If you’re a Jurassic Park/Jurassic World fan, you may be itching to watch these movies with your family. But unless your kiddos are older, they’re probably not ready for scary dinosaur violence. So, how do you bring younger kids into the world of Jurassic World in an age-appropriate way?
My sons could name anything from a Compsognathus to a Pachycephalosaurus at the age of two, so they’re qualified child dinosaur experts. Here are a few of their favorite kid-friendly dinosaur shows.
LEGO Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit
A miniseries for mini dino fans, LEGO Jurassic World is a direct way to introduce young kids in your life to Jurassic World. Based loosely on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the 22-minute episodes work well for kids' attention spans.
The show swaps Jurassic World’s dinosaur violence with LEGO’s characteristic humor. It’s a way to introduce kiddos to favorite characters like Owen, Claire, and Blue that will have them giggling instead of screaming.
Rated TV-Y7. Available on Paramount+.
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous
Six teenagers look for life-changing adventure at a camp on Isla Nubar, where–you guessed it–the dinosaurs escape and wreak havoc. Camp Cretaceous features some familiar dinosaurs from the Jurassic Park franchise, including the Velociraptor and T. Rex. But it also introduces many new species, along with a whole new cast of characters.
Since the kids are in their teens, you’ll find classic teen drama elements, like family conflict or budding relationships. And the dino interactions are more intense than in the LEGO series. But it’s a great way for curious kids ages eight and up to become familiar with the world of Jurassic World.
Seasons 1-4 are rated TV-Y7. Season 5 is rated TV-PG. Available on Netflix.
Beyond the official Jurassic universe, a whole world of kid-friendly dinosaur programs awaits, catering to every interest from budding paleontologists to fans of high-octane action.
Dino Dan/Dino Dana/Dino Dex
In these three related series, a dino-obsessed kid receives a magical dinosaur field guide that allows them to see dinosaurs in real life. What do they do with this power? They use it to run dinosaur experiments, of course!
The kids present hypotheses about why or how dinosaurs may have behaved in certain situations. They then explore them throughout the episode with the help of their family and friends.
The information is targeted towards older preschoolers and elementary school kids. But there’s minimal conflict and nothing too scary or violent. Even my two-year-old is a fan of this show.
Rated TV-Y7. Available on Amazon Prime.
Dinosaur Train
If you’ve got a preschooler who likes trains and dinosaurs, this is their new favorite show. Dinosaur Train follows a family of Pteranodon kids and their adopted T. Rex brother, Buddy. They ride a literal train, where each stop represents a different dinosaur’s habitat.
Since Dinosaur Train is a PBS show, you can count on it to provide high-quality educational content. In each episode, the Pteranodon kids meet new dinosaur species and learn more about them. It's the perfect show to teach your kid what a hypothesis is. It’s also lots of fun, with colorful animation and friendly characters.
There’s little in the way of conflict and nothing scary, making it a great entry point for younger kids. But the content certainly appeals to big-little kids as well.
Rated TV-Y. Available on PBS Kids.
Gigantosaurus
Far, far away in a great dino land, four dinosaur kids with distinctive personalities solve problems and explore their world.
All the dinosaurs can talk, but for some reason, the biggest dinosaur in the Cretacia, Gigantosaurus, does not. His lack of conversation skills makes him seem mysterious to the kids. They try to figure out more about him as they work through other challenges. Some include how to help others, how to preserve local ecosystems, and how to feel confident in a talent show.
The show balances the personalities of its four main characters. One's brave, one's not-so-brave, one's silly and artistic, and one's scientific. It’s not quite as science-heavy as the other two options, but it’s great for teaching kids about problem-solving and relationships.
Gigantosaurus is a Disney Junior show, so it’s a safe bet for your smallest dinosaur fans. But the antics of the four dino kids are still fun even for elementary schoolers.
Rated TV-Y. Available on Disney+.
Dinotrux
If you’re less looking to inspire a future paleontologist than to give your kids some dino action, you should check out Dinotrux. The dinosaur connection is less factual, but it’s still a lot of fun.
Answering the question, “What if Transformers were also dinosaurs?”, Dinotrux follows a group of dino-truck hybrids. They're helped by their smaller sidekicks, the Reptools. Good dinotrux, led by Ty Rux (a T. Rex/crane), are a mixed band, representing different trucks and species. They come together to build and create. D-Structs, another T. Rex/crane hybrid, leads the villain group, whose primary mission is to destroy.
While this show isn’t educational, it is entertaining and teaches kids about teamwork and problem-solving. I most appreciated that the Allen wrench Reptools have a Swedish accent. Thanks, IKEA.
Rated TV-Y7. Available on Netflix.
There’s a world of programming that can tide your kiddos over until they’re ready to explore Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. By the time they’re ready, they might find themselves excited that they already know what a Gallimimus is. Or, they may just tell you that Velociraptors weren’t actually that big and T. Rex had feathers!
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