Can we talk about dinosaurs

[lmhj]

Hello

I'm desperate for some MN help and ideas for DD who will be 7 in December. All she wants is dinosaurs or fossils.

She has a metal detector, used daily.
She has, in my view, all the toy dinosaurs one would ever need.
Her clothes are all dinosaurs.
We have done many of the days out.

I'm stuck.

She seems to be talking about a real dinosaur, a robot one? I can find nothing of her age that would fit this. All more remote control younger.

Is this the year we go for tech and she can build a Dino world or something? Does such a game exist.

I'm reluctant to give animals as a gift. We do have Rex the lizard and diplo the gecko. So that is sufficient.

She breeds butterflies. Collects rocks. Loves crafting. Marble runs.

I am completely out of ideas. Has anyone any genius ideas for main birthday, Christmas gift.

She's a good kid who doesn't really fit in and I would like to get her something that suits her interests

Amazing dinosaur park in south wales.

Dinosaur Lego display in Tunbridge Wells in Kent

Not read through all the replies so apologies if I'm duplicating.
A rock tumbler
National Geographic Professional Rock Tumbler Kit- Rock Polisher for Kids and Adults, Complete Rock Tumbler Kit with Durable Tumbler, Rocks, Grit, and Our New GemFoam Polisher, A Great STEM Hobby https://amzn.eu/d/inVBvqm

Look at Jurassic Jim for fossils etc.

Dunelm has lots of dinosaur/fossil design bedroom items (in conjunction with the Natural History Museum)
https://www.dunelm.com/product/fossil-forager-100-cotton-duvet-cover-and-pillowcase-set-1000194841

Fossil ornament
https://www.dunelm.com/product/fossil-forager-100-cotton-duvet-cover-and-pillowcase-set-1000194841

We do dinosaurs in Canada. If you have the budget a flight to Calgary and a drive to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller would be epic. You could also go to Dinosaur Provincial Park. And there’s a giant T Rex in Drumheller you can climb up inside.

If there is anything in the gift shop that looks good, I’d be happy to help get it to you.

www.tyrrellmuseumshop.com/collections/toys

Mine was similar. She’s about to graduate a masters in some sort of Dino shit I don’t understand.

go to Mr Woods fossil shop on the grassmarket, Edinburgh. He had pocket money treasures and actual wows.

email professor Stig (assuming he’s not moved on) who curates the Dino stuff at the museum of Scotland. They have a heap of stuff at the warehouse and that’s public access if you ask. They love geeky kids who actually understand the field. It honestly was the thing that made my DD’s interest tangible.

It gets easier, having a born scientist as a kid. They find their feet. You have to learn patience and lots-of-syllable-words while you work out how to keep them happy in an education system that can never GIRFEC.

Mr Woods <taps nose>

@Seriestwo so if I email him he would let her see the warehouse is that what you mean?

Yes, it is publicly owned so you are allowed to visit “back stage”, you just need to ask. It’s free, paid for by taxes as part of their outreach work.

they spoke to DD like she knew what she was talking about (because she did) and showed her all sorts of things she’d not have had the chance to see or touch.

it was really helpful for her in all sorts of ways. It isn’t easy to be cool at school when you are a bit nerdy, but hanging out with academics who understood her passion was, I think, helpful for her confidence. It gave her somewhere to go with her questions.

here’s the director, have fun! Dr dinosaur

@Seriestwo thank you. I have messaged for birthday trip.

Has anyone else felt their love of dinosaurs reignited because of this thread?
I hope she enjoys whatever you get her Op.

Yoto player with dinosaur themed cards?

Your DD isn't wierd! People love dinosaurs because they are fascinating.

This is bringing back memories... its a bit tacky, but we got DD a Wall Sticker that looked like a hole in the wall looked out out over a dinosaur scene, similar to this (but not exactly like that, it was 5 years ago!)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/decalmile-Dinosaur-Through-Stickers-Playroom/dp/B0D2542FBQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?crid=39PLUQ9H2RGOA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.htt_x2e2hRoGhxot7lqLTYLjvi6STus02VD1951F45cP4kS4PjtrFpeG0LiRSSdJj2BvviZVjjZHLzgYoQ0fDiGvNfEgsdRwObP8sTVpAFkotETAjUc85eluGDv6cRkzj9s4JynFSrPAzJOjTvpu-YRAT3S6BQmQSLfIzL4qFSlIsk_5-pgyqRk6YkuBpfMDq1va3NzLXXRoJ376Vyixkg.o2JAOKlB6G_wzK0QxPx1ZpiTPys0ajNcnr4nIguFbbI&dib_tag=se&keywords=dinosaur+wall+sticker&qid=1725184812&sprefix=dinosaur+wall+sticker%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-16

I also got myself a dinosaur tshirt, so she wasn't alone.

Not weird at all
DS was dinosaur mad- had so much dino themed stuff here at one time, including a book with a free piece of coprolite! (I can’t find a link sorry) DS was in 7th heaven! That and a trip to fossil hunt in Dorset. Aww memories.
He still wears his Lost World T-shirt 🦖

As far as I’m concerned anyone who isn’t interested in dinosaurs is the ‘weird’ one!

Based on this thread, I hope you can tell your DD that there are lots of other little girls (and grown up women) just like her who love dinosaurs too, and she fits in just fine with us!

Does she have a favourite dinosaur? I like pachycephalosaurus because it’s such a lovely word to say 😁

(sadly MN doesn’t appear to have a dinosaur emoji)

And when she’s old enough, she can watch Jurassic Park and see Dr Ellie Satler, basdass female paleobotanist, in action 💪

Ooh, @KnitFastDieWarm my favourite one is parasaurolophus because I love saying it. My DS does a fabulous impression of what it could have sounded like. I'm now off to find a cool dino tshirt for myself in Vinted.

Totally not weird, maybe just in a bubble of Barbie-mad girls - DS adores dinosaurs and has done since he was about 3. Lots of his class, boys and girls, love dinosaurs too. DS has now branched out to also loving animals and marine life - we did a trip to Lyme this summer and while he loved the fossils, the highlight was crabbing and finding a blenny.

The Prehistoric Planet Series on Apple TV is great, as is Walking with Dinosaurs and Planet Dinosaur (CGI has aged a bit but DS doesn’t seem to notice). They are a little bit gory but not too bad.

DS actually totally loves the Lego Jurassic World films in Prime. No blood or deaths, lots of visual gags and adorable velociraptor antics. Or you could try Camp Cretaceous - mild peril cartoon version of Jurassic World. Still a bit scary and the character arcs are probably aimed at 8-10 year olds, but DS is a bit of a scaredy cat for jump scares. If your DD is a bit braver she might like it, or she might like it in a year or two.

I've thought of another thing! Dunelm has a collaboration with the natural history museum so there may be some things there she'd like for her bedroom

Dino SoS is a fun co-operative board game where we work together to help dinos escape from exploding volcanoes and is my son’s current top dino board game. Draftosaurus is good fun but I’d only recommend it if she’s fairly confident at maths because there’s a fair bit of mental math in deciding what dinosaur to pick for your park.

Baker Ross often has some dinosaur themed craft kits (we’ve done some dinosaur scratch art, dinosaur stencils and dinosaur sewing kits from them).

We had fun last Christmas with a magic torch book by Emily Hawkins about mythical beasts but they also do a dinosaur one which is probably equally fun. (The story’s not very interesting but it got a lot of play value from watching the very nicely illustrated pictures glow under the “magic amulet”).

We have the dinosaur book! Can confirm it is great (though lots of delays to bedtime while DS “just finds the compsognathus quickly” (it’s never quick).

My DD was absolutely dinosaur mad for the first 6 years or so now branched out more into mythology and history nerding. I think many of my recommendations have been suggested - the Lottie fossil hunting doll was great hit for her and her dino loving friends, the pop up encyclopedia mentioned earlier is both beautiful and also has good level of detail.

Don't know if the dinosaur bingo has been suggested but that was big hit.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinosaur-Bingo-Board-Caroline-Selmes/dp/1786272415/ref=asc_df_1786272415/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17716554246389883062&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046478&hvtargid=pla-2281435178298&psc=1&mcid=6d6d896b077e3d16a3ac7b00018bd1ba&th=1&psc=1&hvocijid=17716554246389883062-1786272415-&hvexpln=74&gad_source=1

As was dino top trumps
www.amazon.co.uk/Top-Trumps-Dinosaurs-Card-Game/dp/B08WWTTB4Z/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=30P6TBKGZIIO2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TrqJQ1TsMkmlB9yueWwqDztQZlOVXB8I03nS9zsZ_S8gEgfkB3xmNULUheiwP9RTdd7YCDNAinwkdpGZzqaESpgo4leyqOAktSxHfMFxbIYUfQ_QIoUjBCAFzaCETe7g1hB7CMPnVhX0_wu2YzhX6Q2il-PAmxjv1O_ZKG7_-n9Xn5hnb9wKTxwulEKGWH0aYnL8NYgWunQQofa5KQzxwA.qIGhmVW488BnM4WHOlZkvH9tgwnesd_maN-9nPu1G94&dib_tag=se&keywords=dinosaur+top+trumps&qid=1725231358&sprefix=dinosaur+top+%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1

There's also Happy Little dinosaurs board game - that's on our list for this Christmas

Do you have a yoto? My daughter adores her (great longevity too) and they do some good dinosaur related cards to listen to (and lots of other science/natural history related ones).

www.thekidcollective.co.uk/yoto-card-ladybird-audio-adventures-dinosaur-times.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwodC2BhAHEiwAE67hJO8eb3tScv0dWBrV5c-EeFHJdqniZ4zX87jOty3op6BmusTTJDvRChoCSFoQAvD_BwE

I love the clever girl Jurassic park t shirt - there's loads of variants - but my DD liked both the dino/JP reference and positive affirmation of it too.

@KnitFastDieWarm - in our family we agree that if people don't automatically have an answer for what is their favourite dinosaur then they are probably not our kind of people 😁

But there are so many! Even Dino Dana couldn’t choose…

This is an acceptable answer 😁the only unacceptable answer is a look of total blank disinterest. Anyone who at least has an OPINION on the subject is my kind of person!

a rule to live by!

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but my mom and dad bought my daughter some unbroken geodes and a hammer for Christmas.
Actually that's not dinosaur or fossils so isn't really what you asked for!