The best dinosaur toys for kids: Schleich, Jurassic World, LEGO and Playmobil compared

Dinosaurs are the one topic that never seems to leave our house. Our six-year-old’s Christmas list this year has a whole herd on it: Schleich dinosaurs, the big Mattel Jurassic World figures (he named the T. rex, the Ankylosaurus, the Spinosaurus, the Mosasaurus and the Distortus rex), LEGO Jurassic World sets and the Playmobil dinos. Four brands, and each of them makes a completely different kind of toy.

That is the useful way to shop for dinosaur toys: not by species, but by how your child plays. Schleich makes detailed figures without any electronics, made for quiet, imaginative play. Mattel makes loud, motorized action dinosaurs straight from the Jurassic World films. LEGO turns dinosaurs into a build. Playmobil puts them into a story with researchers and vehicles.

Schleich, LEGO and Playmobil are among the brands we buy without much research, because the quality has never let us down. Mattel’s Jurassic World line has earned its place on this list too: we reviewed the Power Devour T. rex and gave it 4.5/5. For the LEGO sets you get our own verdicts from six LEGO Jurassic World reviews. For the rest we stick to the manufacturer’s descriptions and age ratings, and we say so.

Schleich: The figures that last

Schleich dinosaurs are the ones our son plays with most, and the ones we love most as parents. They are incredibly detailed, and they are also relatively large and heavy, which is exactly what makes them work outdoors. Ours come along on almost every outing: in the sand, at the beach, in the water, or simply on the way somewhere. A figure without batteries or buttons does whatever the child imagines, and a solid Schleich dinosaur takes that kind of life without complaint.

Most Schleich dinosaurs are rated 4+, and the line is large enough that a collection can grow one figure per birthday. It is also the brand that covers the species our son keeps naming. His three highlights are the Brachiosaurus, the Mosasaurus and the Tyrannosaurus rex, but the others get plenty of playtime too.

1. Schleich 4-piece Red Dinosaur Set (77726): The best starter herd

If you buy one Schleich gift, make it a set. The Schleich 4-piece Red Dinosaur Set (77726) contains a T. rex, an Allosaurus, a Ceratosaurus and a Majungasaurus, all with movable jaws. That is four predators in one box, and four is the number where play turns into stories: a pack, a rival, a hunt.

The movable jaws matter more than they sound. A dinosaur that can open its mouth can bite, roar and carry things, and for a child that doubles what the figure can do. Schleich rates this set for ages 3+.

2. The single figures: T. rex, Spinosaurus, Ankylosaurus and Mosasaurus

If your child already has a few dinosaurs, single figures are the better buy, and they make good stocking stuffers. The Schleich Red and Blue Tyrannosaurus Rex (72155) is the large T. rex with a movable jaw. The Schleich Spinosaurus (15049) brings the famous sail back, and the Ankylosaurus (15023) the armored body and clubbed tail.

The Schleich Mosasaurus (15026) is one of our son’s favorites, and for Jurassic World fans it is the sea reptile from the films as a realistic blue figure. The Schleich Brachiosaurus (14581), his other long-time favorite, is the gentle giant of any collection. It is also a good bridge to the ocean animals, which Schleich makes in the same style. Our guide to ocean animal toys and toy ships covers those.

3. Diplodocus, Brontosaurus and Plesiosaurus: The rest of his Schleich list

A walk through the toy stores turned “more Schleich dinosaurs” into three exact names. The Schleich Diplodocus (15047) and the Schleich Brontosaurus (15051) are two more long-necks for a child whose favorite is already the Brachiosaurus, and together they make a herd rather than a single giant. All three are rated 4+.

The Schleich Plesiosaurus (15016) is the long-necked marine reptile, and a small figure. Next to the Mosasaurus it gives the sea its second hunter, and it is the obvious stocking stuffer for a child who wants both dinosaurs and the ocean.

4. Papo Brachiosaurus: The other long-neck

Papo is a French figure maker in the same realistic, hand-painted style as Schleich, and our son wants its Brachiosaurus too. The Papo Brachiosaurus is one of the largest figures in the Papo range: Papo gives the size as 36 x 9 x 31 cm, with the neck upright. It is rated 3+.

5. Schleich Volcano Expedition Base Camp (42564): Our favorite

If we could recommend only one dinosaur playset, it would be the Schleich volcano. The Schleich Volcano Expedition Base Camp (42564) is a brilliant product: the volcano erupts with light and sound and launches its boulders, and that eruption simply never gets old in our house. Schleich lists 60 pieces, including an LED volcano, a T. rex, an Ankylosaurus, two researchers, a base camp, a stone slide trap and a dart launcher. It is rated 4+.

What makes it work is that it gives the figures a story: an eruption to run from, researchers to rescue, and a new round as soon as the boulders are back in the crater.

If the collection needs a second home, the Schleich Large Dino Research Station (41462) is the other big playset: Schleich lists 72 pieces, including a research base, two movable dinosaurs, a researcher, a dart shooter, cages, a crane and a lookout.

Mattel Jurassic World: The action dinosaurs from the movies

Mattel holds the Jurassic World toy license, and its dinosaurs are the opposite of Schleich: big, loud and built around one action feature each. They roar, chomp, head-butt or swallow their prey. Most are rated 4+, and many have a code that unlocks the free Jurassic World Play app, which is optional.

We reviewed the Mattel Jurassic World Rebirth Power Devour T. rex and gave it 4.5/5: our Power Devour T. rex review liked the constant chomp and the roaring, and found it clearly built for play. When we asked which Mattel T. rex he wants, the Power Devour was his answer. That exact model is not available on Amazon in the US at the moment, so here are the current alternatives from our son’s list.

6. Muscle Madness Tyrannosaurus Rex: The big T. rex

The Mattel Jurassic World Muscle Madness Tyrannosaurus Rex is the current large T. rex. Mattel describes a 21.5-inch figure whose neck, shoulder and upper back muscles expand at the press of a button, combined with a chomp and roar. A second button extends the spikes along the tail.

It is a centerpiece toy, not a figure for the pocket. For a Jurassic World fan of five or six, a T. rex of this size is the gift that gets unwrapped first and played with longest.

7. Wild Roar Ankylosaurus: The head-butt

The Mattel Jurassic World Rebirth Wild Roar Ankylosaurus is 9.6 inches long with movable joints. Moving the tail up and down triggers a head-butt attack with a roar, and twisting the tail changes the direction. It is a mid-size figure, which makes it a good second dinosaur next to a big T. rex.

8. Bite N Blast Mosasaurus: The sea monster

The Mattel Jurassic World Rebirth Bite N Blast Mosasaurus is our pick for the most fun Mattel dinosaur on the list. The Mosasaurus is 25.7 inches long with articulated fins and tail. Press the button and its wide jaw opens to swallow the included mini Dilophosaurus; press again and it blasts the prey back out.

That one feature is the whole game, and it is exactly the kind of game a six-year-old repeats a hundred times. This one is already in our house, and it gets played with very often: swallow, blast, and again. The Mosasaurus is also the dinosaur that connects the dino fans with the ocean fans.

9. The Spinosaurus and the Distortus rex

Two names on our son’s list are harder to find. Mattel’s Jurassic World Rebirth Spinosaurus is mainly sold in a story pack with human figures, which was listed as not yet in stock when we checked. If you want a Spinosaurus now, the Schleich Spinosaurus above and the LEGO Spinosaurus sets below are the reliable options.

The Distortus rex is the mutant from Jurassic World Rebirth. A large stand-alone Distortus rex figure was not available on Amazon in the US when we checked. What is available is the Mattel Jurassic World Distortus Rex Lab Sensory Playset: a fold-up lab case with eight mini figures, a clay mold to press two more Distortus rex figures, and spinning and popping fidget features.

It is a smaller, calmer toy than the big figures, and a good one for car rides. If your child loves the Rebirth film, it is the Distortus rex you can actually get. Parents who want to check the film first will find our Jurassic World Rebirth review and the age advice in is Jurassic Park OK for kids useful.

10. Wild Roar Stomatosuchus: The newest name on the list

This one comes from Mattel’s Wild Roar line. The Mattel Jurassic World Wild Roar Stomatosuchus is 14.5 inches long with movable joints. One button triggers roars, an upward chomp attack and green light effects, and a code on the foot unlocks the optional Jurassic World Play app. Mattel rates it 4+.

Two more Mattel names from the toy store did not make it into this guide. The Wild Roar Brachauchenius was out of stock on Amazon in the US when we checked, and the Carnotaurus we could not match to a current Mattel figure there.

LEGO Jurassic World: Dinosaurs you build

LEGO Jurassic World is the brand we know best, because we have reviewed six sets from the line. LEGO dinosaurs are fun to build and genuinely good to play with afterwards, which is not true of every licensed LEGO theme. The dinosaurs are big molded figures in the play sets and brick-built in the larger models, and every set comes with vehicles, minifigures and a story. For a child who likes to build, this is the most lasting option. Our son would like every set in this section, and the one he wants most is the LEGO Jurassic World Mosasaurus Dinosaur Boat Attack (77983), a molded Mosasaurus that attacks a boat, rated 7+. Our LEGO Jurassic World hub has every review.

11. T. rex River Escape (76975): Our favorite play set

The LEGO Jurassic World T. rex River Escape (76975) is the best play set in the line, in our view: a boat, a river and a hunting T. rex in one box. That is a complete story, and it plays on the floor again and again. We rated it 4.5/5 in our T. rex River Escape review.

12. Raptor Off-Road Escape (76972): The one for six-year-olds

The LEGO Jurassic World Raptor Off-Road Escape (76972) is rated 6+ and is the affordable entry: a Velociraptor chases an off-road 4x4 with minifigures. It is not a showpiece, but it is pocket-money action that a six-year-old can build alone. Our Raptor Off-Road Escape review gave it 4/5.

13. Baby Bumpy (76962): A dinosaur to build together

Baby Bumpy, the Ankylosaurus from Camp Cretaceous and Chaos Theory, is a posable brick-built figure rated 7+. Our son built it with a parent before he was seven: he handed over bags and pointed at bricks, the parent did more of the snapping, and the moment Bumpy could walk across the table he wanted to play. That is how a 7+ set works for a younger child. We rated it 4.5/5 in our Baby Bumpy review.

14. For older kids and for dad: Spinosaurus and the T. rex fossil

For dino fans of nine and up, the LEGO Jurassic World Spinosaurus Dinosaur Escape (77982) has 820 pieces and the Spinosaurus that Schleich and Mattel fans know. For a bigger budget, the Spinosaurus & Quetzalcoatlus Air Mission (76976) is on our son’s list, and it was a 4.5/5 in our Air Mission review. LEGO lists 984 pieces, a Spinosaurus with movable limbs and a Quetzalcoatlus.

And the dinosaur gift for the adult in the house: the LEGO Jurassic World T. rex Fossil Skeleton (76968), rated 18+. It is a full mounted skeleton, the showpiece of the line, and a 5/5 in our T. rex Fossil Skeleton review.

Playmobil Dinos: Stories with researchers and vehicles

Playmobil is not the brand our son asks for most, but the dinosaur sets are the exception. Playmobil’s strength is the story around the animal: researchers, vehicles, cameras and camps. The dinosaurs are sized to the Playmobil figures, and the Dinos sets are rated 4+. Playmobil says the Dino World sets are made from over 80 percent recycled and bio-based materials, and each comes with a knowledge card with dinosaur facts.

15. Research Camp with Dinos: The best Playmobil set

The Playmobil Research Camp with Dinos is the most complete set: two researchers, a Stegosaurus, a Deinonychus and an off-road vehicle, plus a microscope, a laptop, walkie-talkies and a camera. Playmobil lists 93 pieces.

16. T-Rex Hunt (71524) and Dinosaur Hideout (72069)

The Playmobil Dinos T-Rex Hunt (71524) is the T. rex set: a researcher follows bone fragments and a giant footprint on a motorcycle with sidecar, until the T. rex appears. It has 46 pieces. The smaller Dinosaur Hideout (72069) has an explorer with a pull-back quad bike, a baby T. rex and a baby Brachiosaurus in a tree stump, which suits the younger end of the 4+ range.

Which brand for which child?

The quickest way to decide is to watch how your child plays now.

Your child…	Buy	Why
plays quietly with figures, builds worlds	Schleich	Detailed, durable, no electronics, grows one figure at a time
loves the Jurassic World films and noise	Mattel	Movie dinosaurs with roars and attack features
likes to build	LEGO Jurassic World	A build plus a play set, and the sets connect
tells stories with people and vehicles	Playmobil Dinos	Researchers, cars and camps around the dinosaurs

Many children are more than one of these, and the brands mix happily on a living room floor. Just don’t expect matching sizes: a Mattel T. rex dwarfs a Schleich one, and a Playmobil dinosaur is sized for Playmobil people. Kids rarely care. Adults building a display do.

Ages: what fits a four-, six- and nine-year-old

Schleich, Mattel and Playmobil dinosaurs are rated 4+ almost across the board, so for those brands the question is size and noise rather than age. LEGO is where age matters. At six, stay with sets rated 6+ for solo builds, such as the Raptor Off-Road Escape. Sets rated 7+ like Baby Bumpy work as a build with a parent. From nine, the bigger escape sets are a real solo project.

If your child is younger than four, look at the toddler-friendly dinosaur toys in our PAW Patrol Dino Movie toy guide instead. For a child who wants to build dinosaurs but not from a movie, the LEGO Creator 3-in-1 sets in our Creator gift guide are the alternative.

Before you wrap it

A huge action T. rex is spectacular, but a dinosaur alone has nobody to chase. One big figure with one or two smaller ones makes a better gift than the giant on its own, and it is how dinosaur play actually works in our house.

Think about where the dinosaurs will be played with, too. If the answer is the garden, the beach or the car, Schleich figures are the ones that come along. The electronic Mattel figures and the LEGO sets are happier indoors.

And check the batteries for anything with light or sound. Most Mattel action dinosaurs need them, and Christmas morning is a bad moment to find out.

What is the best dinosaur toy for a 6-year-old?

It depends on how the child plays. For quiet figure play, a Schleich set like the 4-piece Red Dinosaur Set (77726). For loud battles, a Mattel Jurassic World action dino. For building, the LEGO T. rex River Escape (76975) or the Raptor Off-Road Escape (76972), which is rated 6+.

Are Schleich dinosaurs worth the money?

We think so. Schleich is one of the brands we buy without much research, because the quality has never let us down. The figures are solid, hand-painted and have no batteries or electronics that can break, so they last for years and get handed down.

Do Schleich, Mattel and Playmobil dinosaurs fit together?

They mix fine for play, but not in scale. Mattel’s large Jurassic World dinos are much bigger than Schleich figures, and Playmobil dinos are sized to Playmobil figures. Kids rarely mind; it only matters if you want a consistent display.

Is there a Distortus rex toy?

Mattel makes Jurassic World Rebirth toys around the Distortus rex. On Amazon in the US we found the Distortus Rex Lab Sensory Playset, a fold-up case with eight mini figures and a clay mold. A large stand-alone Distortus rex figure was not available there when we checked.

Which LEGO Jurassic World set is best for a young child?

The Raptor Off-Road Escape (76972) is rated 6+ and is the affordable entry, 4/5 in our review. The T. rex River Escape (76975) is our favorite play set in the line at 4.5/5. Baby Bumpy (76962) is rated 7+ and works as a build-together project for younger kids.