One great thing about dinosaur names is that they all have a meaning. Dinosaur names are composed of several root words. If you understand the root words, you can understand the dinosaur's name.
Since my son became interested in dinosaur names, I began to teach him the root words through a name game. I wanted to show him that he could figure out the dinosaur names logically, rather than just by memorization. This was a great teaching opportunity because it got him thinking about words in general and how they could be deconstructed.
Here's an example of the name game we would play:
Question: What does "Dinosaur" mean?
Answer: "Dino" (or "Deino") means "Terrible". "Saur" means "Lizard". So "Dinosaur" means "Terrible Lizard".
Question: "Onychus" means "claw". What does "Deinonychus" mean?
Answer: "Deino" means "terrible". "Onychus" means "claw". So "Deinonychus" means "Terrible Claw".
Question: "Pachy" means "thick". "Rhino" means nose. What does "Pachyrhinosaurus" mean?
Answer: "Pachy" means "thick". "Rhino" means nose. "Saurus" means "lizard". So "Pachyrhinosaurus" means "Thick Nosed Lizard".
Question: "Euoplo" means "Well armored". "Cephalus" means "Head". What does "Euoplocephalus" mean?
Answer: "Well Armored Head"
Question: What does "Pachycephalosaurus" mean?
Answer: "Pachy" mean "thick". "Cephalo" means "head". "Saurus" means "lizard". So "Pachycephalosaurus" means "Thick Headed Lizard".
Question: "Nothro" means "Slothful". What does "Nothronychus" mean?
Answer: "Nothro" means "Slothful". "Onychus" means "claw". So "Nothronychus" means "Slothful Claw".
Question: "Ceras" means "horn". What does "Ceratosaurus" mean?
Answer: "Cerato" means "horn". "Saurus" means "lizard". So "Ceratosaurus" means "Horned Lizard".
Question: "Tri" means "three". "Ops" mean "face". What does "Triceratops" mean?
Answer: "Tri" means "three". "Cerat" means "horn". "Ops" mean "face". So "Triceratops" means "Three Horned Face"
Question: "Proto" mean first. What does "Protoceratops" mean?
Answer: "Proto" means "first". "Cerat" means "horn". "Ops" means "face". So "Protocertops" means "First Horned Face".
Etc ...
I've been doing these name games with my son for over a year now. It's still challenging for him but he really enjoys it. After we started playing this name game, it finally occurred to me why a rhinoceros is called a "Rhinoceros". "Rhino" means nose. "Ceros" means horn. "Rhinoceros" = "Nose Horn".
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Big, Small, Short, Tall
One thing I really wanted to do for my son was to create a dinosaur collection that was all based on one scale (1/40th). That way, he could look at his toys and immediately get a sense of the size differences between the dinosaurs in real life. As an added bonus, Schleich gives you a 1/40th scale figure of a man to go along with their dinosaur figures. So not only can my son compare the dinosaurs to each other, he can also compare them to me.
Even young children can understand the concept of scale. All they need to do is compare the figures to each other and be able to say, "If Daddy was this big, then Carnotaurus would be this big, and Brachiosaurus would be this big!"
With that concept under their belt, they can begin to answer basic questions about the dinosaurs in their collection. When my son was 3 years old, I gave him easier questions like "Who's taller? Tyrannosaurus or Styracosaurus?" and "Who's longer? Spinosaurus or Diplodocus?". My son would place the dinosaurs side by side, compare them, and give me the answer. I love simple games like these because it teaches kids how to make relative measurements while they're learning more about dinosaurs.
Small children might need help measuring the dinosaurs and this is a great way to get them interested in learning that skill. For measuring height, they learn to stand the dinosaurs next to each other. For measuring length, they learn to place the dinosaurs parallel to each other and line up either their heads or tails.
As your child gets more advanced, you can even introduce the concept of multiplication. For example, you can show that Stegosaurus is about two times longer than Kentrosaurus. You just need to use Kentrosaurus as a measuring stick and measure Stegosaurus. Or you could show that Brachiosaurus is about 3 times as tall as Triceratops.
Now that my son has had his dinosaur collection for over a year, he's able to visualize the dinosaur sizes in his head. He can tell me who's taller or who's longer without looking at the figures. One day, out of the blue, I tried quizzing him on questions like this. I was surprised that he got every one correct. He loved playing this quiz game and it made him very proud that he knew so much about dinosaurs.
Even young children can understand the concept of scale. All they need to do is compare the figures to each other and be able to say, "If Daddy was this big, then Carnotaurus would be this big, and Brachiosaurus would be this big!"
With that concept under their belt, they can begin to answer basic questions about the dinosaurs in their collection. When my son was 3 years old, I gave him easier questions like "Who's taller? Tyrannosaurus or Styracosaurus?" and "Who's longer? Spinosaurus or Diplodocus?". My son would place the dinosaurs side by side, compare them, and give me the answer. I love simple games like these because it teaches kids how to make relative measurements while they're learning more about dinosaurs.
Small children might need help measuring the dinosaurs and this is a great way to get them interested in learning that skill. For measuring height, they learn to stand the dinosaurs next to each other. For measuring length, they learn to place the dinosaurs parallel to each other and line up either their heads or tails.
As your child gets more advanced, you can even introduce the concept of multiplication. For example, you can show that Stegosaurus is about two times longer than Kentrosaurus. You just need to use Kentrosaurus as a measuring stick and measure Stegosaurus. Or you could show that Brachiosaurus is about 3 times as tall as Triceratops.
Now that my son has had his dinosaur collection for over a year, he's able to visualize the dinosaur sizes in his head. He can tell me who's taller or who's longer without looking at the figures. One day, out of the blue, I tried quizzing him on questions like this. I was surprised that he got every one correct. He loved playing this quiz game and it made him very proud that he knew so much about dinosaurs.
Friday, May 31, 2013
I am a Paleontologist
Here's a great song for dino fans young and old! "I am a Paleontologist", by They Might Be Giants:
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Counting With Dinos
One of the great things about dinosaur toys is that they provide ample opportunities to teach your child something new. One of the first games I played with my son involved counting. I'd ask him questions like "How many horns does Triceratops have?", "How many fingers does Tyrannosaurus have on each hand?", How many feet does Ankylosaurus have?", "How many spikes does Stegosaurus have on its tail?", etc. My son would happily start counting and I was happy to teach him when he needed help.
Counting isn't just about reciting a series of numbers. When you start to count objects, you need to do it in an organized way. Counting dinosaur fingers is somewhat easy because it's just like counting your own fingers. Kids learn to point to each finger as they count. Counting dinosaur legs is a bit trickier with 4 legged dinosaurs. You could count them clockwise, counterclockwise, back to front, front to back, left to right, right to left, or even zig-zag. You need to make sure you count every leg and also be sure that you don't count any legs twice. Being able to spatially organize objects in your head is a skill that needs to be learned. Dinosaurs provide a variety of objects in different spatial configurations that are ripe for counting: fingers, claws, horns, spikes, toes, etc.
Now you can ask my son, "How many fingers does a Pachycephalosaurus have?", "How many claws does Diplodocus have on its front feet?", or "How many horns does a Kosmoceratops have?", and he can give you the correct answers without looking at his dinosaur toys. It turns out that he didn't just learn to count, he learned a lot about dinosaur anatomy as well. It actually shocked me that he knew how many fingers Carnotaurus had. I didn't know myself! That was something he learned all on his own. He must have been studying his Carnotaurus figure and counting behind my back!
Counting isn't just about reciting a series of numbers. When you start to count objects, you need to do it in an organized way. Counting dinosaur fingers is somewhat easy because it's just like counting your own fingers. Kids learn to point to each finger as they count. Counting dinosaur legs is a bit trickier with 4 legged dinosaurs. You could count them clockwise, counterclockwise, back to front, front to back, left to right, right to left, or even zig-zag. You need to make sure you count every leg and also be sure that you don't count any legs twice. Being able to spatially organize objects in your head is a skill that needs to be learned. Dinosaurs provide a variety of objects in different spatial configurations that are ripe for counting: fingers, claws, horns, spikes, toes, etc.
Now you can ask my son, "How many fingers does a Pachycephalosaurus have?", "How many claws does Diplodocus have on its front feet?", or "How many horns does a Kosmoceratops have?", and he can give you the correct answers without looking at his dinosaur toys. It turns out that he didn't just learn to count, he learned a lot about dinosaur anatomy as well. It actually shocked me that he knew how many fingers Carnotaurus had. I didn't know myself! That was something he learned all on his own. He must have been studying his Carnotaurus figure and counting behind my back!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The More The Merrier
For most kids, the 12 dinosaurs listed in the Quick Start Guide would be more than sufficient. But if your child is craving for more and you're looking to expand the collection, here are 12 more figures you may want to consider:
Carnegie Amargasaurus
Amargasaurus was a strange looking dinosaur. He was a small sauropod with a double row of spines along his back. This figure is interesting contrast to the gigantic sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus.
Carnegie Corythosaurus
Corythosaurus was a duck billed dinosaur, in the same family as Parasaurolophus. My son says that he and Parasaurolophus are best friends because they both like to honk together. Note: This toy has been discontinued but can still be found on ebay at a decent price.
Carnegie Elasmosaurus
Iguanodon was one of the first dinosaurs ever named and has enjoyed his share of fame for almost 200 years. This isn't the most detailed figure but for historical reasons, I thought Iguanodon was a worthwhile buy.
Carnegie Tylosaurus
Tylosaurus is a large, meat eating marine reptile. Having a big Mosasaur is a nice way to round out your child's pre-historic world.
Collecta Kosmoceratops
This recently discovered dinosaur had the fanciest frill of any of the ceratopsians. He has 10 horns on the top of his frill and 5 more horns on his face. This is one of my son's favorite dinosaurs to play with.
Collecta Therizinosaurus
Papo Allosaurus
Allosaurus is another beautiful sculpt by Papo. Great pose. Articulated jaw. I would have put him in the Quick Start Guide but the top 12 was getting overcrowded with meat eaters.
Papo Ankylosaurus (It's really a Euoplocephalus)
Euoplocephalus was probably the 4th largest member of the Ankylosaur family. He's quite a bit smaller than Ankylosaurus. It's nice being able to compare them side by side.
Safari Kentrosaurus
Kentrosaurus was a small Stegosaur (much smaller than Stegosaurus). The small size is a nice contrast to the larger dinosaurs in my son's collection. This is a beautiful figure and sells for pretty cheap too.
Schleich Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus may have been even bigger than T-Rex. And the what makes him even scarier is that he hunted in packs. This sculpt by Schleich isn't as nicely detailed as the Papo dinosaurus. But it's still a pretty nice figure and it has an articulated jaw as well. Papo is planning to release a Giganotosaurus in 2014 so you might want to hold off until then.
Schleich Quetzalcoatlus
If you're looking to round out your kid's collection with a flying reptile, this is the best one I've found. Quetzalcoatlus was the largest flying animal ever. I think this version by Schleich is they nicest available.
Carnegie Amargasaurus
Carnegie Corythosaurus
Carnegie Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus was a marine reptile that lived during the time of the dinosaurs. I have the Bullyland Elasmosaurus, which I regret buying. I would recommend getting the Safari Elasmosaurus (pictured above) instead.
Carnegie Iguanadon
Carnegie Iguanadon
Iguanodon was one of the first dinosaurs ever named and has enjoyed his share of fame for almost 200 years. This isn't the most detailed figure but for historical reasons, I thought Iguanodon was a worthwhile buy.
Carnegie Tylosaurus
Collecta Kosmoceratops
Collecta Therizinosaurus
This strange looking dinosaur had the largest claws of any animal ... ever! 3 feet long! Lucky for us he's a plant eater. My son loves to use those large claws to ward off hungry carnivores. This model represents a smaller therizinosaurus, based on 1/40th scale. However, Collecta just announced that they are releasing a deluxe version of the therizinosaurus in 2014. The deluxe version represents a full sized, 1/40th scale adult. As you can see below, the two versions complement each other (possibly representing an "adult & juvinile" or "male & female"):
Allosaurus is another beautiful sculpt by Papo. Great pose. Articulated jaw. I would have put him in the Quick Start Guide but the top 12 was getting overcrowded with meat eaters.
Papo Ankylosaurus (It's really a Euoplocephalus)
Safari Kentrosaurus
Schleich Giganotosaurus
Schleich Quetzalcoatlus
Friday, May 17, 2013
Quick Start Guide
Note: An updated version of the Quick Start Guide is located here: 2015 Quick Start Guide
So you're ready to make a shopping list but you don't know where to start. There are so many brands to choose from ... which ones do you pick? Hopefully, this blog can help you out. Here's a short review of each major brand that we've tried:
Bullyland: I bought my son 2 Bullyland figures (Ankylosaurus and Elasmosaurus) and both of them had problems with the paint scratching off. It seems like Bullyland went the cheap route and only applied very thin coats of paint to their figures. After a short time, the figures started to look beat up and worn. I would never buy a Bullyland dinosaur again.
Carnegie: These figures tend to be the most scientifically accurate models on the market. The biggest drawback is that many of their figures are not 1:40 scale. The other concern I have is that the detailing and artistry in their sculpts is often hit or miss. Durability is very good, though. Overall, I would rank them second, behind Papo.
Collecta/Procon: Collecta produces a "Deluxe" line of 1:40 scale models which are fairly nice, durable, and scientifically sound. They also have a large "not-to-scale" line of figures containing some less common dinosaurs. A few of these figures can fit into a 1:40 scale collection as well. I'd rate them third, after Papo and Carnegie.
Papo: This company produces the nicest dinosaur toys on the market ... period. In terms of artistry, detailing, and durability, I would rate Papo a 10 and the next closest competitor a 7. The drawback with Papo is that they don't always pay close attention to scientific detail. A few of their figures are downright wrong! But we can always avoid those. All things considered, Papo is still my favorite company.
Safari: Although the Safari line of dinosaurs don't claim to be scale models, some of their figures are very good and do happen to be the right size to fit into a 1:40 scale collection. Their Ceratosaurus, Dilophosaurus, and Kentrosaurus were all nice additions to my son's collection.
Schleich: Overall, I'd rate this company 4th, behind Papo, Carnegie, and Collecta. Schleich just doesn't stand out in terms of scientific accuracy, artistry, or build quality. They do produce decent figures, though, so don't feel like you have to avoid them.
With that bit of background information under your belt, you're now ready to start choosing dinosaurs for your kid's collection. If your kid has some favorites, then it's easy. If you're in the dark about which dinosaurs to buy, this next section is for you.
Here's a solid top 12 dinosaurs to kick off your kid's collection:
1) Tyrannosaurus Rex
No dinosaur collection would be complete without the most popular dinosaur of all time. My son really loves his Papo Tyrannosaurus (seen above). All of the Papo carnivore figures have articulated jaws, which is a brilliant way to up the fun factor. Chomp! Chomp! Papo now offers 2 additional versions of T-Rex, seen here:
2) Triceratops
Triceratops is probably the most popular herbivore. Tyrannosaurus may want to steer clear of this bad boy. Every brand makes a Triceratops. We bought the Papo version (shown above).
3) Brachiosaurus (Giraffatitan)
If you're going to get a long neck, Brachiosaurus (Giraffatitan) is probably the one you want to start with. There's nothing quite as majestic as a gigantic Brachiosaurus towering over all the other dinosaurs. My son has the Schleich version and loves it. Papo also came out with a Brachiosaurus in 2012 so that's another option. Collecta has Brachiosaurus as well, but I didn't like their sculpt too much.
4) Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus is another "must" for any dinosaur collection. Kids love to imagine him swinging his spiked tail to ward off meat eaters. We got the Papo figure pictured above. The detailing is great but there are a few problems with this figure. A Stegosaurus had 17 plates. This version has 22 plates. Also, the tail is a little short and the spikes point upwards instead of outwards. Stegosaurus is believed to have a pouch under his neck, but Papo's version doesn't show it (most figures don't). Recently, I found the Collecta Deluxe Stegosaurus, which seems to be much more accurate. If I had a chance for a do-over, I'd probably pick the Collecta Deluxe Stegosaurus instead:
5) Ankylosaurus
Ankylosaurs is a classic dinosaur. The figure pictured above is from Carnegie. If I could do it all over again, I'd buy this one. Unfortunately, I bought the Bullyland Ankylosaurus for my son. The paint on the Bullyland model began to scratch off immediately. Avoid Bullyland. Buy Carnegie instead.
6) Utahraptor (Papo Velociraptor)
Papo's Velociraptor (pictured above) was clearly inspired by the movie Jurassic Park. However, the Jurassic Park Velociraptor looked nothing like the real animal. In reality, the Velociraptor was a feathered dino and was much smaller than a human. But in a strange case of life imitating art, extensive remains of the giant Utahraptor were found in the same year that Jurassic Park came out. Utahraptor looked like a larger version of the Jurassic Park Velociraptor. Long story short: I bought the Papo Velociraptor and told my son it was a Utahraptor. Like all the other Papo carnivores, this figure also has an articulated jaw.
7) Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus gained a lot of popularity from the movie "Dinosaur". Papo's Carnotaurus is one of the best sculpts they've ever done. It has an articulated jaw to boot. Definitely go with Papo on this one!
8) Parasaurolophus
Parasaurolophus is one of the most famous duck billed dinosaurs. He used his big crest like a musical instrument to produce loud "honks" (which my son loves to imitate). I chose the Schleich version and am happy with it. The Carnegie figure could be another good option. I wouldn't recommend the Papo version because it has some blatant inaccuracies.
9) Spinosaurus
Jurassic Park 2 launched this dinosaur to super stardom. He may have been the biggest therapod ever (even bigger than T-Rex). I bought the Papo version (pictured above). The articulated jaw is great!
10) Diplodocus
At over 100 feet in length, Diplodocus is sometime referred to as a walking suspension bridge. This 1:40 scale figure is almost 2 feet long (even with his tail curled up). I think Diplodocus is Carnegie's best sculpt. I would definitely recommend this toy.
11) Styracosaurus
This Styracosaurus is another beautiful sculpt by Papo. It's scientifically very accurate too. There are other options to choose from but you really can't go wrong with this one.
12) Pachycephalosaurus
Pachycephalosaurs had a head like a crash helmet. You can imagine what he did with it ... if not, your kid will show you. There are not a lot of options for Pachycephalosaurus figures. I would go with this one from Papo.
So you're ready to make a shopping list but you don't know where to start. There are so many brands to choose from ... which ones do you pick? Hopefully, this blog can help you out. Here's a short review of each major brand that we've tried:
Bullyland: I bought my son 2 Bullyland figures (Ankylosaurus and Elasmosaurus) and both of them had problems with the paint scratching off. It seems like Bullyland went the cheap route and only applied very thin coats of paint to their figures. After a short time, the figures started to look beat up and worn. I would never buy a Bullyland dinosaur again.
Carnegie: These figures tend to be the most scientifically accurate models on the market. The biggest drawback is that many of their figures are not 1:40 scale. The other concern I have is that the detailing and artistry in their sculpts is often hit or miss. Durability is very good, though. Overall, I would rank them second, behind Papo.
Collecta/Procon: Collecta produces a "Deluxe" line of 1:40 scale models which are fairly nice, durable, and scientifically sound. They also have a large "not-to-scale" line of figures containing some less common dinosaurs. A few of these figures can fit into a 1:40 scale collection as well. I'd rate them third, after Papo and Carnegie.
Papo: This company produces the nicest dinosaur toys on the market ... period. In terms of artistry, detailing, and durability, I would rate Papo a 10 and the next closest competitor a 7. The drawback with Papo is that they don't always pay close attention to scientific detail. A few of their figures are downright wrong! But we can always avoid those. All things considered, Papo is still my favorite company.
Safari: Although the Safari line of dinosaurs don't claim to be scale models, some of their figures are very good and do happen to be the right size to fit into a 1:40 scale collection. Their Ceratosaurus, Dilophosaurus, and Kentrosaurus were all nice additions to my son's collection.
Schleich: Overall, I'd rate this company 4th, behind Papo, Carnegie, and Collecta. Schleich just doesn't stand out in terms of scientific accuracy, artistry, or build quality. They do produce decent figures, though, so don't feel like you have to avoid them.
With that bit of background information under your belt, you're now ready to start choosing dinosaurs for your kid's collection. If your kid has some favorites, then it's easy. If you're in the dark about which dinosaurs to buy, this next section is for you.
Here's a solid top 12 dinosaurs to kick off your kid's collection:
1) Tyrannosaurus Rex
No dinosaur collection would be complete without the most popular dinosaur of all time. My son really loves his Papo Tyrannosaurus (seen above). All of the Papo carnivore figures have articulated jaws, which is a brilliant way to up the fun factor. Chomp! Chomp! Papo now offers 2 additional versions of T-Rex, seen here:
2) Triceratops
Triceratops is probably the most popular herbivore. Tyrannosaurus may want to steer clear of this bad boy. Every brand makes a Triceratops. We bought the Papo version (shown above).
3) Brachiosaurus (Giraffatitan)
4) Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus is another "must" for any dinosaur collection. Kids love to imagine him swinging his spiked tail to ward off meat eaters. We got the Papo figure pictured above. The detailing is great but there are a few problems with this figure. A Stegosaurus had 17 plates. This version has 22 plates. Also, the tail is a little short and the spikes point upwards instead of outwards. Stegosaurus is believed to have a pouch under his neck, but Papo's version doesn't show it (most figures don't). Recently, I found the Collecta Deluxe Stegosaurus, which seems to be much more accurate. If I had a chance for a do-over, I'd probably pick the Collecta Deluxe Stegosaurus instead:
Ankylosaurs is a classic dinosaur. The figure pictured above is from Carnegie. If I could do it all over again, I'd buy this one. Unfortunately, I bought the Bullyland Ankylosaurus for my son. The paint on the Bullyland model began to scratch off immediately. Avoid Bullyland. Buy Carnegie instead.
6) Utahraptor (Papo Velociraptor)
Papo's Velociraptor (pictured above) was clearly inspired by the movie Jurassic Park. However, the Jurassic Park Velociraptor looked nothing like the real animal. In reality, the Velociraptor was a feathered dino and was much smaller than a human. But in a strange case of life imitating art, extensive remains of the giant Utahraptor were found in the same year that Jurassic Park came out. Utahraptor looked like a larger version of the Jurassic Park Velociraptor. Long story short: I bought the Papo Velociraptor and told my son it was a Utahraptor. Like all the other Papo carnivores, this figure also has an articulated jaw.
7) Carnotaurus
8) Parasaurolophus
9) Spinosaurus
Jurassic Park 2 launched this dinosaur to super stardom. He may have been the biggest therapod ever (even bigger than T-Rex). I bought the Papo version (pictured above). The articulated jaw is great!
10) Diplodocus
11) Styracosaurus
12) Pachycephalosaurus
Pachycephalosaurs had a head like a crash helmet. You can imagine what he did with it ... if not, your kid will show you. There are not a lot of options for Pachycephalosaurus figures. I would go with this one from Papo.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Welcome to the Dino Dojo
If your child is fascinated with dinosaurs and you're thinking about buying some dinosaur figures, then this is the blog for you ...
One day, at the age of 3, my son decided that he loved dinosaurs. As the weeks went by, his passion for dinosaurs continued to grow to the point where he just couldn't get enough of them. Finally, with Christmas coming around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to ask Santa for a nice set of dinosaur toys. I just needed to figure out which ones to put on the list.
To start off, I found a few good websites dedicated to dinosaur toys:
The Dino Toy Blog tends to have the most informative toy reviews. It does a good job of identifying the pro's and con's of each dinosaur figure. They do about 1 review per week ... I wish it were 1 a day!
Everything Dinosaur is a fairly active blog. They seem to average a post a day, although most of them are not reviews. Their reviews are informative, but not very critical.
The Dinosaur Toys Collectors Guide isn't really active anymore but they do have some good information on current dinosaur figures. If you're looking for quality reviews, it's a good resource.
After doing a lot of research, I found out that the quality of dinosaur toys has gone up considerably since I was a kid. Some companies weren't satisfied with producing cartoonish impressions of dinosaurs; they were creating scale models based on the latest scientific discoveries. Imagine having all of that data and knowledge, coalesced into the form of a dinosaur toy and all within your child's hands. With the right strategy, you could help your child to unlock that information and open up a new pathway to scientific discovery. You could create a dinosaur collection that was both fun and educational! My hope is that by writing this blog, I can share my experience with other parents and help them to get the most out of their kid's dinosaur collection.
One of the first things I learned about modern dinosaur toys is that there is a wide offering of scale models. The most popular scale is 1:40. A 1:40 scale figure means that your toy T-Rex is 1/40th the height of a real T-Rex. When you do the math, it means that a 3 inch tall toy equals a 10 foot tall dino.
I quickly realized that by building a collection of dinosaurs that are all on the same scale, a child could easily see the size difference between two toy dinosaurs and visualize the size difference between the real dinosaurs. For example, I never knew that a Triceratops was almost 3 times heavier than a Styracosaurs. But when I saw my son's toy Triceratops and toy Styracosaurs side by side, the size difference was readily apparent. A small child might not understand weights and measures, but he can hold 2 dinosaurs in his hands. He understands that if Styracosaurus were this big, then Triceratops would be this big!
With this bit of insight, I set out to create a collection of dinosaur toys that were all on the same scale. Since 1:40 scale was the most popular, that's what I decided to use. Looking back, I can definitely say that I made the right decision. As this blog progresses, you'll see why.
In the meantime, I wanted to start things off by giving a quick summary of which dinosaur toys I recommend, which ones I have reservations/regrets about, and which ones I disliked. If you are a parent in need of a "quick start" guide to building a collection, this is for you:
Recommended
Carnegie Amargasaurus
Carnegie Corythosaurus
Carnegie Diplodocus
Carnegie Iguanodon
Carnegie Maiasaura
Carnegie Plateosaurus
Carnegie Saltasaurus
Carnegie Tylosaurus
Collecta Baryonyx Deluxe
Collecta Kosmoceratops
Collecta Neovenator Deluxe
Collecta Therizinosaurus (You might want to wait for the deluxe model, coming in 2014)
Kaiyodo Dimetrodon
Kaiyodo Protoceratops
Marx Struthiomimus
Papo Allosaurus
Papo Ankylosaurus (It's really a Euoplocephalus)
Papo Carnotaurus
Papo Pachycephalosaurus
Papo Pachyrhinosaurus
Papo Spinosaurus
Papo Styracosaurus
Papo Tyrannosaurus v1
Papo Tyrannosaurus Baby (Green)
Papo Triceratops
Papo Velociraptor v2 (I tell my son it's a Utahraptor)
Safari Ceratosaurus
Safari Diabloceratops
Safari Dilophosaurus
Safari Gryposaurus
Safari Kentrosaurus
Schleich Brachiosaurus
Schleich Giganotosaurus (Papo will have one in 2014 so you might want to wait for that)
Schleich Parasaurolophus
Schleich Quetzalcoatlus
LUKE WARM
Schleich Apatosaurus (Not a lot of great options out there right now. But Papo will be making one in 2014 and Carnegie is rumored to have a new one coming out as well. I'd hold off until then)
Papo Stegosaurus (Would try Collecta Deluxe instead)
NOT RECOMMENDED
Bullyland Ankylosaurus (Poor quality. Would try Carnegie instead)
Bullyland Elasmosaurus (Poor quality. Would try Wild Safari instead)
Papo Pteranodon (Wrong scale & anatomically inaccurate)
One day, at the age of 3, my son decided that he loved dinosaurs. As the weeks went by, his passion for dinosaurs continued to grow to the point where he just couldn't get enough of them. Finally, with Christmas coming around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to ask Santa for a nice set of dinosaur toys. I just needed to figure out which ones to put on the list.
To start off, I found a few good websites dedicated to dinosaur toys:
The Dino Toy Blog tends to have the most informative toy reviews. It does a good job of identifying the pro's and con's of each dinosaur figure. They do about 1 review per week ... I wish it were 1 a day!
One of the first things I learned about modern dinosaur toys is that there is a wide offering of scale models. The most popular scale is 1:40. A 1:40 scale figure means that your toy T-Rex is 1/40th the height of a real T-Rex. When you do the math, it means that a 3 inch tall toy equals a 10 foot tall dino.
I quickly realized that by building a collection of dinosaurs that are all on the same scale, a child could easily see the size difference between two toy dinosaurs and visualize the size difference between the real dinosaurs. For example, I never knew that a Triceratops was almost 3 times heavier than a Styracosaurs. But when I saw my son's toy Triceratops and toy Styracosaurs side by side, the size difference was readily apparent. A small child might not understand weights and measures, but he can hold 2 dinosaurs in his hands. He understands that if Styracosaurus were this big, then Triceratops would be this big!
With this bit of insight, I set out to create a collection of dinosaur toys that were all on the same scale. Since 1:40 scale was the most popular, that's what I decided to use. Looking back, I can definitely say that I made the right decision. As this blog progresses, you'll see why.
In the meantime, I wanted to start things off by giving a quick summary of which dinosaur toys I recommend, which ones I have reservations/regrets about, and which ones I disliked. If you are a parent in need of a "quick start" guide to building a collection, this is for you:
Recommended
Carnegie Amargasaurus
Carnegie Corythosaurus
Carnegie Diplodocus
Carnegie Iguanodon
Carnegie Maiasaura
Carnegie Plateosaurus
Carnegie Saltasaurus
Carnegie Tylosaurus
Collecta Baryonyx Deluxe
Collecta Kosmoceratops
Collecta Neovenator Deluxe
Collecta Therizinosaurus (You might want to wait for the deluxe model, coming in 2014)
Kaiyodo Dimetrodon
Kaiyodo Protoceratops
Marx Struthiomimus
Papo Allosaurus
Papo Ankylosaurus (It's really a Euoplocephalus)
Papo Carnotaurus
Papo Pachycephalosaurus
Papo Pachyrhinosaurus
Papo Styracosaurus
Papo Tyrannosaurus v1
Papo Tyrannosaurus Baby (Green)
Papo Triceratops
Papo Velociraptor v2 (I tell my son it's a Utahraptor)
Safari Ceratosaurus
Safari Diabloceratops
Safari Dilophosaurus
Safari Gryposaurus
Safari Kentrosaurus
Schleich Brachiosaurus
Schleich Giganotosaurus (Papo will have one in 2014 so you might want to wait for that)
Schleich Parasaurolophus
Schleich Quetzalcoatlus
LUKE WARM
Schleich Apatosaurus (Not a lot of great options out there right now. But Papo will be making one in 2014 and Carnegie is rumored to have a new one coming out as well. I'd hold off until then)
Papo Stegosaurus (Would try Collecta Deluxe instead)
NOT RECOMMENDED
Bullyland Ankylosaurus (Poor quality. Would try Carnegie instead)
Bullyland Elasmosaurus (Poor quality. Would try Wild Safari instead)
Papo Pteranodon (Wrong scale & anatomically inaccurate)
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