Kid Picks

14 Delightful Dinosaur Movies Your T-Rex Obsessed Kids Will Love

For a roaring good time.

by Deirdre Kaye
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
dinosaur movies
Murray Close/Getty

Got a kiddo with a room full of dinos? You might be sick of stepping on T-Rex, but his existence in the living room is actually good news. According to a recent Indiana University study, kids who hold intense interests or obsessions early in life grow up to be smarter and often more successful adults. Perfect! Plus, admit it: You think it’s fun. You can now nerd out over dinosaurs to your heart’s content, and no one can question it. If they do, you can chalk it up to your kid’s fascination. Ah, one of the many joys of parenting.

Still, you probably don’t go quite as gaga over dinosaurs as your kid does. You can’t exactly press pause on their little dino-fact-spewing mouth, but you can do the next best thing. Whenever you need a little self-care, give in to onscreen time and let your Jurassic Era-enthusiast zone out on one of these dinosaur obsession-based films.

PG Dinosaur Movies

1. The Land Before Time

The Land Before Time is the ultimate dinosaur movie. It’s sweet and adventure-filled and your kid doesn’t have to be a total dino-head to appreciate the story line. It’s also a great way for young kids to learn the foundations of dinosaur names and a kid-friendly version of their history. Plus, there’s ten million sequels.

2. Bob The Builder: Big Dino Dig

Oh, Bob! If your kids crossover of interests happen to be dinos and construction, this will be their jam.

3. The Good Dinosaur

Ever wonder what Earth would be like if dinosaurs never went extinct? The Good Dinosaur takes an emotional and idealistic look at what life might be like if humans and dinos roamed Earth together.

4. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Sid, Diego, Manny and the gang find themselves underground (and with a dinosaur egg, no less) where they soon meet all kinds of new friends and enemies from the Jurassic Era.

5. The Flintstones Movie

When was the last time you caught up with Barney, Fred, Wilma, Betty and, of course, Dino the dino? It’s time your kids met the Rubbles and the Flintstones.

6. Journey To The Center Of The Earth

When a professor and his family get trapped in a cavern, their only way out appears to adventure deeper into the cavern. Along the way, they encounter a plethora of strange and surprising occurrences… including real, live dinosaurs.

7. Dinosaur

When Aladar and his family witness the crash of an asteroid onto their homeland, they set out in search of more habitable land.

8. Prehysteria

When a museum curator’s two kids find themselves in possession of a handful of baby dinosaurs, the entire family is turned upside down. Adventure and classic ’90s silliness ensue.

9. Night At The Museum

When the artifacts on display start coming to life, a wide adventure is in store for a security guard and his young son. Robin Williams as President Roosevelt might be the stand-out performance in the film, but the T-Rex skeleton deserves some love, too.

PG-13 Dinosaur Movies

Ready for something a little more sophisticated and with a lot more drama? These three films will add a little spice to your life. Just keep in mind that people are eaten in Jurassic Park and there’s really no escaping the use of “emergency words” once you hit the PG-13 designation.

10. Jurassic Park

11. Jurassic World

12. Land of the Lost

13. Jurassic World

14. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

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