Gift ideas · Dinosaurs

Gifts for kids who love dinosaurs

Dinosaur kids know every name, and they'll correct you on how to say it. Good gifts help them dig, collect and learn more than you know.

Skip: Dinosaurs that roar when you press a button. The roar gets old fast, and kids would rather do the roaring themselves.

Not sure how they play? Take the quiz.

Remind me beforeor

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Ages 4 to 6

  • 1Big dinosaur figuresOur pick: Learning Resources Jumbo DinosaursBig enough for small hands and real enough to learn the names from. Find it
  • 2A first big book of dinosaursOur pick: National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of DinosaursShort facts and big pictures. They'll know it by heart in a week. Find it
  • 3A dinosaur bedtime bookOur pick: How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? (Jane Yolen)Short, funny and a little naughty. The one they'll ask for every night. Find it
  • 4A dinosaur floor puzzleOur pick: Melissa & Doug Dinosaur Dawn floor puzzleBig pieces and a big finished picture to lie down next to. Find it

One we made ourselves

A printed Pipsqueaks deck made for a kid named Leo
Their own Pipsqueaks deckOur card battling game for a grown-up and a 4 to 7 year old, printed at home with the buddy they pick on the box and their name on every card back. Every card is a picture, so nobody has to read. See it free, print it for $4.Make their deck →

Ages 7 to 9

  • 1A fossil dig kitOur pick: National Geographic Mega Fossil Dig KitReal fossils inside a brick they chip away at. It's messy, so do it outside. Find it
  • 2A LEGO dinosaur setOur pick: LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Fierce Dinosaur (31379)One box builds a velociraptor, a stegosaurus or a pterosaur, so it gets rebuilt. Find it
  • 3A dinosaur encyclopediaOur pick: National Geographic Kids Ultimate DinopediaEvery dinosaur they've heard of and a lot they haven't. They'll read it in bed. Find it
  • 4DraftosaurusOur pick: Draftosaurus (Ankama)A quick game about building a dinosaur park with little wooden dinosaurs. A game takes about 15 minutes. Find it

Ages 10 to 12

  • 1A dinosaur encyclopedia by a paleontologistOur pick: Dinosaurs, by Dr. Thomas R. Holtz Jr.Written by a real paleontologist for kids, and it doesn't talk down to them. Find it
  • 2A wooden T. rex skeleton to buildOur pick: IncrediBuilds: Tyrannosaurus Rex 3D Wood ModelA book and a wooden skeleton kit. They learn the bones as they put it together. Find it
  • 3A real rock hammerOur pick: Estwing E3-13P rock pick, 13 ozFor a fossil hunt at a creek or a fossil park, with a grown-up and safety glasses. Find it
  • 4Tickets to a natural history museumA real skeleton up close beats any toy. Give it with a date on the calendar.

Things to do near you

Gifts are one way in. Camps, classes and weekend events for kids who love dinosaurs are another. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.

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How kids who love dinosaurs tend to play

A lot of kids who love dinosaurs are Collectors, and some are Explorers. Most kids are a mix of two Play Types, so the quiz is the quickest way to know which lists to use.

Take the 2-minute quizGifts for a Collector

Gifts for other things kids love

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Gift ideas by Play Type

Gifts for kids who love to buildBuilderGifts for kids who love exploring outsideExplorerGifts for competitive kidsCompetitorGifts for kids who love pretend playStorytellerGifts for kids who love to collect thingsCollectorGifts for kids who love to sing, dance and performPerformerGifts for kids who love puzzles and figuring things outPuzzler

Holiday gift lists

Christmas gifts for kids that last past New Year'sChristmasStocking stuffers for kids that actually get usedHolidays

Buying for the grown-ups too? Gifts they'll still own, scored on warranty and repair: for dad, for mom, under $100.

Printable pages from the pack
Print it before the partyHalloween Party Games for Kids: picture bingo, a monster hunt and pin the face on the pumpkin. 11 pages, $5.Get the printable →

Made by a dad of three. Ideas and picks are chosen by hand, and nobody pays to be on this site. Game ratings come from the ESRB and the App Store, so check anything yourself before saying yes.

Also made by the same person