I remember as a little girl of about age five, in the late 1970s, going through a phase of being absolutely obsessed with dinosaurs. My own daughter was also somewhat obsessed at that age, as were most of her friends. So what’s with this fascination young kids have with dinosaurs? Why are dinosaur toys in Australia such a big and reliable seller? In short – why the Dinomania?

Dinosaurs are an intriguing part of history. For young kids who can barely imagine the world at a time before they were in it, to imagine a far distant past with giant lizards that roamed a lush, volcano-filled world sets their imaginations on fire. Some of these giants were fierce carnivores; some were gentle – but all were the stuff of fairytales.

But unlike dragons (another childhood obsession for many), dinosaurs are truly tangible: they are proven to have existed, we can see dinosaur bones and even full skeletons in museums all over Australia and the world. There is evidence of dinosaurs having lived in every corner of the Earth. It is mind boggling to think these miraculous creatures walked on the same Earth that we do. They were monsters – but monsters that were real.

As such, dinosaurs are often the first thing that triggers a child’s interest in history and science. Dinosaurs are scary, they have cool names that kids feel great to be able to learn, and they are safely confined to a world that has been gone for many millions of years. There are “good guys” and “bad guys” in the dinosaur world. Unlike all the frightening mythical or legendary monsters kids become obsessed with (zombies, vampires, werewolves, dragons, ghosts), dinosaurs are unarguably real.

Additionally, dinosaurs leave behind skeletons – and skeletons are cool. It’s a great way to introduce the concept that we all have a skeleton, but in a way that is interesting rather than frightening.

Dinosaur toys, in Australia at least, are amongst the most popular toys for infant’s school age children. Both boys and girls absolutely love dinosaurs, and the fascination is not limited just to dinosaur toys. Books, movies, colouring books – kids can’t get enough. And the fascination usually lasts between six months and three years. For some, it lasts for life and motivates future study and career choices.

Foster your child’s love of dinosaurs with dinosaur toys from New Dimension Oz. We have everything from rubber toys to wooden skeletons and dig-out dinosaur eggs. Browse our full range today!