dinosaurs’ limbs and tails can move around, and there’s always the option to take the toys apart again and start all over. We really like Schleich dinosaurs for this reason and the T. rex in particular. It’s hand-painted to look like the real thing (or what we think the real thing looked like, at least). This dinosaur is also durably built, so kids can play rough with it without worrying about it breaking.
What to Look for When Buying Dinosaur Toys
Type of Toy
In order to choose the best dinosaur toy for your child, consider what it is you hope they get out of playing with it. “Play is a crucial part of a child’s brain development, as it allows the exploration of universal concepts such as family, love, life, and death in a safe way,” says Hall. “When play is paired with dinosaur toys, it allows for teaching these universal concepts, but rooted in the history of life on our planet.” If you’re hoping to open up larger conversations about science and life, as Hall discusses, then look for dinosaur toys that are realistic, either in how they look or in how kids play with them (such as a fossil dig toy). You can pair these toys with books, too, to encourage your child to continue to learn and become even more engaged with the subject of dinosaurs. For younger children who simply love the concept of dinosaurs and aren’t ready to get deep into the science of it all, look for a toy that features dinos but teaches something else. A good example of this is a puzzle or the VTech Count and Chomp Dino.
Age Level
No matter what kind of toy you’re shopping for, it’s always crucial to ensure it’s appropriate for your child’s age. Every toy will have a manufacturer’s age recommendation somewhere on the packaging, and this number indicates the age range in which the toy is both developmentally appropriate as well as safe. This is especially important with younger kids who still put toys and small pieces in their mouths. That being said, just because the toy is deemed safe for a child, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for where they are intellectually. In this regard, consider what milestones they’re working on and whether or not the toy you’re looking at encourages this development (or if it’s too advanced or not advanced enough).
Toy Materials
Of course, part of finding the best dinosaur toys means finding toys that are durable and built to last. Kids put their toys through a lot, so when you’re shopping, be sure to check out user reviews to find out if they will stand up to rough play. Additionally, if your child has any kind of sensory sensitivities, keep in mind that dinosaur toys often have rough and/or pointy textures, sometimes make loud “roar” noises, and some may even have flashing lights. Take your time reading through the toy’s features to ensure that it’s something your child would enjoy.
Why Trust Verywell Family
Ashley Ziegler is a full-time parenting writer and mom to a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old. She has personal experience in researching and purchasing a variety of children’s products, including dinosaur toys, as her youngest daughter absolutely loves them. Additionally, there are some amazing fun facts about the T. rex that makes it all the more interesting, like that it stands more than 19 feet tall, it has between 50-60 teeth (each the size of a banana!), and that it could run around 12 miles per hour. Additionally, since there are so many different species of dinosaurs, it’s like an endless stream of knowledge for kids because once they know all there is to know about one dinosaur, there’s always another one with its own facts to learn about next. For kids, dinosaurs are sort of where real-life and magic meet.
More Toys for Kids
When it comes to toys for kids, our team has you covered. The Verywell Family team of editors (who are parents or have nieces and nephews of their own) have tested, gifted, and personally recommend every item we feature. Find more of our top toy picks for every developmental stage and personality phase here:
The Best Christmas Gifts for Kids The Best Developmental Toys for Babies The Best Tummy Time Toys The Best Active Toys for Toddlers The Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers The Best Toys for Toddlers The Best Educational Toys for Toddlers The Best Phonics Toys for Preschoolers The Best Toys for Learning Letters and Numbers The Best Construction and Building Block Toys The Best Musical Toys for Children of All Ages The Best Montessori Toys to Encourage Thoughtful Play The Best Sesame Street Toys The Best Outdoor Toys for Kids of All Ages The Best Toys for Fine Motor Skills Development The Best Toys for Independent Play The Best Indoor Toys and Games for Active Play The Best Snow Toys for Kids The Best STEM Toys for Kids Best Laptop Toys for Kids The Best Social Emotional Learning Toys The Best Robot Toys The Best Ride-On Toys The Best Cleaning Toy Sets The Black-Owned Gift Guide
