If your family includes kids then chances are they love to watch cartoons and animated movies. Kids can watch the same movie over and over again and it always seems like a first time. With every view they learn something from the movies and like to predict what may happen next. In this article you will find a list of the best dinosaur movies for kids. And do not forget to join your children because you will like these movies as well and it always makes for a great special family night.
10 Best Dinosaurs Movies
Dinosaur Train: Adventure Island
My kids loved the Dinosaur Train PBS series so naturally, the Dinosaur Train movie was a hit too! The Pteranodon family takes the Dinosaur Train to Adventure Island, a new theme park on a volcanic island. It is fun adventure to Buddy and his siblings reunite with their parents.
Prehistoric Park
It is one of the realistic movies about dinosaurs. It tells the story of young naturalist Nigel Marven who is responsible of dinosaurs’ protection from extinction. He brings them through a time tunnel and they appear in Prehistoric Park. The movie has some scary moments but the kids should be alright with them. Prehistoric Park has lots of positive reviews and many families around the world admire this movie.
The Land Before Time
There are more than 10 Land before time movies. All of them are very colorful and musical. Your kids will really enjoy singing along all these great songs. The land before time has become a classic movie for children. Meet Littlefoot the Apatosaurus and his friends and join their journey to find a safe place in the great valley.
Dinosaur
This Disney film is great for kids of 6-11 years old. The older your pre-schooler grows the more he gets from watching this movie. An orphaned dinosaur has been raised by lemurs and now they are heading to a sanctuary after the meteorite shower destroyed dinosaur’s home. It is a story of great friendship and bravery. The computer animated feature film makes for a fun watching experience.
Dinotopia
Story about the dinosaur named Kex; he lives in the world where humans and dinosaurs exist side to side. Kex has many friends and their build an imaginary world together which is filled with many details. Kids really love magic and their fantasy world is incredible. Let young children enjoy this movie and develop their imagination.
We’re back!
We’re back! A dinosaur’s story. This animated film has a modern theme. The main character Captain New Eyes uses a time machine and travels back to prehistoric times. He finds dinosaurs and feeds them his own Brain Grain cereal and it makes the dinosaurs smart and intelligent. The good news is that the dinosaurs agree to travel to the Future era (modern world) and make all the wishes of kinds in the New York City come true. Young kids will love this one!
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
This movie is perfect for children and their parents. Great jokes will keep adults laughing and amazing storyline with different characters will entertain your kids. Manny and Ellie the Mammoths are ready to welcome their first baby and Sid the Sloth is a little bit jealous and decides to adopt 3 baby T-Rex, and from that moment the adventure begins.
Walking With Dinosaurs
The new dinosaur movie is about to come. Show your kids Walking with dinosaurs trailer and they will definitely want to watch the whole version in cinema theatre. The plot shows a story of Patchi, Scowler and Juniper, three baby Pachyrhinosaurus, about their life during the Late Cretaceous period. It tells how they grow up, get in funny situations and how the most little and clumsy dinosaur becomes a hero and protects his herd from great danger.
The Good Dinosaur
This 2015 American computer-animated drama film was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures so you know it is the perfect dinosaur movie for kids. A dino and a Neanderthal boy embark on an epic adventure to reunite a young dinosaur with his family. You can see the trailer for this Pixar film here.
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. This live action film may be inappropriate for younger children but it is an iconic family film centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of cloned dinosaurs. It is quite interesting to learn about dinosaurs, cloning science, and morality all in an action packed film. The amazing special effects bring the amusement park dinosaurs to life. Older kids will love this action packed adventure movie. See commonsensemedia.org for details but I would say 12+ is a good age for this dinosaur movie for kids.
Tip: If you’d like to see this dinosaur movie on the big screen, check out AMC Private Theatre Rentals. It is the perfect birthday party adventure for dinosaur fans. I just discovered this option and old movie screenings are surprisingly affordable.
Jurassic World
Set 22 years after the events in the Jurassic Park movie, Jurassic World came out in 2015 was among the highest-grossing films of all time. The sequel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, was released in 2018. A third film, Jurassic World: Dominion, is planned for release in June 2022. The official website for Jurassic World contains video games, movie information, and fun facts for dinosaur lovers. This series of science fiction action films is so much fun for the whole family as long as you have older kids. It has big name stars like Chris Pratt but it is PG-13.
A Few More Dinosaur Films To Consider:
- Dinosaur City (1992) PG
- Prehysteria! (1993)
- Theodore Rex with Whoopi Goldberg(1995) PG
- Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) PG
- Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell (2009) Sci-fi/Comedy
- The Dinosaur Project (2012) PG-13
- National Geographic dinosaur videos
Conclusion
Dinosaur movies can be incredibly beneficial for kids, as they combine entertainment with education, sparking curiosity about prehistoric life. These films often introduce basic concepts of science, such as evolution, geology, and paleontology, in an engaging and visually stimulating way. They help develop a sense of wonder and imagination while promoting creative storytelling skills. Dinosaur-themed movies also encourage critical thinking as kids distinguish between fiction and reality, and they often carry valuable moral lessons about teamwork, courage, and environmental conservation. Additionally, watching such movies can strengthen family bonds when enjoyed together.
When my daughter was 5, she loved all things dinosaur. She wanted to be a paleontologist and study dinosaur bones and find fossilized dinosaur eggs. Such an adorable stage while it lasted! Do you have a dinosaur-obsessed kid? These great dinosaur movies for kids are sure to entertain the whole family and probably teach your kids something about dinosaurs. What are your favorite dinosaur movies for kids?
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Christy Garrett @ Uplifting Families says
I love the Jurassic Park series too. Of course it might be a bit scary for younger kids. I recommend Dinosaur Train for the younger bunch.