Dinosaurs are a hallmark of childhood for most of us. Whether you couldn’t get enough of the Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, or Triceratops, you probably had a favorite dinosaur yourself.
If you’re looking to add dinosaurs into the mix for your kids, we have some great options. We searched for all the best dinosaur toys, games, and sets for kids of all ages. We rated these dinos based on their educational value, safety features, durability, and — most importantly — fun factor.
Our dino-lovers adore these toys and games, and we’re sure yours will too. Check out these 17 creative and exciting toys for the best open-ended dinosaur play.
- 48 jumbo dinosaurs
- Creative and educational
- With learning activities eBook
- Playful colors
- Realistic detail
- 10-inch plush dinosaurs
- 206-piece set
- BPA-free non-toxic plastic
- Breathtaking setting for dino hunting
- Fun and educational family game
- 500 questions
- Multiplayer
- High-quality materialls
- From natural clay & premium ABS
- Includes 12 dinosaur eggs
- Positionable pices
- Toys and props inspire imagination
- BPA-, phthalate-, and lead-free
- 3 real dinosaur fossils
- Hands-on exploration
- Safe material composition
- Improves memory skills
- Brightly colored pieces
- Can be played in 3 ways
- 20 dinosaur magnets
- Sturdy wooden storage box
- Size varies from 3-6 inches
- 12 different dinosaur figures
- Life-like size
- Learning and skill development tool
The Best Kids Dinosaur Toys of 2024
These are our favorite dinosaur toys for kids.
Jumbo Sorting and Counting Game
Most Convenient Traveling Dinosaur Set
Children can use this fun dinosaur game in a variety of ways. It helps encourage early math skills and allows your child to practice motor skills. It’s a great educational activity for teaching patience and allowing children to build social skills.
This set comes with stacking cups, a dinosaur-shaped grabber, 48 dinosaur figures, two-game dice, a travel dinosaur backpack, and an ebook. Your child will want to spend hours creating their own games while building their skill base. This counting game is suitable for children ages 24 months and older.
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Prextex Plush Dinosaurs
Great for Cuddle Time
This set of four 10-inch plushies is a great way to introduce creative play to even the youngest children. Great for toddlers, these cute and friendly-looking dinosaurs are brightly colored and an easy size to handle.
This set is hand washable, and the plushies are filled with stuffing material. The dinosaurs are soft, cuddly, and great for open-ended play.
Personal Perspective
ToyVelt Dinosaur Toys Race Track Toy Set
Best All-in-One Dinosaur Toy Set
This BPA-free set comes with a hard plastic storage case, making it easy for your child to store the pieces away when they’re not using them. It includes four realistic dinosaur figures, four landscaping trees, 194 tracks, two battery-operated vehicles, and a dino coloring book.
This high-quality set will provide hours of imaginative play. Your child can make a variety of track layouts to reenact Jurassic Park scenes or make their own modern-day dinosaur scenarios.
These dinosaurs are suitable for children ages 3 and up. The playset comes with a money-back guarantee. If you’re dissatisfied with the purchase for any reason, you can return it.
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Top Trumps Dinosaur Quiz Game
Most Educational Dinosaur Game
This trivia card game is great for ages 8 and up and is perfect for merging educational play and dinosaurs. It comes with 500 trivia cards in an easy-to-carry plastic case.
Favorite dinosaurs that come with this game include the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor, and the astounding Archaeopteryx.
First-Hand Impression
Dino Egg Dig Kit
Best STEM Dinosaur Activity Set
Looking for the coolest dinosaur toy? Kids love this dino excavation set. It includes 12 dino eggs, each containing a different dinosaur. Your child can experience paleontologist life while excavating fun, realistic figures. We recommend using this kit outdoors on a beautiful day to allow for easy cleanup.
Accompanying full-color profile cards contain great information about individual dinosaurs. We recommend this STEM activity for children ages 6 and older. Some of our kids’ favorite dinosaurs in this set include the Iguanodon, Ankylosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus rex.
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Gizmovine Movable Figures
Best Articulated Dinosaur Set
This 20-piece set comes with articulated dinosaurs and several props, including rocks and eggs, inspiring creative play. The jaws, legs, and tails are capable of movement. Your little ones can manipulate them to create fun scenes and stories.
Ranging in size from 5–9 inches, these dinosaurs are suitable for children 3 years old and up. The hand-painted figures are made from non-toxic and BPA-free materials. They’re durable and conform to U.S. toy safety standards.
Personal Perspective
10Leccion Dino Fossil Digging Kit
Best Dinosaur Fossil Kit
This educational dinosaur kit gives your child the opportunity to be a paleontologist. Not only do they get to unearth dinosaur fossils, but they also get to enjoy the accompanying excavation tools, such as hammers and chisels.
Suitable for children ages 6 and up, the National Geographic dig kit includes one digging brick that contains various fossils. A no-risk purchase, this kit also comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
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Peaceable Kingdom Match Up Memory Game
Dinosaur Activity Best Suited for Toddlers
This great toddler dinosaur activity for children 24 months and over consists of a matching game that encourages processing and motor skills. It’s durable and brightly colored, and the cards are made from thick cardboard.
There are three ways your child can play with this game set. The cards can be matched faceup to learn basic recognition, face down for a classic memory game, or flip the cards over to find a challenging 24-piece floor puzzle!
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Melissa and Doug Dinosaur Magnets
Great Magnetic Dinosaur Toy
These 20 different dinosaur magnets come in a sturdy wooden storage box. Varying in size from 3 to 6 inches long, the magnets are suitable for children ages 2 and up.
The entire back of the dinosaur figure is magnetic. They work well on magnet boards, refrigerators, and other magnetic surfaces. (We like using them on cookie trays.) The dinosaurs are identified on the back of the storage box so children can easily learn the names of their favorites.
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Li'l Gen Dinosaur Set
Best Dinosaur Set for Preschoolers
An excellent choice for children from the age of 3 years old, this fun set comes with 12 different dinosaur figures. Also included in the package is a book that incorporates sounds as your child learns about the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
The included dinosaur figures are each 7 inches. Baryonyx, Allosaurus, and T-rex are a few of the favorites featured.
Personal Perspective
Melissa and Doug Jigsaw Puzzle
Best Wooden Dinosaur Puzzle
This puzzle set comes with four beautifully colored wooden puzzles. A sturdy wooden storage box will help you keep track of your puzzle pieces and makes storage easy.
This set is great for children between 3 and 6 years old and helps encourage logic and processing skills. Each completed puzzle measures 7 inches by 4.5 inches.
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Mini Dinosaur Toy Set
Greatest Mini Dinosaur Figures
This 78-piece dinosaur set will surely entice the dino-lovers to imaginative play. It comprises a pair of 39 dino types, so your child can share them with their friends. Each piece is approximately two to three inches tall, so the set is best for children 3 years of age and older.
Made from non-toxic plastic materials, these dinosaurs can stand on their own. Their small size and travel tube make them a great choice for car rides and prolonged periods in waiting rooms.
First-Hand Impression
Melissa and Doug Floor Puzzle
Giant Dinosaur Floor Puzzle
This extra-large floor puzzle has 48 pieces and measures 2 feet by 3 feet when assembled. With original artwork and an easy-to-clean surface to keep your toy looking new, this puzzle promises hours of fun.
Suitable for children ages 4 and up, the puzzle helps cultivate problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination.
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Fantarea Dinosaur Skeleton Fossil
Realistic Dinosaur Skeleton Figures for Older Kids
This set comes with 12 small dinosaur fossil figures. This great educational piece will help your child better understand dinosaur anatomy. It also encourages learning and exploration.
Each of these small figures can stand independently, with the Tyrannosaurus rex standing about 2.5 inches tall. We recommend this set for children ages 7 and older.
Personal Perspective
Kidtastic Dinosaur Construct and Play
Engaging Dinosaur Construction Toy
This 3D dinosaur construction set helps your child build social skills and learn how to troubleshoot difficulties. It encourages patience, spatial and analytic skills, and motor skills. And your kids will have so much fun with it.
Ideal for children aged 3–6 years old, these three large and brightly colored dinosaurs are BPA-free, lead-free, and phthalate-free. This set comes with a 1-year warranty and a money-back guarantee.
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Alphabet Matching Dinosaur Toy
Best Alphabet Dinosaurs
This 52-piece set includes 26 different dinosaurs sporting lowercase and uppercase letters. Each dinosaur pulls easily apart. Your child can sort and match, learning their uppercase and lowercase letters and how they relate to one another.
Suitable for children 3 years of age and older, this set is entirely non-toxic, lead-free, and phthalate-free. It boasts numerous safety certifications, including ATSM and BTSI. It also comes with a satisfaction guarantee.
First-Hand Impression
Toysery T-Rex
A Scary Walking Dinosaur
Not for the faint-hearted, this large dinosaur figure shakes his head and roars while walking, his eyes flashing. Tyrannosaurus rex has never seemed more real or fun than when playing with this engaging toy. Suitable for ages 3 years and up, this product comes with a satisfaction guarantee.
Made with high-quality, durable, non-toxic, and recyclable ABS plastic, this T-rex is also equipped with an on/off switch to help preserve its battery life.
User Experience
How to Choose a Dinosaur Toy
When choosing the best dinosaur toys, you have plenty of options. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming, though. Here we’ll look at some important factors you want to consider before snatching up those dinosaur figures.
- Educational: Dinosaurs are a captivating and perennial favorite that children love to learn about. Don’t miss this opportunity for early developmental growth; consider dinosaur sets that are more than just fun.
- Fun: On the flip side, fun is also important! If a toy isn’t engaging, it’s less likely your child will invest the time in playing — and learning.
- Realistic: If you have young children, you may want to avoid realistic dinosaur figures. Toddlers and babies are usually drawn to cute figures or stuffed animals. They may be afraid of something too lifelike. For older children, realistic dinosaur figures can add to the drama and encourage creative play.
- Open-ended play: Dinosaur figures and playsets are perfect for open-ended play. This type of play has no finite conclusion or rules and encourages creativity and imagination (1). Providing your child with open-ended toy options can lead to great leaps in skill development, including language and social progress.
- Materials and safety: Whatever kind of dinosaur toy you choose, you need to ensure it’s safe for children. All materials should be safety-tested and any paints or finishes approved for use in children’s toys (2).
FAQs
What Do You Get a Kid Obsessed With Dinosaurs?
For a kid obsessed with dinosaurs, consider dinosaur figures, books, puzzles, interactive games, or clothing featuring their favorite prehistoric creatures. Educational toys that involve digging up “fossils” or assembling dinosaur skeletons can also be exciting.
Why are Dinosaur Toys So Popular?
Dinosaur toys are popular because dinosaurs are fascinating, mysterious, and part of an ancient world that sparks the imagination. Their variety, size, and power captivate children and adults alike, making them timeless subjects for play and learning.
Do Kids Who Love Dinosaurs Have a High IQ?
While loving dinosaurs isn’t a direct indicator of a high IQ, an intense interest in a specific topic like dinosaurs (referred to as a “conceptual interest”) can be a sign of intellectual curiosity and a desire to learn in-depth information, traits often associated with higher intelligence.
What Age Do Kids Stop Playing With Dinosaurs?
There’s no specific age when kids stop playing with dinosaurs; it varies by individual. While interest might peak during the preschool years, many maintain an interest well into later childhood, and some never lose their fascination with dinosaurs.
