There’s a huge chance that either you, your little one or someone you know was or is obsessed with dinosaurs! For some reason a lot of kids become infatuated with dinosaurs at one point.
Research has shown that the most common infatuation is vehicles (cars, planes, trains etc) but next in line is most definitely dinosaurs. They seem like an obscure thing for young kids to love so much but this article explains some potential reasons.
If you have a little paleontologist in the making, we’re going to look at some of the best dinosaur toys for kids right now. First, read all about what to look for in the best kids dinosaur toys and then read our detailed reviews below.
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Contents
Our Pick of the Best Dinosaur Toys for Kids: Lego Dinosaur Creator Set
Just like many kids love dinosaurs, most kids go through a Lego stage! This Lego dinosaur creator set is a great toy for little ones to get their dinosaur fix while using their fine motor skills and imaginative play. Not quite what you’re looking for? Check out more great options below!
Comparison Chart
Here’s a quick comparison of all the best selling dinosaur toys reviewed in this article.
| Product | Image | Age | Features | Construction | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dino Balancing Toy |  | 12m + | Six pieces & rocking base | Wood | 4.6/5 | Check Price! |
| VTech |  | 2y + | Customisable (up to 27 combinations) | ABS Plastic | 4.7/5 | Check Price! |
| Snackasaurus Book |  | 3-5y | Colourful & interactive | Board Book | 4.6/5 | Check Price! |
| Build & Learn Set | | 3y + | STEM focused | ABS Plastic | 4.5/5 | Check Price! |
| Orchard Toys |  | 3-6y | Designed for 2-4 players | Board game with shiny gold medals | 4.6/5 | Check Price! |
| LEGO | | 7-12y | 3-in-1 (+ secret fourth build) model | 100% Plastic | 4.9/5 | Check Price! |
| Jurassic World |  | 4y + | Movie sound effects | Plastic | 4.8/5 | Check Price! |
| Schleich Velociraptor | | 3y + | Moving arms & mouth | Plastic | 4.6/5 | Check Price! |
| LifeLiko |  | 3y + | Moveable jaw | Plastic | 4.7/5 | Check Price! |
| Encyclopedia | | 5-14y | More than 35 dinosaur pop-ups | Pop-up book | 4.8/5 | Check Price! |
Dinosaur Toy Reviews
Take a look at our top-rated dinosaur toys and choose which one is the best for you personally.
Best Dinosaur Toys for Toddlers
First, take a look at some of our choices for the best dinosaur toys for preschoolers.
Dino Balancing Toy
Specifications
- Construction: Natural, sustainably sourced wood
- Features: Six pieces, and rocking base
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 12m +
This gorgeous balancing toy is perfect for encouraging fine motor skills, along with shape and colour recognition. The colours are bright and happy, and the shapes are interesting and varied enough to keep your little one occupied.
Made from natural and sustainable wood, this is a lovely option for those trying to buy less plastic. They also plant a new tree for every tree that is used to make the toys, making this a greener option than other wooden toys.
What we love
- Perfect for encouraging fine motor skills
- Colours are bright and happy; shapes are interesting
- Made from natural and sustainable wood
What we don’t love
- None!
VTech Learn and Dance
Specifications
- Construction: ABS Plastic
- Features: Customisable (up to 27 combinations)
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 2y +
If you’re looking for a more interactive gift, this adorable dinosaur could be the one. With 27 combinations of voice, emotion, and dance style, Dino encourages fine motor and communication skills through music and dance.
It comes with songs and melodies built-in, and three light-up buttons to encourage educational interaction.
What we love
- Has a whole lot of features that can be customised
- Includes lots of fun sing-along songs and melodies
- It encourages fine motor and communication skills
What we don’t love
- Nothing!
Take a look at our post on toys for 2 year olds for more great finds!
Snackasaurus Book
Specifications
- Construction: Board book
- Features: Colourful and interactive
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 3-5y
Designed to encourage reading and imagination, this colourful book is a riot for kids from start to finish. With the zipper mouth and googly eyes, it’s engaging right from the front cover.
The inside is filled with bright colourful pictures and rhymes to help as you begin to teach your little one to read and understand words.
What we love
- Introduction to reading
- Cute and colourful design
- Engaging from the front cover
What we don’t love
- None. Love this!
Dinosaur Build & Learn Set
This is a fantastic set. My son loves it and is learning great hand-eye and thinking skills.
– Rebel
Specifications
- Construction: ABS Plastic
- Features: STEM-focused
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 3y +
This STEM set is gorgeous. The bright colours and adorable figures mask the educational aspect of this toy. With 108 pieces, making up three different dinosaurs, your child is encouraged to screw and unscrew the toys to improve fine motor and problem-solving skills.
The included screwdrivers are the perfect size for little hands, and with three of them, this is the perfect toy for sharing. Just remember to make a note of where each part goes when you take them apart!
What we love
- Bright and colourful figures
- Easy enough to undo the screws
- Helps improve fine motor and problem-solving skills
What we don’t love
- A little hard for younger kids to use on their own
>>>Click here to check price on Amazon<<<
Take a look at our post on toys for 3 year olds for more great finds!
More Dinosaur Toy Reviews
Orchard Toys Race Game
This is a lovely, simple game. My 3 yo plays it and it has actually become a family favourite! Good quality.
– Sar
Specifications
- Construction: Board game with shiny gold medals
- Features: Designed for 2-4 players
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 3-6y
If you’re looking for a gift the whole family can enjoy, then this board game is a great option. It can be a little complicated for younger children at the beginning but it’s bright and engaging enough to win them over!
Each player gets a dinosaur sprinter, and the winner is whoever crosses the finish line first. The number of dinosaur tokens tells you how many spaces to move, encouraging colour and shape recognition (and matching), as well as introducing numeracy and counting.
What we love
- Encourages memory, counting, and observational skills
- Easy to set up and play
- Sturdy pieces
What we don’t love
- It can be a little complicated for younger children at the beginning
>>>Click here to check price on Amazon<<<
Lego Creator Mighty Dinosaurs
My son loved building with this lego and he has the opportunity to change it something different whenever he likes.
– Anna
Specifications
- Construction: 100% Plastic
- Features: 3-in-1 (+ secret fourth build) model
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 7-12y
I mean, who doesn’t love Lego? This Lego Creator model is the perfect gift for any dinosaur or Lego lover. With a choice of three dinosaurs to build, this is sure to keep any kid occupied for quite a while, whether they’re a T-Rex, Pterodactyl, or Triceratops lover.
The built models feature moveable joints, claws, and mouth so the fun doesn’t have to stop once the build is complete. Bonus points if you can figure out the secret fourth dinosaur build (hint… it’s big and a herbivore!)
What we love
- Moveable joints, head, and mouth
- Has instructions for 3 different dinosaurs to build
- Keeps your kid occupied for quite a while
What we don’t love
- None!
>>>Click here to check price on Amazon<<<
Jurassic World Primal Pal
Really great toy, my daughter was so happy when this arrived!
– Jodie
Specifications
- Construction: Plastic figurine
- Features: Movie sound effects
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 4y +
If you’re buying a dinosaur toy for a dinosaur lover, chances are Jurassic World is their favourite film, meaning they probably love Blue. If that’s the case, this adorable action figure is the gift to buy.
This clever Baby Blue toy moves and sounds exactly like the character. Pressing and squeezing different parts of her body stimulate biting and neck movements as well as 10 different dinosaur sounds.
What we love
- Neck, shoulder, tail, and feet movement
- Adorable, recognisable character
- Great sound effects
What we don’t love
- Nothing!
>>>Click here to check price on Amazon<<<
Schleich Velociraptor
Love the whole range my grandson has a lot of schleich he has hours of fun they are sturdy and good value.
– Hilary
Specifications
- Construction: Plastic, hand-painted, to scale model
- Features: Moving arms and mouth
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 3y +
Velociraptors are one of the most popular dinosaurs, thanks largely to Jurassic Park. This toy figure captures these fearsome creatures in an incredibly lifelike way. From the hand-painted body to the scaling, this model is as detailed as you can get.
Encouraging imaginative and open-ended play, this is a gorgeous toy with moving arms and a mouth. It is part of Schleich’s Dinosaurs collection, meaning it could also be a great starting point for a collection of their own for any dinosaur-loving child.
What we love
- Awesome details!
- The arms and mouth move
- Encourages imaginative and open-ended play
What we don’t love
- Other reviewers find it quite small
>>>Click here to check price on Amazon<<<
LifeLiko Tyrannosaurus Rex
Specifications
- Construction: Realistic plastic figurine
- Features: Moveable jaw
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 3y +
Few dinosaurs are as universally loved as the T-Rex. It’s big and scary and embodies everything we’re ever taught about these prehistoric creatures. The best dinosaur figurines are lifelike and have incredible attention to detail, and this is no exception.
With realistic texture, colours and scale, it’s a lovely item, whether it’s used as a toy or a collectible. It’s moving jaw encourages imaginative and creative play, while its lightweight build means it can be played with for hours.
What we love
- Comes with a fact booklet
- It is scary, cool and big!
- It is very detailed and durable
What we don’t love
- None. Amazing toy!
>>>Click here to check price on Amazon<<<
Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs
Specifications
- Construction: Pop-up book
- Features: Moveable jaw
- Recommended Age: Suitable for 5-14y
Children love pop-up books and children love dinosaurs. So a pop-up dinosaur book must be a win-win! This encyclopedia is gorgeous and covers a wide range of dinosaurs, both well-known and obscure, so there’s always something new for a reader to learn.
The pop-ups and illustrations are beautiful and sure to keep any child occupied. The information is well-written and interesting so this book is sure to last from just looking at pictures, to an age where they can read it themselves.
What we love
- Smaller interactive lift up flaps
- Detailed, informative text
- It covers a wide range of dinosaurs
What we don’t love
- None. Highly recommended!
Why are Dinosaur Toys so Great?
Kids love dinosaurs. Adults love dinosaurs. Boys and girls alike. They are universally loved, but why? Maybe it’s because they seem so ‘otherworldly’, so far removed from us, yet actually so close. Maybe Jurassic Park has a lot to answer for.
Whatever the reason, dinosaur toys are always a popular option when it comes to kids. They can be realistic or cuddly, simple or intricate, there are thousands of choices when it comes to dinosaur gifts.
So what are the best dinosaur gifts for kids? Look no further, this guide will tell you all you need to know about choosing a dinosaur gift, as well as my reviews of the best options on the market in Australia right now.
Features of the Best Dinosaur toys, Australia
There are so many dinosaur toys out there. With the return of the Jurassic Park franchise, dinosaurs are having a real moment. So, I get it, it can be confusing when you’re looking for a gift.
Well don’t worry, later I’ll take you through my reviews of the best dinosaur toys Australia has to offer. First though, let’s look at some of the features you should be looking out for.
Child’s Age
Dinosaurs are an obsession for children of any age, so this is a really important thinking point when buying a gift. The best dinosaur gifts for toddlers is not going to be a Lego set aimed at eight-year-olds, and vice versa.
There are a huge number of dinosaur toys out there, and I’ll take you through the best toddler gifts below, along with some others.
Realism
Think about how you want your gift to be used, is it an educational toy, or just for fun? Realistic dinosaur toys can offer educational and imaginative play, teaching children about the creatures of the prehistoric world, but they could also be a bit scary for younger children.
If you’re buying for a younger child, you will probably want to consider a more ‘cartoony’ dinosaur or a soft cuddly one.
Material
The material of the toy you choose really depends on what you want it to be used for. If you’re looking for a sleeping buddy, for example, then soft dinosaur toys are the perfect, cuddly option.
Dinosaur toys come in all types of material, from furry to plastic, to wooden, so you’ll need to think about who it’s for and what they’ll use it for. Just remember, whichever toy you end up buying, make sure it’s safe for children.
Open-Ended Play
The open-ended play has no rules or prescriptions. It is a great way to encourage social and emotional development, as well as imagination and creativity. They can play freely, making their own decisions, with no constraints.
Dinosaurs are the perfect toy for open-ended imaginative and creative play. There is no right or wrong way to play with a dinosaur, and so they can be a great choice if you want a gift to encourage this type of play.
FAQs
Why do kids love dinosaurs?
Dinosaurs encourage imagination and creativity, and they’re different from anything children will ever see. Children love learning, and there is plenty to learn about dinosaurs.
What are the educational benefits of playing with dinosaurs?
This varies depending on the toy and the features it has. Generally, though, studies have shown that an obsession with dinosaurs encourages imagination, linguistics, complex thinking, and enhanced perseverance, among others.
Should I go for cute or realistic?
This entirely depends on who you’re buying the gift for. Younger children will react better to a cute, cuddly dinosaur, while older children will prefer more realistic models with moving parts and sounds.
Recap of Our Favourites
| Product | Image | Age | Features | Construction | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dino Balancing Toy | | 12m + | Six pieces & rocking base | Wood | 4.6/5 | Check Price! |
| VTech | | 2y + | Customisable (up to 27 combinations) | ABS Plastic | 4.7/5 | Check Price! |
| Snackasaurus Book | | 3-5y | Colourful & interactive | Board Book | 4.6/5 | Check Price! |
| Build & Learn Set | | 3y + | STEM focused | ABS Plastic | 4.5/5 | Check Price! |
| Orchard Toys | | 3-6y | Designed for 2-4 players | Board game with shiny gold medals | 4.6/5 | Check Price! |
| LEGO | | 7-12y | 3-in-1 (+ secret fourth build) model | 100% Plastic | 4.9/5 | Check Price! |
| Jurassic World | | 4y + | Movie sound effects | Plastic | 4.8/5 | Check Price! |
| Schleich Velociraptor | | 3y + | Moving arms & mouth | Plastic | 4.6/5 | Check Price! |
| LifeLiko | | 3y + | Moveable jaw | Plastic | 4.7/5 | Check Price! |
| Encyclopedia | | 5-14y | More than 35 dinosaur pop-ups | Pop-up book | 4.8/5 | Check Price! |
