Dino gift for four-year-old?

[LuckyMommaToo]

DS is invited to a preschool classmate's dinosaur-themed party. We don't know him particularly well, so I thought I'd get something to go with the theme. Any ideas for under $15?
thanks,
Erin

[ChocolateNummies]

My 5.5 yo has had this for a while but she still plays with it. She got it as a gift so I don't know what store it came from. I just googled "dinosaur magnetic create a scene" and got this. Scroll down there's a dinosaur one in two different sizes.

http://superdairyboy.com/Toys/magnetic_playsets.html

Perhaps a local store carries them if you don't have time to order online. They're made by Smethport Toys.

I also found these while searching to see if Target carries the above and they look pretty cool.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...sin=B000EZT8G8

Other than that I think books are always a good idea. Maybe some early reader type books the child could grow into reading on his own.

[hubris]

How about a puzzle? Melissa & Doug and Ravensburger both make really nice children's puzzles that are under $15, and I know both make dino puzzles.

[ColwynsMommy]

We're in the midst of a long dinosaur obsession in our house. Here are some ideas:

Target has a plastic dinosaur mold set that you can use in the sandbox (we don't have this, can't vouch for it)

Target also has a dinosaur egg with little tools.. you scrape away the egg to "excavate" the dinosaur inside. This makes a big mess, but is fun. It's usually on that endcap that has a bunch of cheap toys in bins.

AC Moore also has several similar dinosaur excavation type stuff.

Imagiplay has a bunch of fun dinosaur puzzles, if you have time to order. http://imagiplay.com/productswoodenpuzzles.php

Dinosaur books we like are:
Captain Flynn and the Dinosaur Pirates by Giles Andreae
Dinosaurs Galore by Giles Andreae
I Dreamt I was a Dinosaur by Stella Blackstone
Let's Read and Find Out series has several about dinosaurs..
Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
Edwina the Dinosaur by Mo Willems
How Do Dinosaurs Go to Sleep (et al) by Jane Yolen
Can I Have a Stegosaurus, Mom? by Lois Grambling

That's all I can think of right now..

[makbear]

My son just went through a dinosaur phase and for his birthday he got a couple of really cool pop-up dino books, that are really educational and we've spent hours reading and exploring them...
I'll see if I can give you a couple of links, although I think all of them were purchased at Borders...
http://www.amazon.com/Pop-Up-Dinosau...746660-1915846
http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-P...5465806&sr=1-1

He also got a really cool book that allows you to see inside a t-rex (bones, muscles, organs) but there is potential for easy breaking and choking hazards for younger children. I think the age reccomendation is 8 and up, but my 4yo has loved it http://www.amazon.com/Uncover-T-Rex-...5466035&sr=1-1

Hope this helps!

[almama]

Dinosaur Rock! http://www.amazon.com/Dinorock-Dinos...5495156&sr=8-1

(I bet you can get it lower than this price . . .)

Anything by this gang is great.

We also have Dreamosaurus and The Great Dinosaur Mystery. They were HUGE hits at age 4, and have come back again and again to be enjoyed.

[zaftigmama]

My kids got this last year http://www.amazon.com/My-Little-Sand.../dp/B0000A9XZ3 and love it! It's a tabletop sandbox toy, and it comes with dinosaur stuff to uncover. They love to play with it.

I know the friend that got it for them bought it at a local toy store.

Good luck!

[Embee]

Dinsoaur Dream by Dennis Nolan is a beautiful book, story and illustrations.

Also, for fun, Dinosaur Bob and the family Lazardo is a fun story with great illustrations.

My son has been dinosaur obsessed since about 3 1/2. He's 6 1/2 now and still going strong with it, although it ebbs and flows a little more now.

The best,
Em

[MOM2ANSLEY]

a beach towel or bathroom towel set or pillowcase with dino's
a tote bag with a dino and his name embroidered or painted on it...you could do it yourself
a dino sports bottle
a dino puzzle

[hubris]

Ohhh, I just thought of another one. My in-laws gave my son a dino kit. It came with:

- glow in the dark T-Rex skeleton that we could put together
- block of hard but sandy material containing stegasaurus bones for us to excavate and assemble
- small chisel and brush tools for the excavation
- safety goggles
- one of those little rubbery dinos (pterodactyl) that expanded in water

It was a HUGE hit, especially the excavation part. We talked a ton about archaeologists and paleontologists and what they do, and what techniques they use while digging up bones.

Aha, here's the kit on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Exp.../dp/B000ESZQSE
But searching for "dinosaur kit" shows others, not sure how they compare.