Dinosaurs may have gone extinct 65 million years ago, but we’re still curious about them. Actually, most children go through a stage of being crazy about dinosaurs. We don’t blame them! Dinosaurs show us what life was like on our planet a long, long time ago. Plus, they look very cool. So, we’ve put together a list of the best dinosaur toys available right now to help with that dino obsession.
If you've seen films like Jurassic Park, you probably think that dinosaurs are terrifying lizards who would gobble you up with one snap. Well, at Mother&Baby, we know that's not the case - some of these toys are actually just downright adorable. Some can even help to support your child's mental and physical development. One of our main jobs as a parent is to encourage curiosity about the world, facilitate learning and support creativity - and toys are just the thing.
Why do we love dinosaurs?
We love dinosaurs because they encourage speech and language development, too. Often, dinosaur vocabulary contains big and complex words. Being able to speak about Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptors is very impressive. Discovering more about dinosaurs can open up a world of learning. It will help your child explore a variety of science-based topics, like outer space.
If your little one is crazy for the Crustacean period, fanatic about a Fukuiraptor and mad for the Massospondylus, getting some dinosaur toys is a great introduction to the prehistoric world. Kitted out with their favourite raptor, your kids are going to make up all sorts of hair-raising adventures. Whether digging for fossils, fighting a T-Rex or making friends with a Diplodocus, your little one is bound to have fun.
Before you know it, your little one will be begging for a dino-themed bedroom or even a dino-themed birthday like the one Stacey Solomon threw together for her son, Rex.
The best dinosaur toys for a roar-some play
We’ve gathered the best dinosaur toys available right now to ensure your little one has a roar-some playtime.
After all, Jurassic times call for Jurassic measures.
Best for motor skill development
This fun dino pal helps toddlers build fine motor skills every time they play. When your little one inserts the brightly coloured numbered spikes into Steggys’ back, they build the motor skills they need for everyday tasks. The spikes are stored inside when not in use for quick and easy tidy-up.
One reviewer said: "Great little fun & educational toy. Very good value and a different take on other 'shape sorters'."
Pros
- Build essential fine motor skills
- Learn early colour matching
Cons
- Quite flimsy
| Age: | 18 months and up |
Best for colour matching
Hiding inside each coloured egg is a cute baby dinosaur! Perfect for teaching toddlers about the importance of colours, counting, and matching skills, these dinos double as finger puppets for pretend play and storytelling.
One reviewer said: "My son really loved playing with this baby dinosaur sorting set. The colours are bright and vibrant, the toy feels like it’s very good quality and it overall feels like it’s good value for money. My son is 5 years old and really enjoyed playing with this educational toy, you can mix it all up, learn shapes, dinosaurs and colours, great fun!"
Pros
- Build sorting and matching skills
- Develops fine motor skills
Cons
- Some found it tricky for their child to get the game properly
| Age: | 18 months and up |
Best for early STEM learning
If your little one loves all things science, these interactive robot dinosaurs are ready to quench their curiosity. Why not introduce your preschoolers to early coding concepts through fun, hands-on play? They are so easy to use!
Simply press the direction arrows on Rumble’s back to code a sequence, and then watch it go! Another thing we love about this toy: is that you can press Rumble's nose and turn it into play mode, where it does a dance. Featuring a well-designed playset and a colourful coding storybook, this could be your child's first exploration of science.
One reviewer said: "This is brill, brought for my little ones as I'm a childminder. So easy to use. They are going to love it. I might need to invest in more."
Pros
- Challenging activities
- 23-piece pet playset
Cons
- May only suit older children
| Age: | 4+ |
Best for discovery
This dino-themed sensory discovery kit is the ideal gift for a budding palaeontologist and can be used again and again! Why not dig into the reusable mountain case, scoop out the dirt and uncover the T-Rex skeleton inside?
One reviewer said: "This Learning Resources EI-5180 GEOSAFARI JR. Dino Discovery DIG T-REX, Multi is great! Ordered this for my son and he was very thrilled! Nice toy! You need to dig the parts of T-REX and it also comes with a gem! Good value for money."
Pros
- Six surprises inside
- Educational
Cons
- Kids may get bored of it once they have played it once
| Age: | 4+ |
Best little fossil set
Dig in and discover real fossils in this excavation kit for children. With a kid-friendly excavation hammer and chisel, this kit is an authentic fossil-finding experience. Once your child has dug out the Mosasaurus tooth, trilobite, shark tooth, shark vertebra, gastropods, and more, clean them up with the brush and use the magnifying glass to take a closer look!
One reviewer said: "Bought this for my nephew for Christmas. He loved it! Spent a good couple of hours digging away for the fossils. I would certainly recommend if you want some peace and quiet in the house!"
Pros
- Educational
- Includes 8 marine fossil
Cons
- Quality isn't as long-lasting
| Age: | 7+ |
Best dino-themed play mat
Embark on a Jurassic adventure with this set of nine dinosaur action figures, as well as a compelling Dino Park mat that can hone their exploration skills. These dinosaurs are hand-painted, making them so realistic. This rug is made from soft, non-woven fabrics as opposed to thin PVC. It's big enough for four kids to play together, so maybe this will teach your little one how to cooperate with their friends.
Sparking imaginative play, these dinosaurs will give your little ones a break away from electronics.
One reviewer said: "I first bought one for my son then another two as birthday gifts for his friends. My son loves the dinosaurs and the fact they come in a carry case and play mat. That means we can transport this kit with ease and not have random dinosaur hiding in places you don’t want - aka the sofa. The case helps toddlers to put their toys away after playing to keep their room clean."
Pros
- Great value
- Creative play
Cons
- Smaller than expected
| Age: | 3+ |
Best for imaginative play
www.argos.co.uk
Little dino fans will love playtime and storytelling with this playset from the Lego Duplo range.
It’s time for a Jurassic World adventure! Kids will love to help Owen save the baby triceratops from the scary T-Rex. Can they get to the little dinosaur in time to save him? The speedy motorcycle should help!
One reviewer said: "A great introduction to the world of dinosaurs for a two-year-old. The T-Rex is lovely and chunky and the mini triceratops is so cute."
Pros
- Creative play
- Cute characters
Cons
- More basic than other legos
| Age: | 2+ |
Best dinosaur puzzle set
Explore the amazing world of the dinosaurs with this puzzle set. In the handy little carry box, you'll find puzzles of six, nine, 12 and16 pieces with different dinos on each. Why not teach them the names, too? This toy is great for developing children's problem-solving skills and coordination.
Pros
- Four levels of puzzles
- Includes carrying case
Cons
- Case is a little flimsy
| Age: | 3+ |
Best little dino-pal
www.argos.co.uk
This interactive and talking T-Rex is a really awesome toy that introduces your kids to animal sounds. With movable arms, light-up eyes and talkback function, this dinosaur toy plays different sounds. This Talk and Touch toy helps develop hand-eye coordination and provides sensory stimulation, as well as nurturing imagination.
One reviewer said: "I bought this for my daughter about a month ago and she absolutely loves it. Very clever how it can copy what you say and can definitely be used for imagination and learning play. A couple days later I bought this toy for a friends son and he loves it too. Great toy. Great for imagination and learning. Cool sound effects."
Pros
- Helps develop hand-eye coordination
- Talk back function
Cons
- Batteries not included
| Age: | 3+ |
Best for active tots
www.argos.co.uk
Ready for adventure? This large T. Rex is designed to get your little one toddling and walking, whilst nurturing development and imaginative play. Simply push the T. Rex along using the easy-grip handle and pick up the colourful rocks by rolling over them. This toy encourages toddlers to develop motor skills. If your little one hasn't quite got up on their feet, no worries! The Gyrosphere wheel can also work separately as a floor activity toy for crawling play.
One reviewer said: "My son has been obsessed with this since it arrived. It was really easy and simple to assemble. You push the T rex and it picks up the balls so it’s a simple and fun activity."
Pros
- Easy-grip handle
- Great to help little ones to start walking
Cons
- Quite loud
| Age: | 12 months and over |
Best dinosaur figures set
If your little one wants to build Jurassic worlds of their own, they can tell endless stories and let their imagination run wild with a set of dinosaur figures. This 23-piece set includes a T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Velociraptor, Parasaurolophus, Triceratops, and many more.
One reviewer said: "A good variety of different dinosaurs bought for my dinosaur-mad son to add to his collection! I liked that this set came with trees and fence pieces so it can be used to create a small world set up for little ones. Some of the dinosaurs are quite small so I wouldn’t recommend buying for very young children. They are a good, tough plastic, not flimsy, so will hopefully last a while! Although some are difficult to balance to stand up. I think for the amount of dinosaurs and extra pieces you get it is good value for money."
Pros
- 17 realistic dinosours
- Learning while playing
Cons
- Smaller than expected
| Age: | 3+ |
How we test and choose recommended products
Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.
Our thriving mum community on our Facebook group #mumtribe consistently provides great insights into which products mums like best and why, helping us highlight the products that will meet your needs.
For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.