Simply the Best Dinosaur Toys for 3 & 4 Year Olds

By: Mary

3 and 4 year olds love all kinds of imaginary games and pretend play, and what better way to encourage them than to provide them with some of the best dinosaur toys!

Three and four year olds are at the stage where they love making up their own stories and adventures and need toys that will encourage and help them.

With that in mind, we’ve handpicked some amazing dinosaur toys for toddlers that will keep them engage for hours on end in happy, fun, creative play.

Have a look and see if you can find the perfect gift for your kid, especially if they love dinosaurs as much as we do!

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A Word from a Psychologist

Written By: Psychologist Natasha Tanic

  • Dinosaur toys spark imagination
  • Dinosaur toys teach kids about life on earth

Dinosaurs: A Great Educational Value

Children love playing with dinosaurs.

These toys follow a child’s natural curiosity and love for exploration, teaching kids about the earth and nature. 

Dinosaur toys spark a child’s creativity and imagination, boosting their intelligence and ability for learning.

Such toys provide a risk-free environment for your child to practice their language and verbal skills, fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, cooperative play, and more. 

Here Are Our Top Three Dinosaur Toy Picks

Our top pick: Fisher-Price Imaginext Jurassic World Jurassic Rex

Second place: Wild Republic Plush Dinosaur – Triceratops

Third place: Kidtastic Dinosaur Toys – Take-apart Pack Of 3

Pretex Realistic Looking 7-Inch Dinosaurs Set Of 12 With Book

Pretex Realistic Looking 7-Inch Dinosaurs Set Of 12 With Book

This set of Pretex Realistic Looking Dinosaurs comes in a set of 12 and includes one each of Monoclonius, Allosaurus, Pachycepholosaurus, Corythosaurus, Bayonynx, Spinosaurus, T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Apatosaurus Ankylosaurus, and Diplodocus.

The set also comes with a Dinosaur Book with pictures and facts about each of the different dinosaurs included and each dinosaur stands up on their own.

Designed for children ages 2 years and up, it’s perfect for children age 3 who are interested in dinosaurs and love playing with them, creating their own imaginary games and adventures.

These dinosaurs are made from a solid rubbery material which makes them great toys for playing in the sand box, kiddie pool, bathtub, or on the floor.

The accompanying dinosaur book has a full page about each dinosaur, giving different facts as to the size of the dinosaur and other interesting pieces of information that small children want to know.

These dinosaurs are colorful and are 7 inches long or shorter, making them a great size for imaginative play.

There are enough dinosaurs in this set so that your child can play with one or two other siblings or friends.

Parents shared that their little ones use these dinosaurs to terrorize toy soldiers and other figurines when engaging in imaginative play!

The Pretext Realistic Looking 7 Inch Dinosaurs makes a great toy for any child who loves dinosaurs and wants to learn more about them.

Why We Recommend The Pretext Realistic Dinosaurs Set

  • Great fun for small children to play!
  • Your child will have a great time making up stories to act out using these dinosaurs
  • Sturdy and durable and sure to last for years of energetic play
  • Good size for small hands to move and manipulate
  • Comes with a wonderful dinosaur book which is great for helping your child develop a love for science and learning
  • Dinosaurs are simple, no batteries, no sounds or movement, making them ideal for creative play
  • Parents like that their child can play with these dinosaurs anywhere, such as the bath, the yard, the beach or the home
  • Wonderful travel toy and great for keeping your child amused and entertained in restaurants and on long trips
  • Helps to improve your child’s fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination
  • Perfect toys for independent play or for co-operative play with siblings or friends

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Zipbin Dinosaur Collector Toy Box and Play Set with 2 Dinosaurs

The Zipbin Dinosaur Collector Toy Box with 2 Dinosaurs is a convertible toy box that zips open and converts into a play mat, perfect for your child’s toy dinosaurs.

While the box is supposed to hold 160 dinosaurs, the actual amount of dinosaurs it holds will depend on the size of the ones you store in it. The box is best suited for dinosaurs that are between 2 and 5 inches.

Zipped up, the toy box makes a cute dinosaur themed storage box with handles, and it’s perfect for storing or carrying dinosaurs.

When your child wants to play, they can simply unzip the box and the box folds open to a forest or jungle suitable to be inhabited by your child’s dinosaurs.

The toy box comes with 2 bonus dinosaurs to get your child’s dinosaur collection off to a good start.

Parents like that this toy box has a double use, and kids love the fact that they have their own little world for their dinosaurs to inhabit, and then when they have finished playing, a safe place to keep all of their dinosaurs together.

This Zipbin Dinosaur box and play mat will be a hit both with toddlers who love dinosaurs and parents alike.

Why We Recommend The Zipbin Dinosaur Collector Toy Box With 2 Dinosaurs

  • This convertible toy box with 2 dinosaurs offers your three year old hours of fun play!
  • The play mat is actually part of the box making it impossible to lose
  • Holds quite a few dinosaurs or other toys
  • Play mat and the 2 dinosaurs really encourages your child’s imagination to run wild while they are playing
  • Toy box is durable and should hold up well for years of use
  • Easy to clean by just wiping off with a damp cloth
  • Themed play mat along with included dinosaurs allows your child to be creative and make up their own adventures
  • Perfect size for your young toddler boy or girl

Fisher Price Imaginext Ultra T-Rex

The Fisher Price Imaginext Ultra T-Rex is one huge dinosaur that offers hour upon hour of fun for your 3 year old child.

This dinosaur comes equipped with 3 power pads that make the T-Rex walk, makes him stand tall (at 2 ½ feet) and makes his LED eyes and spikes light up and open and close his mouth and fires projectiles.

Your child can also launch plastic boulders from his chest. This T-Rex comes with 3 warrior figurines with helmets, 4 boulders and 4 projectiles. There is even a built in jail. The T-Rex makes growling sounds.

Recommended for children ages 3 through 8 years old, this T-Rex is sure to become one of your child’s best friends.

He needs 4 AA batteries to operate.

Smaller children will like that this dinosaur is close to their size, and older children really enjoy all the different things this dinosaur can do, making it a great toy that will grow with your child and hold their interest for years to come.

It should be noted that this dinosaur is quite large and will take up a bit of space in your home.

Why We Recommend The Fisher Price Imaginext Ultra T-Rex

  • Sure to provide your child with many hours of adventurous fun!
  • Easy to assemble which parents really like
  • Lots of activities for your child to explore and enjoy
  • Quite durable and perfect for hours of play
  • Has several fun sound effects that makes playing with this dinosaur more enjoyable for your child
  • Perfect for imaginative play, allowing your child to act a number of different scenarios
  • Designed to provide different manners of play for different age children, making this a toy that will grow with your child
  • Size and sounds make for more realistic play and encourage your child to create their own stories and adventures
  • Ideal for independent play but way more fun when your child plays with their toddler friends or siblings

The Fisher Price Imaginext Ultra T-Rex is the perfect toy for any child who loves dinosaurs and feels that the bigger the better.

Wild Republic Cuddlekin Triceratops

If you’re looking for a stuffed animal that’s different from the traditional teddy bear or bunny rabbit, check out this adorable Wild Republic Cuddlekin Triceratops.

Cute and realistic looking, this baby dinosaur is extremely soft and has ultra plush stuffing making it perfect for cuddling and imaginative play.

This delightful little Triceratops is gray and tan and has been designed to stand and sit up. It has friendly looking brown eyes and comes in either an 8 inch or 12 inch size.

Sure to be a favorite bedside pal or the hit of your child’s tea party and play time, don’t be surprised if it’s carried around wherever your child goes.

This cuddly baby dinosaur is great for pretend play, whether your little one imagines they are feeding it, rocking it to sleep, or teaching it how to make dinosaur sounds.

If your little one likes stuffed animals and is wild about dinosaurs, this Triceratops is the perfect for both boys and girls.

Why We Recommend The Wild Republic Cuddlekin Triceratops

  • Kids love that it’s extremely soft and cuddly
  • Very cute and lovable
  • Great for pretend play
  • Large neck and 3-horned face make it look very realistic
  • It’s made with good, quality material
  • Holds its shape very well
  • Both the 8 and 12 inch are the perfect size for small children to carry around
  • Parents like that this Triceratops is well sewn and the seams hold up well over time
  • Designed to stand and sit up

Melissa & Doug Dinosaurs 4-in-1 Jigsaw Puzzles

Any small child who loves dinosaurs will love the Melissa & Doug Dinosaurs 4-in-1 Jigsaw puzzles!.

The set contains a puzzle of a Triceratops, an Apatosaurus, a Stegosaurus and a T-Rex. Each puzzle is brightly colored and consists of 12 pieces.

Made entirely of wood, the back pieces of each puzzle are marked with a different symbol to make the puzzle pieces easy to sort if all the puzzles pieces get mixed up at some point.

For convenience and easy storage, these Melissa And Doug dinosaur puzzles come in a divided wooden box with a space for each puzzle. The box has a space on top where your child can put the puzzle together.

The wooden pieces of these puzzles are well made, great for small hands, and durable so your child can work these puzzles over and over again.

Puzzles are great toys for small kids as they helps them develop fine motor skills, problem solving, and hand-eye coordination.

With these puzzles, the symbols on the back of each puzzle piece can also be used to help improve your child’s sorting and matching skills.

If you’re looking for a fun toy that will help your child reach various developmental goals, this set of 4 dinosaur puzzles may be the ideal gift.

Why We Recommend The Melissa & Doug Dinosaurs 4-in-1 Jigsaw Puzzles

  • Kids think they’re lots of fun to solve!
  • Simple enough for your child to work and challenging enough to hold their interest, so they’re ideal for younger kids
  • Helps improve your child’s fine motor skills
  • Great indoor activity for bad weather days
  • Develops your child’s hand-eye coordination and problem solving skills
  • Bright colors are appealing to small children
  • Pieces are the perfect size for small hands to handle
  • Symbols on the back of each piece can be used to teach your child sorting and matching skills
  • Wooden box makes clean up and storage easy and convenient

See What Other Stores Offer

Walmart.com

Target.com

Thetoyshop.com

Schleich Velociraptor

The awesome Schleich Velociraptor makes an excellent addition to any dinosaur lovers collection!

This Velociraptor stands about 3.5 inches tall and has a tail that’s about 3 inches long. He’s made from a solid plastic material that’s textured, giving his skin a more scaly, realistic feel, which kids love.

He’s hand painted with lots of detail and has a cool movable jaw. Your child will really enjoy the hinged jaw because they can use it make the Velociraptor do fun things, such as bite other dinosaurs and eat things.

This ferocious looking Velociraptor is able to withstand the rough and tumble play of toddlers and preschoolers, such as being dropped, or thrown. Your child will have loads of fun using him to engage in mock battles with other dinosaurs or toy figurines.

Designed for children ages 3+, both kids and parents like the realistic look of this dinosaur. The dinosaur can be used alone or added to other dinosaurs as part of a collection.

This Velociraptor is sure to become a favorite in your child’s dinosaur collection!

Why We Recommend The Schleich Velociraptor

  • This Velociraptor is sure to provide your toddler or preschooler with hours of fun!
  • Encourages imaginative play
  • Kids love using the movable jaw to do all kinds of fun things
  • Kids and parents like that this dinosaur is nicely detailed, from his sharp looking claws to his inset eyes
  • The skin of this Velociraptor is textured giving it a realistic feel that kids really like
  • Well made and durable enough to withstand hours of both indoor and outdoor play

Frequently Asked Questions About Dinosaur Toys

How to Play with Dinosaur Toys?

Dinosaur toys and figures can be a fantastic tool to encourage imaginative play and help your preschooler develop social and emotional skills before starting school.

Introduce dinosaur toys to your child’s pretend play routine and join them in their play. Also, encourage your child to play with their dinosaur toys independently and with other children.

You can also encourage your child to play with dinosaur toys by providing various dinosaur figures and telling stories about dinosaurs and the time they lived on earth.

More ideas

Imaginative Play with Dinosaurs – https://supersimple.com/article/imaginative-play-small-world-of-dinosaurs/

Brain Benefits of Dinosaur Obsession – https://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/12/health/kids-dinosaur-obsession-partner/index.html

How to Encourage Three and Four Year Olds to Share Dinosaur Toys with Other Children?

Three and four year old children enter the stage of reciprocal play, which means that they can now play with other kids cooperatively.

To encourage sharing, help your child manage their developing sense of autonomy and independence.

For example, encourage emotional expression and explain how another child feels when they don’t share their dinosaur toy.

Why do kids love dinosaurs?

Kids love dinosaurs because they are enormous and strong; size is a vital aspect for kids.

Kids also love dinosaurs because they do things their own way (without being directed by mom/dad, haha!)

The fact that dinosaurs are very scary but luckily non-existent also makes them loveable for kids.

At what age do children start to like dinosaurs?

Around 3-4 years.

At this age, children go through a hyper-fixation stage during which they exhibit intense interests in creatures such as dinosaurs, fairy tale creatures and monsters.

This shows their imaginative skills are developing.

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