There's nothing quite like Lego to bring out your imagination, whether you're a master-builder looking for a new challenge or a pre-schooler with a love of prehistory.
Here we pick some of the dinosaur-themed Lego sets we love most, along with Lego dinosaur books to drive your imagination.
For more present ideas for the nature lovers in your life, check out our articles on gifts for children, books for children, stocking fillers for £12 and under, and jigsaw puzzles.
Best Lego dinosaur sets for adults and children
T-Rex Breakout
This made-for-display set is aimed at the adult market, with such sets becoming increasingly popular across man Lego themes. The idea is to recreate a scene from a movie – in this case, the iconic scene from the original Jurassic Park movie where the T-Rex breaks out from its enclosure to terrorise Alan Grant, Ian Malcolm, and the children Tim and Lex Murphy, all of whom are included in the set.
This collectible edition boasts an impressive 1,212 pieces and measures 58cm wide, with a number of appealing small details that fans will love. The build is complex but varied, and while the 18+ age range is suggestive of the adult market Lego are targeting, much younger fans will find it perfectly achievable.
Dinosaur Adventure activity book
If the small people in your life can’t get enough of Lego’s Jurassic World theme, this 32-page activity book will go a long way to further fuelling their imagination. It’s packed with comic strips, puzzles and games, and comes with an ACU Trooper LEGO minifigure, complete with a tranquilizer gun to get them zapping.
Lego Creator Mighty Dinosaurs, 3-in-1 T-Rex, Triceratops and Pterodactyl
Can’t make your mind up which set you want? Or simply looking to maximise value for money? Whatever the reason, Lego’s 3-in-1 kits really are the gift that keeps on giving. This set comes with all the pieces and instructions to build a T-Rex, a triceratops and a pterodactyl – although note not all at the same time. Once you’ve made your first model, you can then simply break it up and move onto the next prehistoric giant.
Each model is fully posable, so the T-Rex can hunt, slash out at its prey and devour it between its magnificent rows of teeth. The pterodactyl’s wings can be arranged into the perfect position for soaring through the skies. And the triceratops can move to avoid danger, or to protect itself against predators.
And once you’ve made all these, why not see how many other dinosaurs you can fashion from the same pieces, using your imagination as a guide?
How to Build Lego Dinosaurs book
This fabulous book from Lego and DK will turn you into an expert dinosaur modeller. Boasting ideas for more than 30 models, this is so much more than just a series of instructions. Tips for how to create killer claws, tyrant teeth, spots, spikes and fossils allow you to perfect the creativity so fundamental to playing with Lego, setting you on your way to becoming a Jurassic master-builder!
Duplo T. Rex and Triceratops Dinosaur Breakout
Perfect for pre-schoolers who love prehistory, this Duplo kit is aimed at builders from 2+, and includes 36 pieces. Help Owen rescue the baby triceratops from the escaped T-Rex. Chunky, colourful pieces make this engaging for little ones, and the simple instructions mean they can learn how to build it as they play, which makes it a great toy to make together, and for them to roam free with on their own.
Great details add to the playability of the set – the T-Rex’s jaws move, so toddlers can make it eat, while Owen sits securely on his motorcycle, so your little ones can saddle him up and watch him roll.
T-Rex Dinosaur Fossil Exhibition
Every fancied being curator at your own Jurassic World museum? Now’s your chance, with this delightful set for ages 7+. Budding paleontologists can build the fully posable T-Rex skeleton to create their own fossil exhibition. Also included are minifigures of Owen and Darius, as well as a baby triceratops.
Lego Ideas Dinosaur Fossils
At 910 pieces – the majority of them white – this is a challenging but rewarding build aimed at builders aged 16+. The T-rex, Triceratops and Pteranodon fossils are designed to be displayed, while the informative instruction book includes dinosaur facts to further your understanding of the exhibits you create in your own Jurassic museum.
