Best Dinosaur Toys

Last Updated: Nov 15, 2020 @ 2:05 pm.

Best Toy Dinosaurs + Play Mat: Giftinthebox Dinosaur Toys

Let’s talk about what makes for the best dinosaur toys!

Real-looking dinos are key, said our kid testers and we’d agree—it’s amazing the detail you see on the current crop of dinosaur toys.

One of the best dinosaur toys is a play mat with a good selection of plastic dinosaurs. After trying out several options, we’d recommend this brand: GiftInTheBox’s Dinosaur Toys Play Mat. A nice selection of dinos, at a price that doesn’t break the bank. 

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• LARGE size mat. At 31.5″ by 47.3″, this mat is much bigger than other dinosaur play mats we researched. 

• 9 larger dinos + trees+ rocks. And even a dozen baby dinosaurs!

• Nice variety of dino species.

• Includes a T-Rex and illustrated booklet.

• Drawstring storage bag.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Dinosaurs could stand easier. Yes, they stand, but it takes a bit of effort—and that disappointed some kiddos.

• No non-slip backing. Hence this mat can slip around on a hardwood floor.

Best Toy Dinosaurs + Book: Li’l-Gen Dinosaur Toys

Besides a play mat, one of the more popular dinosaur toys combines plastic dinosaurs with a book with dino sounds. This makes the play more three dimensional—and our kid testers agreed. It’s just more fun to have both the dino toys AND the sounds.

For the best toy dinosaurs plus book, we’d recommend Li’l-Gen’s Dinosaur Set With Sound Book. It has the best-looking dinosaurs . . . and the sound book is excellent.

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Nice gift idea!

• Good variety of dinosaurs—12 dinos including a T-Rex, triceratops and more.

• 7″ tall dinosaurs.

• Most dinosaurs stand easily.

• Designed for kids 3 years old and up.

What Needs Work

• Chemical smell. When first removed from the package, the dinos had a chemical smell. This went away in short order, however. 

• Battery life could be better. The sounds in the book are battery-powered. And it doesn’t take much play to run through a set of them!

• Sharp edges. A couple of dinosaurs in the pack we purchased had sharp edges. If this is a gift, you should consider opening it before and inspecting first. 

Best Budget-Friendly: Prextex Realistic Looking 7” Dinosaur Pack of 12

Sometimes simple is better.

If you are just looking for fun plastic dinosaurs (no play mat or sound book), then this set is what we’d recommend.

Realistic Looking 7″ Dinosaurs Pack of 12 Toys scored high on our list for playability and quality—plastic dinosaurs let kids use their imaginations for play.

Parents of our kid testers also like the included booklet that had short descriptions of each dinosaur.

What We Liked

• No batteries, no sound! That’s a feature, not a bug.

• Sturdy plastic, bright colors. These seven-inch dinos felt substantial and well made.

• Parent-directed learning. The included booklet lets parents explain basic facts about each dinosaur.

What Needs Work

• Smelly when opened. A few parents complained about the plastic smell when the package is opened. You might want to let these guys air out before gifting them to a child.

• Some don’t stand. While most of these dinosaurs stand up on their own, a few did not in our testing batch. That is a disappointment.

Best Dinosaur Toys With Wheels: 3 Bees & Me Dinosaur Toys

Dinosaur toys with wheels are a favorite, especially with younger kiddos. Basically, these are a hybrid between plastic dinosaurs and car toys. They got an enthusiastic thumbs up from our three-year-old testers.

Parents liked them too—no batteries, just wind-up wheels for rolling.

What We Liked

• Bright colors.

• Great for smaller hands.

• Wind them up = no batteries.

• BPA and phthalate free.

• 4 dinos include stegosaurus, triceratops, diplodocus, T-Rex.

What Needs Work

• Only four dinos? Other sets around this price point include more dinos.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!