We venture into the Jurassic World of online shopping to find the very best dinosaur toys for boys and girls. We wanted to find dinosaur gift ideas that would not only keep kids entertained, but also to help them develop, either by providing scope for imaginative play, by encouraging creativity, or simply by improving their knowledge of dinosaurs….
In selecting the products, we also drew on our first-hand knowledge of the best toys for a dinosaur-mad kid! We know through trial and error what dinosaur-related toys ended up being hits … and which ones ended up unused at the back of the toy cupboard!
Our Top 15 Best Dinosaur Toys
Schleich Dinosaur Models
Durable, beautifully-colored and ideal for encouraging creative play, Schleich dinosaur models make excellent gifts for young dinosaur fans. Yes, they are pricey compared to other dinosaur models, but we’ve found that their high quality is usually worth paying that little bit more for.
National Geographic Mega Fossil Mine
With this awesome kit from National Geographic kids will actually get to experience what it’s like to be a real paleontologist as they dig up fossils! The kit comes complete with tools, with which kids can excavate (genuine) fossils from a clay block. It gets messy, but it’s good fun and provides a real sense of achievement.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Stamp Set: Dinosaurs
There’s good, clean messy fun to be had with this dinosaur ink stamp set! Press the stamps into the kid-friendly ink and apply to paper to make your own awesome prehistoric landscapes! Creative kids will be able to use the stamps to make their own personalised stationery, cards, etc.
Creativity for Kids Create with Clay Dinosaurs
In this kit you’re supplied with 3 dinosaur skeletons … and 5 blocks of modelling clay from which you have to re-flesh the dinosaurs into their original magnificence! A neat idea and a fun activity!
Lego Creator Mighty Dinosaurs
Lego Creator sets allow you to make three different toys from the same brick selection (but not all at once). With this kit, kids can make either a T Rex, triceratops or a pterodactyl. The usual high-quality offering from Lego.
Boley 12-Pack of Dinosaur Models
There are plenty of alternatives to the excellent but pricey Schleich range of toy dinosaurs. This 12-pack of large dinosaurs appears to be well made and has picked up some good reviews on Amazon.
Smithsonian Diggin’ Up Dinosaurs T-Rex
This is a similar kit to the National Geographic set, above. In this kit kids will unearth plastic dinosaur bones. Once all of the bones have been uncovered, they can be assembled into a T Rex model. Good fun, and rewarding.
Jet Creations Inflatable T-Rex Dinosaur
No home would be complete without a large, inflatable dinosaur! Great fun for parties, especially if there’s a pool involved…
Fisher-Price Jurassic World Walking Indoraptor Dinosaur
This is a fun, if slightly scary, dinosaur toy for any Jurassic World fan – and one of the better toys we came across with the ‘Jurassic World / Park’ branding. Basically, you put the guy in the jeep and push it across the floor – the dino will then automatically follow the jeep!
Melissa & Doug Scratch Art Activity Kit: Dinosaurs
If you want an inexpensive, crafty dinosaur toy that will keep the kids entertained for an hour or two then this scratch art set ticks all the boxes!
Lego Duplo Jurassic World T Rex Tower
Is the young dinosaur fan in your life not quite ready for Lego? Try this 22-piece Duplo set instead. Colorful, well-made bricks for small hands to hold and play with.
Melissa & Doug Decorate-Your-Own Dinosaur Figurines Craft Kit
A nice activity set for crafty dinosaur fans. Make your own multi-colored dinosaur ornament with this all-inclusive kit. The kids will get messy, the dinosaurs probably won’t look like they do on the box, but you’ll all have fun!
Dinosaur Escape Board Game
In this world of computer games and gadgets the humble board game may not be the most exciting present a child can get. However, it’s probably the one most likely to provide the best memories. This dinosaur board game is suitable for a wide range of ages and has been well-received by Amazon reviewers.
LEGO Jurassic World Carnotaurus Gyrosphere Escape Kit
We’ve found that you can’t really go wrong with Lego. A Lego set makes a great gift and, let’s face it, we all enjoy helping the kids with it! This Jurassic World-branded set includes parts for a variety of vehicles and structures, and comes complete with a rampaging Carnotaurus!
15-Fossil Collection Set
Okay, it’s not really a toy, but this set of 15 genuine fossils makes a fascinating gift for an imaginative child. Holding a real fossil in the hand really brings it home that dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals aren’t just characters in films and books – they really did once inhabit the same planet as us!
Best Dinosaur Toys: Conclusion
We hope that this page has helped you to find the best toy or gift for your dinosaur-mad child! We’ve had great fun compiling this list of dinosaur toys and gifts and we hope that it has been beneficial!
Of course, no list of this type is definitive, and we’ll be coming back to update it from time to time.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions on any of the best dinosaur toys or gifts that we may have missed, then we’d love to hear from you! Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.