Dinosaur Cartoons: 24 Best Shows for Kids and Fans

If you’re looking for the best dinosaur shows for toddlers, start here. Dinosaur Train was created by Craig Bartlett (the same guy behind Hey Arnold!) and it’s been running on PBS Kids since 2009.

The show follows Buddy, a young Tyrannosaurus Rex adopted into a Pteranodon family. He and his siblings ride the Dinosaur Train through different periods of the Mesozoic Era, meeting actual paleontology-accurate dinosaur species and learning about their habitats.

It’s the gold standard for educational dinosaur cartoons. Kid-friendly, scientifically researched, and genuinely warm.

The Land Before Time is the dinosaur cartoon. Originally a 1988 Don Bluth film executive-produced by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, it spawned 13 direct-to-video sequels and an animated TV series that ran from 2007 to 2008.

The story follows young dinosaurs Littlefoot (Apatosaurus), Cera (Triceratops), Ducky (Saurolophus), Petrie (Pteranodon), and Spike (Stegosaurus) as they search for the Great Valley. The original film is genuinely heartbreaking in places (the early mother scene wrecks every kid who watches it), and that emotional core is what’s kept the franchise alive for 35+ years.

Camp Cretaceous is the rare modern dinosaur show that genuinely commits to suspense and stakes. It’s set in the Jurassic World universe and follows six teenagers stranded on Isla Nublar when the dinosaurs break free.

The animation is sharp. The voice acting is solid. The dinosaur designs are accurate to the films. And the show isn’t afraid to get genuinely tense, which makes it work for older kids and teens better than most preschool-skewing dinosaur cartoons. It ran for five seasons on Netflix and was followed by a sequel series, Chaos Theory.

Gigantosaurus is one of the most successful modern dinosaur cartoons for the preschool crowd. Based on Jonny Duddle’s 2014 children’s book, the animated series follows four young dinosaur friends (Rocky, Bill, Tiny, and Mazu) as they explore their world and learn about the legendary Gigantosaurus.

The animation is vibrant. The storylines push curiosity, bravery, and teamwork. And the show has done genuinely well internationally, which is rare for newer dinosaur properties.

This one’s a curveball. Dinosaurs was a live-action ABC sitcom about an anthropomorphic dinosaur family (the Sinclairs) living in a modern-style prehistoric world. Earl Sinclair worked at the Wesayso Corporation. The youngest son said “Not the Mama!” The whole show was made with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop puppets and animatronics.

It’s not animated, but it deserves a spot here because of how influential it was on the dinosaur-show ecosystem. Also, the series finale is one of the darkest endings in any family show ever (look it up if you don’t know).

Whether or not you personally loved Barney & Friends as a kid, it’s impossible to talk about purple dinosaurs in entertainment without mentioning it. Barney, Baby Bop, BJ, and Riff dominated PBS for 17 years.

The show was about sharing, caring, and friendship through songs and dances. It got mocked by older kids relentlessly, but it absolutely worked for its target audience (toddlers and preschoolers) and shaped a generation.

Not a TV show, but worth including. Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur (2015) is an alternate-history film where the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs missed Earth, so they evolved alongside humans instead of dying out.

The film follows Arlo, a young Apatosaurus, after he’s separated from his family. He befriends a feral human boy named Spot, and the two of them try to find their way home. The film got mixed reviews but the animation (especially the photo-realistic landscapes) is some of Pixar’s best work.

Dino Ranch is the Canadian-British-American preschool series that combines dinosaurs and cowboy culture. Siblings Jon, Min, and Miguel run a ranch full of dinosaurs in a Wild West setting. Yes, that’s the show. And honestly, the concept works.

It airs on Disney Junior in the US and CBC in Canada, and it’s been one of the breakout preschool hits of the 2020s. Catchy songs, simple lessons about teamwork and animal care, and a genuinely unique aesthetic for the genre.

Denver, the Last Dinosaur is the classic “kids hatch a dinosaur in modern day” cartoon. A group of teenagers discover Denver’s egg, hatch him, and have to keep him hidden while showing him the modern world. He plays guitar. He skateboards. He’s the 1980s incarnate, but a Corythosaurus.

The theme song is one of the most underrated cartoon openings of the era. “He’s my friend and a whole lot more!”

Dino Dan is one of the best educational dinosaur shows ever produced. It’s a Canadian live-action series about a kid named Dan Henderson who’s obsessed with dinosaurs, and his imagination lets him see life-like CGI dinosaurs in his everyday world.

The blend of real-world settings with photorealistic dinosaur CGI was genuinely impressive for its budget. The show taught kids about dinosaur species, behaviors, and habitats while building actual scientific reasoning skills. It later evolved into Dino Dan: Trek’s Adventures.

Dino-Riders was a 1988 cartoon built around a toy line, and the concept is exactly as wild as it sounds. Two factions (the heroic Valorians and the evil Rulons) use advanced technology to tame and ride dinosaurs as battle mounts. T-Rexes with cannons strapped to them. Triceratops with rocket launchers. Pure 80s toy commercial energy.

Only 14 episodes aired, but the show became a cult favorite. The toys are also collectible now and go for serious money on the secondary market.

Based on the comic book series by Robert Kirkman (yes, the Walking Dead guy) and Jason Howard. Super Dinosaur follows Derek Dynamo, a 10-year-old genius, and his best friend, a genetically engineered Tyrannosaurus Rex named Super Dinosaur.

Together they defend the world from villains using SD’s mechanical battle armor and Derek’s tech smarts. It’s basically “boy and his dinosaur” turned into a superhero buddy comedy. Action-packed, charming, and underrated.

Based on Ian Whybrow and Adrian Reynolds’s British children’s book series. Harry has a magical bucket full of toy dinosaurs that come alive and take him to a fantasy world called DinoWorld.

Patsy the Apatosaurus, Sid the Scelidosaurus, Steggy the Stegosaurus, and Trike the Triceratops. The animation was simple, the stories were gentle, and it was perfect for the early-elementary crowd. A cozy classic.

The title alone earns it a spot. Kung Fu Dino Posse is a 2010 action-comedy where revived dinosaurs have somehow mastered martial arts. The Posse (Kane the T-Rex, Lucy the Microraptor, Chao the Stegosaurus, Jet the Triceratops, and Edgar the Pteranodon) defends humanity from the evil Skor.

It’s exactly as goofy as the premise promises. Pure 2010 syndicated-cartoon energy.

Dino Squad is “X-Men, but they turn into dinosaurs.” Five high schoolers get exposed to an experimental substance and gain the ability to transform into dinosaurs. They band together to stop an evil scientist trying to dinosaur-ify all life on Earth.

The animation was rough by 2007 standards, but the concept is endlessly fun. Teen drama plus dinosaur powers is a hook that works.

This Italian animated series follows four friends who find a magical portal to a prehistoric world full of dinosaurs. They also gain the power to transform into dinosaur warriors themselves to fight the sinister DragonFroz.

It’s another transformation-focused show that paired well with toy lines. The animation has a distinctive European style that sets it apart from American kids’ cartoons of the same era.

Dino Babies aired in the mid-90s and centered on six baby dinosaurs (Stanley, Truman, LaBrea, Marshall, Dak, and Franklin) who tell each other classic fables and stories but with dinosaur-themed twists.

It’s the kind of “morals through retold fairy tales” structure that worked for a lot of 90s children’s programming. Wholesome, gentle, and surprisingly clever in spots.

Dinosaur King is the Japanese anime where Max, Rex, and Zoe discover enchanted cards that revive real dinosaurs. They have to stop the Alpha Gang from collecting all the cards and using the dinosaurs for evil. Yes, it’s basically Pokemon but with dinosaurs.

It started as an arcade game in Japan, then became a trading card game, then got the anime adaptation. It’s surprisingly well-loved by people who grew up with it.

Extreme Dinosaurs is peak 1990s. Genetically enhanced dinosaur warriors (T-Bone the T-Rex, Spike the Stegosaurus, Bullzeye the Pteranodon, Stegz the Styracosaurus) battle evil forces while skateboarding, snowboarding, and motorcycling around.

The “extreme” in the title was a guarantee that the show would feature aggressive sunglasses, neon colors, and the word “radical.” Mission accomplished.

Prehistoric Park is a BBC docu-fiction series starring wildlife expert Nigel Marven. The premise: Nigel time-travels to rescue prehistoric creatures from the moments of their extinction and brings them back to a modern-day park.

Not animated, but the CGI dinosaur work was incredible for 2006 (it’s from the same Walking with Dinosaurs team). Educational, dramatic, and unique in tone.

This is a paleontology-focused web series featuring real paleontologist Dr. Gabe Santos. It blends animation, live-action footage, and educational segments to teach kids about real paleontology, including dinosaur anatomy, evolution, and current research.

It’s a great pick if you want educational dinosaur content with actual scientific accuracy from someone who works in the field.

The Adventures of T-Rex follows four anthropomorphic T-Rex secret agents (T-Bone, Spike, Stretch, and C.J.) who fight the evil Dr. Bleeb. Standard early-90s syndicated cartoon stuff, but the action-packed storylines and colorful animation made it memorable.

Diplodo is the French animated series about a hidden valley of dinosaurs who survived extinction. They live their daily lives while battling a tyrannical Tyrannosaurus Rex who wants to dominate the valley.

A great example of late-80s European children’s animation that doesn’t get nearly enough credit internationally.

Mini-Dinos is a Brazilian animated series for the youngest crowd. Small dinosaurs facing small adventures. The show focuses heavily on prehistoric life lessons through age-appropriate stories. Adorable, simple, and educational.