10 Best Dinosaur Toys: Prehistoric Good Picks

by Joost Nusselder Updated on: April 5, 2023

It often happens that children have a certain passion for a specific animal, object or sometimes even a certain culture.

Children with a passion for dinosaurs, for example, can name dozens of species by heart and know exactly what they ate and when they lived and subsequently became extinct.

Interest in these tough, prehistoric animals increased after the release of Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park in 1993. Dinosaur toys became hugely popular then and has never left since.

The nicest toy to stimulate this dino interest that I have seen is this playset with T-Rex from Playmobil.

A Quad including T-rex (plus a bit of nostalgia from my own Playmobil time).

In the following table we give an overview of it dinosaur toys that made our top 5 and also received good reviews from customers.

Dinosaur toy	Images
Most fun dino adventure: Playmobil T-Rex Attack 70632	(view more images)
Cutest dino cage: Playmobil air-cushion boat 9433	(view more images)
Cutest dino chase: Playmobil Motocross rider with Raptor 9431	(view more images)
Catch the cutest dinosaur: Playmobil Off-road buggy with dino safety net 9434	(view more images)
Most realistic dinosaur toys: Schleich Tyrannosaurus Rex	(view more images)
Addition: Schleich Brachiosaurus	(view more images)
Addition: Schleich Triceratops	(view more images)
Cutest dinosaur construction kit: LEGO Creator Mighty Dinosaurs 31058	(view more images)
Best Jurassic World set: LEGO Jurassic World Stygimoloch Escape 75927	(view more images)
Best Dinosaur Bones: ToiToys Glow in the dark kit	(view more images)

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What is the strong appeal of dinosaurs?

The extensive knowledge that some children have on a particular topic is based on a psychological phenomenon called “intense interests”.

This means: a very strong motivation for a specific topic.

Such intense interest is generally received by a third of the population children between 2 and 6 years old developed.

This interest may disappear at some point, but in other cases children carry this interest for much of their lives.

It doesn't matter what the purpose of that interest is. What is more important is the effort children put into this interest and the passion they experience.

Good for intellectual development

Research has shown that intense interests are very beneficial to children's intellectual development.

In the first instance, it naturally ensures that children have more knowledge about a certain subject.

Also, such an intense interest improves perseverance and attention is better developed.

In addition, it improves the skills related to complex thinking and also the processing of information.

In addition, there is evidence that language skills are significantly improved and is an indicator of good understanding.

Intense interest in dinosaurs

Do you have a son or daughter who loves dinosaurs? A nephew or niece who is completely under the spell of these ancient creatures?

Then you are probably often looking for new toys to keep expanding your child's knowledge.

This can be done very well in the form of films, books or toys of or with dinosaurs.

We have looked at various types of toys with dinosaurs as a theme and have selected the five best ones. You can find these in the table below.

We will also discuss our top two in more detail later in the article.

What makes this dinosaur toy so fun and with what could you combine it for even more dinosaur fun?

Best dinosaur toys rated

Best dinosaur adventure: Playmobil T-Rex Attack 70632

The dinosaur-themed toy that we like best for kids is the adventurers' PLAYMOBIL T-Rex Attack with Quad and Raptor.

With this package from PLAYMOBIL you get a lot of beautiful accessories, 20 pieces in total.

Essentially it's all about the Quad and the T-rex, and the puppet has to defeat him with a raptor chasing him too:

A very detailed package for a child interested in these beautiful extinct animals.

Furthermore, the T-Rex has a flexible design, allowing the legs and head to move and the lower jaw to open.

This package offers endless fun, and that at an attractive price. The kit is suitable for children aged between 4 and 10 years.

Cutest dinosaur cage: Playmobil air-cushion boat 9433

A package that combines fantastically with the package just discussed is the PLAYMOBIL Air-Cushion Boat with Dino Cage.

The story builds on the plot of PLAYMOBIL Base Camp of the Adventurers with T-Rex.

In this case, villain Quinn, who hunts dinosaurs, takes center stage.

With the buildable boat (more boat options here) Including dino cage, this villain goes out to catch as many dinosaurs as possible.

The great thing about the boat is that it actually floats in water and has a rear drive.

The set includes XNUMX mini figures in the form of villain Quinn and his crew member, and XNUMX dinosaurs.

The boat also comes with various accessories that make it easier for the villain to complete his mission.

The package consists of 67 parts to build with and is suitable for children from 4 to 10 years old.

Best dinosaur chase: Playmobil Motocrosser with Raptor 9431

Another package that fits nicely with the previous two is the PLAYMOBIL Motocrosser with Raptor.

This package is a bit less extensive, but for a relatively low price you can create extra fun with this package for the dinosaur enthusiast.

The pack consists of 18 parts, a mini figure in the shape of a motocross rider and a dinosaur (Raptor).

The motocross rider flies over the sand with his motorcycle, on the run from the dangerous Raptor. He's carrying a sword in case he needs to defend himself.

This package is also for children between 4 and 10 years old.

Experience exciting adventures with the dinosaur toys from PLAYMOBIL and combine various toy packages for the ultimate dinosaur experience!

PLAYMOBIL aims to stimulate the imagination and let children think and play creatively.

In this way children develop faster and better.

By means of the interesting toys from PLAYMOBIL that often come including mini figures, children can fully enjoy role-playing and self-conceived situations.

Children are thus absorbed in their own world and will be happy for a while while playing and building.

Catch the most fun dinosaur: Playmobil Offroad buggy with dinosaur catch net

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With this package you get an Offroad buggy with an animal safety net that you can launch when a dinosaur is in sight.

In addition, you get a dinosaur (Triceratops) figure, a cage to lock the dinosaur in and a poacher who hunts dinosaurs.

Most Realistic Dinosaur Toy: Schleich Tyrannosaurus Rex

Our second favorite dinosaur toy is the Tyrannosaurus Rex from the Schleich brand.

An extremely simple toy, but one that we think should not be missing in the dinosaur collection of the enthusiast.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex is one of the best known and most feared dinosaur types. The T-Rex is designed very true to nature, both in terms of design and colors.

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A nice toy at an attractive price that is fun for any dinosaur fan.

Our top two deserves an extensive explanation and explanation.

Play with this big Tyrannosaurus Rex. This is one of the most impressive dinosaurs that existed.

It had 20 cm teeth, and it could grow up to 14 meters. This replica is very realistic.

A very nice replica of the Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur, which will certainly be appreciated by children who have a certain affinity with dinosaurs.

The design of the T-Rex and the colors make it a very realistic figure. The T-Rex is the dinosaur that most children are familiar with.

This type of dinosaur is carnivorous and biped. It is on average about 12 meters long, 5,5 meters high and can weigh up to 6,5 tons!

The head of this impressive animal has a width of 120 centimeters, and the teeth are 20 centimeters long.

The T-Rex lived in the Cretaceous era in the forests of North America, tundra, on the beach and also in coniferous forests.

We are a fan of this fantastic replica of the Tyrannosaurus Rex and also think that the price makes this toy 100% worth it!

The toys are from the German brand Schleich, which focuses on the design of detailed figures for children to play with.

The brand really contains all animals in its range, all with a lifelike character.

Vehicles and famous buildings are also designed by this brand, to play with but also for adults to decorate the house.

Supplement: Schleich Brachiosaurus

Has your son or daughter played a lot with the T-Rex and are you looking for toys with the same theme that will also be appreciated?

Then you could go for the Schleich Brachiosaurus and the Schleich Triceratops, for example.

Schleich has a very extensive range with various types of dinosaurs.

In this way, your child can gradually expand the dinosaur toy collection, as well as his knowledge.

The Brachiosaurus is even bigger than the T-Rex, was at least 23 meters long and weighed about 80 tons.

The long neck with the small head are the most striking features of this dinosaur.

The Brachiosaurus' front legs were long, and combined with the elongated neck, they could easily eat needles from the trees.

Brachiosaurus was a real herbivore. Brachiosaurus lived in the late Jurassic and moved on four legs.

This dinosaur had to eat an awful lot to gain energy for the growth of its large body and to move.

He is said to eat about 1500 pounds of food a day, which is more than an elephant (!).

Supplement: Schleich Triceratops

The Triceratops was the smallest of the three and was about 9 feet long with a weight of 5,5 tons.

He lived in what is now North America, in countries such as the United States, Canada and Alaska.

This dinosaur was a four-legged friend and can be recognized by the collar and the three horns.

Like Braciosaurus, the Triceratops was a herbivore and was very careful in choosing its food.

They actually always ate the same plants, which were often large with an extremely hard structure.

This dinosaur looks a bit like a rhinoceros. The Triceratops' worst enemy was Tyrannosaurus.

Best dinosaur construction kit: LEGO Creator Mighty Dinosaurs 31058

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Build your own T-rex with dark green and beige details and bright orange eyes for an exciting effect.

Because this is a 3-in-1 building set, you can rebuild the model into two other dinosaurs, namely the Triceratops and the Pterodactylus.

The set comes with 174 parts to build the three dinosaurs.

Best Jurassic World set: LEGO Jurassic World Escape from Stygimoloch

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Build the laboratory where dinosaurs are tested.

The pack comes with XNUMX minifigures in the form of Dr. Wu and a guard and a Stygimoloch (dinosaur) minifigure.

The package contains various fun elements to stimulate role play. The set contains 222 parts.

Best dinosaur bones: ToiToys Glow in the dark kit

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Not only are “live” dinosaurs fun to play with, their bones are also fascinating.

If you've been to a museum with your child where they had such bones, chances are they can't stop talking about them because they are so full of them.

Now there are also very nice dinosaur bones for sale, such as this kit with glow in the dark bones.

Very nice to assemble and display in the room, but I also used them, for example in a fun sensory container with black beans for earth.

Great for an archaeological dig for young and old!

Frequently asked questions about dinosaurs

What is a cool Dinosaur outing?

A great outing for a dinosaur fan is a visit to it Naturalist in Leiden where the dinosaur skeletons are clearly visible and you can look a T-Rex right in the eye.

What do children learn by playing with dinosaurs?

They learn about the history of the earth, life and nature!

Children learn how these incredible and fascinating creatures came to be and how they disappeared. Interest in dinosaurs also helps children understand Earth's evolution and timeline.

Can dinosaurs talk?

They didn't have an email or What's app to keep in touch, but scientists are pretty sure these animals could communicate with each other. That communication likely included screams, creaks, dancing and singing, and even calls to love.

Did dinosaurs swim?

All dinosaurs could swim, said Dave Gillette, curator of paleontology at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. "They may not have been graceful, but they could swim nonetheless." Think elephants or horses can swim well, even though their bodies don't seem capable of it!

What were the first dinosaurs?

About 230 million years ago, during the Triassic period, the first dinosaurs, evolved from reptiles, appeared. The Plateosaurus was one of the first large herbivorous dinosaurs, growing to about 9 feet long.

Development of learning strategies

What makes all of this even more interesting is that, according to the study, the way children study dinosaurs or other subjects reveals the strategy they will use over their years of life when faced with new situations and problems.

Intense interests therefore prepare small children for their further life.

Because of the intense interests, children will learn to adjust their point of view when necessary, to find relationships between different things and be able to autonomously direct their learning based on their motivations.

Intense interests make children think more deeply and develop critical thinking. It motivates children to seek information and develop a passion for knowledge.

Conclusion

Because these interests are so important, it is very important that parents encourage and nurture that motivation.

Parents must therefore help ensure that a child continues to devote enough time to the passion, even when it begins to receive homework.

And to possibly find the relationship between that passion and subjects he is taught at school.

A lot of kids also have this with racetracks: check out our top rated racetracks in this article

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.