Dinosaurs are loved by most kids I know, even girls. It’s no surprise that my toddler Kayden, also has an acquired love for these creatures.  The Fingerlings Untamed Baby Velociraptor, Stealth, from Prima Toys, is the most recent to his dinosaur collection.  It has also inspired me to learn more about toddler benefits of playing with dinosaurs, which I’d like to share with you as well.

You may have read my previous post recently, about Kayden being in hospital…during the few days that we spent there, Kayden had Stealth hanging onto his hospital bed rail as his companion, whilst he was asleep, and he played with him when he was awake.  It was the perfect toy to cheer up a little boy who was bound to his hospital bed.

As fierce as these newborn creatures appear, together with over 40 sounds and animations, they can switch from tamed to untamed mode.  They can roar, hiss, chomp, nuzzle, purr and love to be near you. This interactive dino reacts to touch, motion and sound and are great as companions indoors or outdoors.

The Fingerling Untamed collection comes in four assortments:

• Blaze
• Stealth
• Fury
• Razor

There are sensors on the front and on the back of the head. The head turns from side to side. The jaws open and close. Their eyes also open.  Turn it upside down by its tail and observe the different reaction! Depending on where and how you touch the dinosaur, it will evoke a different reaction, from friendly purring to more fierce growl type noises. It also farts!

I find this toy extremely responsive and it’s great to watch Kayden discover it do new things.  Once you unbox it, you can use it immediately by the turn of a switch as it comes with batteries. I often find Kayden “talking” to his dinosaur and I am a firm believer of pretend play, so it’s great to “evesdrop” and sometimes join in on their dialogue.

This is certainly a stocking filler that most boys and girls will love. I’m so glad that Fingerlings thought about including these in their collection, whereas the previous seemed more for girls and no, I am not saying that dinosaurs are for boys only. I love that it’s not gender specific. Visit the Prima Toys website to see where you can purchase a Fingerlings Untamed Baby Velociraptor from.

Toddler benefits of playing with Dinosaurs – for parents too

I must admit, Kayden’s interest in dinosaurs has taught me a thing or two. I should probably be embarrassed to even mention this…but I will anyway…my two years and four-month-old son showed me which of his dinosaurs is a pterodactyl! In reality though, was a pterodactyl a dinosaur? Kayden is certainly not at an age to get into that discussion.

As a child, I never played with Dinosaurs, so it’s no surprise that my toddler, through the questions he asks about them, is learning and knows more about Dinosaurs than mummy dearest knows.

Some kids have what scientists refer to as an “intense interest” and this is great for the development of cognitive skills. An intense interest towards dinosaurs or any other interest, is a good thing, as it’s linked to children having better attention spans and increased information processing skills.

Dinosaurs are powerful learning tools. Seeing that no one really knows what colour dinosaurs were, they are left to the imagination of a child. From sensory play to imaginative play, there are a variety of ways a child can learn by playing with dinosaurs, so do foster his/her enthusiasm and visit the library, museum and dinosaur exhibitions.

Speaking of libraries, I almost forgot to share with you this gorgeous Dinosaur Block which is so educational for your child and the parent who needs some knowledge on dinosaurs – at the very least, to be able to identify them.

There are examples of other animals/objects for each dinosaur to help your child remember what they are called more easily.  The book is colourful and enjoyable.  It also indicates how to pronounce the name of each dinosaur.

I love the quality and texture of the book. It’s perfectly designed with a toddler in mind! Another great stocking filler that will undoubtedly be used and treasured. You can get them from Keedo stores nationwide.

                                              

Do your kids enjoy playing with dinosaurs? I’d love to know more, let me know in the comments below.

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