It should come as no surprise that the internet is full of cool dinosaur crafts for you to do with your kids. Most kids go through a phase of being obsessed with dinosaurs. And who can blame them? Dinosaurs are pretty cool no matter what your age is.
If you have a child who can’t get enough of dinosaurs (or if you haven’t quite outgrown your own dinosaur phase), check out these dinosaur crafts to fill your next rainy day. Some of them require some help or supervision, while others let you set the materials out and let the kids go crazy.
1. Tissue Box Dinosaur Feet
What toddler doesn’t love stomping around and roaring like a dinosaur? This simple dinosaur craft lets them do it with their very own dinosaur feet. It’s a great rainy day activity to let kids make some noise and get their wiggles out.
To make the dinosaur feet, you’ll need two empty tissue boxes. Just decorate the outside as desired with construction paper. Add whatever elements you want, including claws. Glue the construction paper on and let it dry.
Then let the kids stomp and roar to their hearts’ content. You can even put some music on and have a “dinosaur dance party.”
Materials You Need:
- Two tissue boxes per child
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
2. Salt Dough Dinosaur Fossils
There’s nothing better than a fun dinosaur craft that’s also educational. If your kids have been learning about dinosaur fossils, grab some flour, salt, and water and make your own.
Just mix the salt dough in the ratio detailed below. You can also add food coloring, glitter, sand, or other elements to change the color or texture. Then grab some dinosaur toys and use them to make footprints or other markings.
Let the dough dry in the sun for a few hours to “fossilize” fully.
Materials You Need:
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup salt
- Water
3. Clothespin Dinosaurs
These dinosaurs made out of clothespins and felt are perfect for pretending to roar and chomp. You’ll need to supervise cutting out the dinosaur shapes and gluing them on, especially if you’re using a glue gun. But once they are assembled, your kids can customize them however they want.
Dinosaur crafts like these have another benefit: they provide hours of fun even after they are all put together.
Materials You Need:
- Clothespins
- Paint
- Felt
- Glue
- Paintbrush
- Black marker
4. Dinosaur Pasta Necklace
If you’ve spotted some dinosaur-shaped pasta in the grocery store, make sure to bring some home. This simple dinosaur craft requires almost no effort.
Let your kids paint the dry pasta, then slip it onto a string to create a simple necklace or bracelet. It’s an incredibly easy way to kill an afternoon, all for the price of a box of pasta.
Materials You Need:
- Dinosaur pasta
- String
- Paint and paintbrushes
5. Dinosaur Handprints
Most of us remember making a Thanksgiving turkey handprint back in kindergarten. This version is much more fun since the kids get to get messy with some paint and make their own dinosaur pictures.
Once they’ve made their handprints, let them go to town with decorating, using pieces of construction paper to add horns, scales, claws, and whatever else they want.
Materials You Need:
- Paint
- Paper
- Googly eyes
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
6. Paper Plate Dinosaurs
This fun dinosaur craft is so easy it almost requires no explanation. If you have some paper plates and paint, you have everything you need to create fun custom dinosaurs.
Just paint the paper plates and cut out the shapes you need for your dinosaur. Then glue or staple the pieces together and let the kids customize them however they want.
Materials You Need:
- Paper plates
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Markers
7. Homemade Dinosaur Fossils
This is a fun dinosaur craft that also provides ongoing fun. To make the dinosaur “fossils”, mix some salt dough using flour, salt, water, and oil. Print out a large dinosaur skeleton using any image you prefer — there are many available online.
While the dough is still wet, shape it on top of the printout to make individual “bones”. To dry, lay out in the sun for a few hours. Alternatively, you can bake it in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.
When the dough is dry, bury the “fossils” in a sandbox and invite your kids to dig them up.
Materials You Need:
- Dinosaur skeleton printout
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon oil
8. Dinosaur Eggs
To make these fun “dinosaur eggs” that double as a snack, boil eggs until cooked. Let them cool while you prepare the food coloring.
Pour food coloring into a square of tin foil or a plastic bag — you’ll only need about a teaspoon.
Gently tap the eggs with a spoon to crack the shell. Put the cracked eggs in the bags and roll them around. Let them sit for an hour and roll them around again. Peel them under cool running water.
Materials You Need:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Food coloring
- Tinfoil or plastic bags
9. Dinosaur Sponge Painting
You can make your own dinosaur stamps with just a sponge and some scissors. It is as simple as it sounds. Grab a sponge and cut it in half lengthwise using a serrated bread knife. Then use scissors to cut out dinosaur shapes, using templates if it’s easier for you.
Then break out the paint and let your kids get stamping. This dinosaur craft might be messy, but it’s a great way to fill the afternoon with a fun dinosaur-themed activity.
Materials You Need:
- Sponges
- Paper
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Bread knife
- Other decorations as desired
10. Tissue Paper Dinosaur Scales
This activity lets you make a dinosaur complete with scales for a fun sensory craft. Use scissors to cut a dinosaur shape from the cardboard — you can make any kind of dinosaur you like.
Crumple the tissue paper into “scale” shapes and affix them to the cardboard with glue. Many kids love the texture of the tissue paper scales and the process of gluing each one on.
Materials You Need:
- Cardboard
- Tissue paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Markers
11. Wearable Dinosaur Spikes
When it comes to dinosaur crafts, it literally can’t get any easier than this. Not only is it a craft, but it’s also a fun dress-up activity for your kids.
All you have to do is cut a strip of construction paper that is roughly the size of your child’s head. Tape it into a loop like a headband. Then add construction paper spikes to turn them into a roaring dinosaur.
Materials You Need:
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tape
12. Flying Paper Pterodactyls
You can make these fun flying paper pterodactyls in a couple of different ways. If you feel confident, you can draw them freehand. Otherwise, there is a free printable template for you to download.
Once you have the pterodactyls cut out, all you need to do is string them up and attach them to the dowel. Kids will love using them as “puppets” that fly around the house or yard.
Materials You Need:
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Stick or dowel
- Hole punch
- Tape
- Printout (if desired)
13. Dinosaur Diorama Play
A travel dinosaur diorama is a great way to provide a fun toy for car trips, airplane rides, or other games on the go. There is a lot of opportunity for creativity and making this entirely your own.
Depending on your child’s age, you can help them with some of the materials or just let them jump in on their own. You’ll need different colors of felt to make the bulk of the diorama. Then you can use other materials to add the details, like dinosaur eggs, volcanoes, nests, and other elements.
Materials You Need:
- Suitcase or other container
- Felt
- Scissors
- Glue
- Paint
- Needle and thread
- Foam
- Modeling clay, plastic dinosaurs, and other decorations
14. Cardboard Riding Dinosaur
Few kids can resist this cardboard riding dinosaur. The good news is that it’s super easy to make, which means it might just end up being one of the favorite dinosaur crafts for kids and parents alike.
Materials You Need:
- Cardboard box
- Scissors
- Paint and paintbrushes
15. Egg Carton Dinosaur Hat
This fun dinosaur hat is easy to make out of an old egg carton. All you will have to do is help your child cut it into the right shape. Then they can have fun decorating and customizing it.
Paint and spikes are par for the course, but feel free to let them decorate it with glitter, feathers, or whatever else they want to make it special.
Materials You Need:
- Egg carton
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Cardboard
- Stapler
16. Toilet Paper Roll Dinosaurs
Toilet paper rolls are another crafting material that is easy to access — save up for a week and you’ll have plenty for this simple dinosaur craft. You can also use paper towel rolls or any other cardboard tube you have available.
Materials You Need:
- Toilet paper rolls
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Marker or googly eyes
- Glue if using googly eyes
17. Cupcake Liner Dinosaurs
Have some colorful cupcake liners left over from the last birthday party? Grab them out of the pantry and make them into these fun dinosaurs.
It’s super easy to put the dinosaurs together. Just fold the cupcake liners in half and decorate with crayons, construction paper, and googly eyes. This dinosaur craft is extra popular with parents because it requires little supervision.
Materials You Need:
- Cupcake liners
- Markers or crayons
- Glue
- Construction paper
- Googly eyes
18. Felt Dinosaurs
If your kids are old enough for a basic sewing project, they may enjoy putting together these felt dinosaurs. You probably have dozens of stuffed animals at home, but these are special because they are homemade.
You can use a pattern to make these if you want. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can try doing them freehand. Stuff them with yarn, extra felt, or regular cotton balls.
Materials You Need:
- Felt
- Sewing needle
- Embroidery thread
- Scissors
- Fabric glue
- Buttons or googly eyes
- Cotton
19. Foam Egg Dinosaurs
You can find these foam eggs at most craft stores for cheap. This dinosaur craft is easy and fun for kids who are old enough to use toothpicks. All you have to do is show them what to do and they will quickly get the hang of it.
Assemble the dinosaurs by sticking the foam eggs on the toothpicks. Then let the kids paint and decorate however they want, complete with pipe cleaner arms, legs, horns, and spikes.
Materials You Need:
- Foam eggs
- Paint
- Toothpicks
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Pipe cleaners
20. Dinosaur Lanterns
These dinosaur lanterns are fun to make and perfect as a simple night light for a dinosaur-loving kid. If you prefer, you can use templates to cut out the dinosaur silhouettes. Paint the jars and affix the black vinyl silhouettes to the inside of the jar.
Use battery-operated tea lights to get these cool lanterns glowing.
Materials You Need:
- Glass jars
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Black vinyl
- Dinosaur silhouettes
- Tea lights
21. Popsicle Stick Dinosaurs
A couple of popsicle sticks, construction paper, and paint will give you an adorable custom dinosaur. Kids might need your help assembling the dinosaur shape out of popsicle sticks and gluing them together.
Once the dinosaur’s basic shape is put together, let them have fun decorating the dinosaur and making it their own.
Materials You Need:
- Large popsicle sticks
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Marker
- Paper plate
Conclusion
Dinosaur crafts don’t have to be complicated to keep kids entertained. As long as you have some crafting materials on hand, there are endless ways to provide fun activities for your dinosaur-obsessed little ones.
If you have dinosaur crafts that you love to make with your kids, leave them in the comments!
For other kid-friendly crafts, check out these links:
16 Egg Carton Christmas Crafts That Are Fun For the Entire Family