Dinosaur Play Sets Reviewed

Novel dinosaur play sets are quite difficult to source these days.  There are a number of dinosaur themed play sets available, but one that has proved particularly popular with young dinosaur fans is the dinosaur head which has a screw-lid in the base that once undone reveals a set of twelve prehistoric animal models inside.  There are two dinosaur head play sets available, one featuring a T. rex and the other the head of a plant-eating dinosaur a Triceratops.

Dinosaur Models

Dinosaur Heads with Models

Dinosaur play sets and dinosaur models.

Dinosaur Play Sets

The plastic heads stand about twenty centimetres high and feature a dinosaur roaring, inside there are twelve different prehistoric animal models to discover.  The T. rex head and the Triceratops both feature the same assortment of prehistoric animals.  In the sets we examined, we found that each set of models included a Tyrannosaurus rex and a Triceratops dinosaur model.  The other ten models consisted of two long-necked, sauropod dinosaurs, a Brachiosaurus and a diplodocid dinosaur.  It is rare to find long-necked dinosaurs in a model set, manufacturers seem to shy away from making small models of these types of dinosaurs, but in this set the models are well-crafted and bound to please young dinosaur fans.

As well as the long-necked dinosaurs and the T. rex, Triceratops combination the models inside the heads that we looked at were an Ankylosaurus, Stegosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Pachycephalosaurus, Styracosaurus and a Velociraptor-like dinosaur, perhaps a fearsome Utahraptor.  The other two models in this colourful series were not dinosaurs.  In common with other prehistoric animal model sets, there was a model of a flying reptile, a pterosaur (Pteranodon flying reptile).  This flying reptile model,showed the creature with its wings outstretched and it had an orange head crest painted on it.  Although the standing position of this pterosaur model is not anatomically accurate (pterosaurs could, most likely not stand fully upright ), the model is well made and would be good for creative, imaginative play.

Colourful Dinosaur Models

The last of the twelve models is a bright orange model of a pelycosaur, most probably a Dimetrodon.  As with the pterosaur model it is quite common to see a “dinosaur model set” featuring a mammal-like reptile.  All the models contained within the heads are colourful and skilfully crafted.  This dinosaur head play set would make an ideal gift for a young dinosaur fan from about three years and upwards.  The screw lid that makes up the base of the head even has a little carry handle built in to it, so this play set can be carried around.

Dinosaur Models (Twelve Well-crafted Dinosaur Models)

Dinosaur Models Play Set.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A cleverly designed dinosaur play set, the actual heads themselves may not reflect quite the appearance of the dinosaur they represent.  For example, Triceratops did not have teeth quite as depicted on this model, but the figures inside are great for creative, dinosaur themed play.

To view the Everything Dinosaur range of dinosaur models and toys: Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.