15 best dinosaur toys 2024 to satisfy your child's dino obsession (including an Amazon #1 bestseller)

Here's our pick of the best dinosaur toys - these are the most roarsome dino toys that boys and girls of all ages will love

Collage showing the best dinosaur toys
(Image credit: Future)

Prehistoric playtime is always going to be a firm favourite of children both big and small, but what are the best toy dinosaurs out there?

The long-lasting appeal of the extinct scaly reptiles is still going strong - unsurprisingly, there is a dino-themed toy on the list of this year's top toys - and most little dino fans (and their parents) already know their triceratops from their stegosaurus. And that'll be good news for many, as it's been shown that those with 'intense interest' in dinosaurs have higher intelligence.

Whether you have a little dinosaur enthusiast in your life, or are looking to introduce your little one to the prehistoric world, these are the best dinosaur toys around right now. We made our choices by consulting some very serious dinosaur enthusiasts (our kids, nephews, and Godchildren), taking into account parent reviews, and making sure we had a balance of fun, educational and imaginative options on the list.

The best toy dinosaurs you can buy right now

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We also spoke to Peter Jenkinson, from Toyology, which provides news and reviews on the latest toys available, about what makes toy dinosaurs so popular, "Second only to vehicles, dinosaurs are the favourite toys by a country mile and they're most certainly more gender-neutral than ever. The combination of children reading dinosaur books and kid-friendly films and TV shows leads them to this intense interest - which they then discover that many other kids share."

And if you want Peter's advice about the best toy dinosaurs to go for, he says: "The best toy dinosaur should really be BIG and if you can find one that roars, all the better!"

Why do kids love dinosaurs so much?

Finding the answer to why kids love dinosaurs so much is not easy as there are so many variables, and ultimately, it depends on who you ask. Speak to a palaeontologist, and they'll argue that it's as simple as dinosaurs being awesome, fantastical creatures. Speaking to the Financial Times on the topic, Steve Brusatte, a professor at the University of Edinburgh said: "These were fantastic creatures, many of immense size, with horns and spikes and dagger teeth. I think they are more fantastic than any dragons or unicorns or sea monsters invented by humans in myths and legends, but dinosaurs were real! You can see their fossils at museums."

Beyond that, there's also the fact that kids can see dinosaurs everywhere; in the toy shop, on TV, on clothes, in books, even in food form. Seeing this at a time in their development when imaginative play is so important, it's no wonder many kids become obsessed with these seemingly other-worldly creatures.

One thing that is generally agreed upon though is the benefit an 'intense interest' can have on development. In a report called The development of conceptual interests in young children, researchers found that these interests lead to a number of benefits including 'increased knowledge and persistence', 'heightened attention', and 'deeper levels of processing'.


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Sarah Handley
Consumer Writer & Money Editor, GoodtoKnow

Sarah is GoodtoKnow’s Consumer Writer & Money Editor and is passionate about helping mums save money wherever they can - whether that's spending wisely on toys and kidswear or keeping on top of the latest news around childcare costs, child benefit, the motherhood penalty. A writer, journalist and editor with more than 15 years' experience, Sarah is all about the latest toy trends and is always on the look out for toys for her nephew or Goddaughters so that she remains one of their favourite grown ups. When not writing about money or best buys, Sarah can be found hanging out with her rockstar dog Pepsi, getting opinionated about a movie or learning British Sign Language.