Dinosaur Toys that Teach

We've been on a dinosaur kick lately.  I know we're a bit late for the Jurassic World movies, but the kids are too young for those videos.  Instead, the kids' interest has been inspired by our summer trip to the dinosaurs at Museum of the Rockies, the dinosaurs they've received for Christmas, and the Jurassic World Evolution video game that they watch me play.  Plus, who doesn't love dinosaurs?  They're the stuff of our dreams and substance of our primal fears.  There are a lot of awesome dino toys on the market, but for this post, I wanted to focus specifically on toys that help us learn.

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Uncle Milton's T-Rex Operation Game- Test your dinosaur knowledge and your nerves with this operation-style dinosaur dig game.  Answer questions and extract pieces without making the dinosaur roar!


National Geographic Real Fossil Dig- Some fossil dig sets have you digging for plastic pieces, but this toy contains real dinosaur and other ancient pieces.  The dig site comes with a 16 page booklet to help kids learn about the things they uncover.


Dinosaur A-Z Puzzle- A different type of teaching tool, this one encourages alphabet interaction and recognition, while creating a 3D object.  This cute dinosaur works on fine motor skills too!


Safari Ltd Dinosaur Toobs- There are so many tiny dinosaurs to chose from with toobs!  They have carnivores, feathered dinos, babies, and more.  One of the things that makes them great for learning is all the free printable matching cards you can find for them, like these for the dinosaur skulls.  These plastic toys are perfect for sensory bins


Peaceable Kingdom Dinosaur Escape- This non-reading, preschool game challenges kids on memory skills and turn taking, while they work together to rescue three dinosaurs from a volcanic eruption.  Check out all the Peaceable Kingdom games for preschoolers and kindergartners to see more adorable, cooperative themes.


Dinosaur Fossil Puzzle- Kids ages 6 and up will be able to build a dinosaur fossil of their very own with this realistic T-rex puzzle.  I think it would make a great souvenir after a trip to the dinosaur museum.


Solid Plastic Dinosaurs- Durable animals like those from Safari Ltd and Schliech are great for dinosaur enthusiasts and classrooms, because they're detailed and washable.  They can be used to make footprint fossils in play dough, muddy in a sensory bin, or stand in as a model for a still-life drawing.  Plus, they're just fun toys for whatever your kids can imagine.


4D Tyrannosaurus Rex Puzzle- Add the body parts and bones to the t-rex model to learn the anatomy of the dinosaur.  Recommended for teens and adults, but it would look awesome in a classroom- I'd love to have the whole collection.


Jurassic World Evolution- Fans of Zoo Tycoon will love this dinosaur-themed video game.  Dig for fossils, extract DNA, modify genomes, build multiple parks, deal with natural disasters, maintain habitats and herds, take care of guests, get close to your dinosaurs, fly helicopters, and more.  My kids watch me play, and we talk about carnivores and herbivores, predators and prey, habitats, DNA, and other subjects as they come up in the game.  The kids also enjoy driving the jeep around the herbivores cages and taking pictures.  *Parental Warning*  The game does have dinosaurs eating people, but the gore is greatly diminished if you zoom all the way out.  I wouldn't have my kids play alone, but the game is fun as a family activity*


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