Dinosaurs for Kids

Meet the Amazing Creatures of the Dinosaur Age

Dinosaurs lived millions of years ago and ruled the Earth for more than 160 million years. Some dinosaurs were as small as chickens, while others were bigger than a school bus. Explore the world of dinosaurs and meet some of the most famous ones below!

Why Kids Love Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs are some of the most amazing animals that ever lived.

They walked the Earth for more than 165 million years, long before humans existed. Some dinosaurs were as small as chickens, while others were larger than a school bus.

Kids love dinosaurs because they are:

• huge
• mysterious
• powerful
• and part of an incredible story about the history of life on Earth.

Let’s explore the world of dinosaurs.

What Is a Dinosaur?

A dinosaur is a type of reptile that lived millions of years ago.

Dinosaurs shared a few important traits:

• They lived on land
• They laid eggs
• Their legs were positioned under their bodies, allowing them to walk and run efficiently

Not every prehistoric animal was a dinosaur. Flying reptiles like pterosaurs and sea reptiles like plesiosaurs lived at the same time, but they were different kinds of animals.

One surprising fact scientists discovered is that birds are actually living dinosaurs. That means when you see a bird today, you’re looking at a distant relative of the dinosaurs.

🦖 Fun Fact
Tyrannosaurus rex lived closer in time to humans than to
Stegosaurus!

When Did Dinosaurs Live?

Dinosaurs lived during a time called the Mesozoic Era, which lasted from about 230 million years ago to 66 million years ago.

Scientists divide the dinosaur age into three periods.

Triassic Period

The first dinosaurs appeared.

These early dinosaurs were small and fast. Many were about the size of dogs.

Jurassic Period

Dinosaurs became much larger.

Huge plant-eating dinosaurs like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed forests, while powerful predators hunted them.

Cretaceous Period

This was the final age of dinosaurs.

Famous dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops lived during this time.

The Cretaceous period ended when a giant asteroid struck Earth about 66 million years ago.

What Did Dinosaurs Eat?

Dinosaurs had many different diets.

Some dinosaurs were plant eaters.

Examples include:

• Triceratops
• Stegosaurus
• Brachiosaurus

These dinosaurs used special teeth to slice leaves, branches, and plants.

Other dinosaurs were meat eaters.

Examples include:

• Tyrannosaurus rex
• Velociraptor
• Allosaurus

These dinosaurs hunted other animals and had sharp teeth and claws.

How Big Were Dinosaurs?

Dinosaurs came in many sizes.

Some were small enough to run through forests quickly.

Others were the largest animals to ever walk on land.

For example:

• Velociraptor was about the size of a turkey.
• Tyrannosaurus rex was as long as a school bus.
• Brachiosaurus was as tall as a four-story building.

The biggest dinosaurs weighed as much as several elephants.

Why Did Dinosaurs Disappear?

About 66 million years ago, a huge asteroid hit Earth.

The impact caused fires, earthquakes, and dust that blocked sunlight around the world.

Plants died, and many animals could no longer find enough food.

Most dinosaurs disappeared during this event.

But one group survived.

Birds are actually living dinosaurs, which means dinosaurs are still part of the world today.

Meet Some Famous Dinosaurs

Kids love learning about different dinosaurs.

Explore some of the most popular ones below:

• Tyrannosaurus rex
• Triceratops
• Stegosaurus
• Velociraptor
• Brachiosaurus
• Spinosaurus

Each dinosaur had its own special features and lived in different parts of the dinosaur age.

(Links to each dinosaur page will go here.)

Why Dinosaurs Are Still Important

Dinosaurs help scientists understand the history of life on Earth.

By studying dinosaur fossils, scientists learn:

• how animals evolved
• how ancient ecosystems worked
• what Earth looked like millions of years ago

Dinosaurs are part of a much bigger story about our planet.

And that story continues today.

Explore More Dinosaurs

Choose a dinosaur to learn more about:

[Tyrannosaurus rex]
[Triceratops]
[Stegosaurus]
[Brachiosaurus]
[Velociraptor]

Fun Facts

Dinosaurs lived on Earth for more than 160 million years.

Humans have only been around for about 300,000 years.

That means dinosaurs ruled Earth far longer than humans have existed.

Dinosaur Explorer

Click a dinosaur to learn more about it!