There’s something endlessly fascinating for both kids and adults about dinosaurs, those larger than life creatures that existed millions of years before humans. The best dinosaur movies for kids combine fun, excitement, and adventure with some educational moments, making them perfect viewing for the whole family. From animated classics like The Land Before Time to live-action adventures like Journey to the Centre of the World, there’s something to spark any kid’s imagination on this list. Check out our selection of 10 of the best dinosaur movies for kids, and see all of the available streaming options for each.
The Land Before Time (1988)
One of the most beloved children’s classics about dinosaurs is Don Bluth’s The Land Before Time. While some might remember The Land Before Time for its traumatic beginning, there’s no doubt that it is one of the most beautiful tales of adventure and friendship out there. The film follows the story of Littlefoot, a young “long neck” dinosaur who sets out on a journey with his friend Cera to find the Great Valley, a place where they can be safe and free. Along the way, Littlefoot and Cera face many challenges, including encounters with the terrifying Sharptooth, but also find new friends along the way. What started as a standalone animation film turned into a franchise, and The Land Before Time now has over 10 direct-to-video sequels as well as a 26-episode Land Before Time TV series.
Dinosaur (2000)
Disney’s Dinosaur might have a slightly outdated animation style, but don’t let that stop you! The unusual story follows a young Iguanodon named Aladar who is raised by a family of lemurs. When a meteorite lands near their idyllic island home, they are forced to flee to the mainland in search of safety. Once there, they team up with a group of dinosaurs who are crossing treacherous territory in search of a new place to settle. This tale of adventure, identity, and home is both beautiful and thoughtful, and a great watch for any kids who love all things dino.
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
Pixar are well known for making some of the best animated movies for kids out there. Luckily for dinosaur fans, Pixar decided to explore prehistoric territory in 2015 with The Good Dinosaur. The film takes place in an alternate history in which the timelines of humans and dinosaurs overlap. Arlo is a young and shy apatosaurus who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young boy named Spot. When they get washed down stream, the two go on an epic journey to return home.
We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993)
The ‘90s classic We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story was produced by Steven Spielberg and features quite the voice cast lineup including John Goodman, Martin Short, Walter Cronkite, and Julia Child. After hearing the secret wishes of two lonely children in New York City, the scientist Captain Neweyes sends four dinosaurs who have ingested a potion that makes them intelligent, peaceful, and fun-loving to the Big Apple to bring them some joy. However, Neweyes’ evil twin brother who owns a circus has other plans in mind for the four dinos.
Dinosaur Train: Adventure Island (2021)
Although Dinosaur Train is most widely known as a PBS series, the creators have also made some cute additional films like Dinosaur Train: Adventure Island. Like the series, the film focuses on a family of pteranodons and their adopted T-rex son. In the series, each episode sees the family get on a train to a new place to discover a new type of dinosaur. In Adventure Island, the family check out a new dinosaur theme park on a remote tropical island. The Dinosaur Train series and movies are geared towards children ages 3 and up, so if you’re looking for a dinosaur movie to watch with a younger child, this might be the perfect choice.
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
Since the first Ice Age film was released in 2002, the herd comprised of Sid the sloth, Diego the sabretooth tiger, Manny the woolly mammoth, the squirrel Scrat, and several others, have become some of the most beloved animated characters. After the sequel Ice Age: The Meltdown, the herd returned for a third film, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, in which they must rescue Sid after he is taken to an underground den by a mother T-rex after he steals her eggs. Like all Ice Age films, Dawn of the Dinosaurs is full of laughs and adventure, and with plenty of prehistoric creatures around in this one, it’s ideal for children who love dinosaurs.
Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985)
The very 1980s Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend may be a slightly dated live-action picture, but it’s a bit more kid-friendly than Jurassic Park. While attempting to track down a local legendary monster in Central Africa, paleontologist couple Dr Susan and George Matthews-Loomis discover a brontosaurus family deep inside the jungle. However, once they realise the dinosaurs are in danger from poachers, they find themselves on the run with the baby brontosaurus they nickname simply “Baby.” While this film is suitable for children, it takes a more serious tone and shares important lessons for kids about ecology and environmental preservation.
Dinotopia (2002)
Although Dinotopia is technically a miniseries, it’s essentially a long film that takes place over the course of three episodes. The film is based on James Gurney’s 1992 fantasy book series of the same name and takes place in a world where humans and dinosaurs coexist. When half-brothers Karl and David Scott (Tyron Leitso and Wentworth Miller) wash up on shore after a plane crash, they find themselves in Dinotopia, a hidden utopian civilisation in which intelligent talking dinosaurs live and govern alongside humans. This live-action miniseries is probably better suited to older children, but it makes for a fun and thought provoking adventure.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (2008)
Jules Verne’s 1874 novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth has seen many adaptations over the years, but none quite as fun as the one starring Brandon Fraser from 2008. After his brother’s disappearance some 10 years earlier, volcanologist Trevor Anderson (Fraser) and his nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) go to Iceland to see if they can find out what happened. While there, they go on an expedition with their guide Hannah (Anita Briem) and wind up falling into a deep cave that is home to a prehistoric world. As they attempt to get out, they cross paths with some pretty dangerous dinos. While scary at times, Journey to the Centre of the Earth is a solid adventure film sure to thrill any one who wants to spend a day in prehistory.
Walking With Dinosaurs (2013)
The BBC originally released a six-part series Walking With Dinosaurs in 1999 depicting computer animated dinosaur life in the style of a nature documentary. The 2013 film Walking With Dinosaurs is loosely based on the series, but takes the dinosaur premise and makes it into a fun family film. In this Late Cretaceous era, a young Pachyrhinosaurus named Patchi works through his shyness and insecurities to make his dream of becoming the herd’s leader come true.
If you’re interested in seeing an update to the BBC’s dinosaur documentary, make sure to check out their 2025 reboot series Walking With Dinosaurs, which takes fans into prehistoric times to see how their favourite dinosaurs lived—this time with updated animation technology.
Where to watch the best dinosaur movies for kids streaming online
Find out how (and where) to stream the best dinosaur movies for kids online by scrolling down to the list below. The films are all available to stream online across a variety of platforms in the United Kingdom, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, ITVX and more!
