Fun and Easy Dinosaur Crafts for Toddlers

Paper Plate Dinosaurs

Paper plates are seriously a lifesaver when it comes to toddler crafts. I can’t even count how many times I’ve reached for a stack of them when my kid wanted “something fun.” For dinosaurs, I like cutting the plates into little semi-circles for bodies and then adding triangles for spikes. Crayons, markers, or even paint—toddlers go wild with it. I remember my little one coloring the whole plate purple and declaring it a “dragon dinosaur.” Honestly, I just let creativity take the lead.

What makes this craft fun is that it’s simple, not too messy, and doesn’t need fancy supplies. You can even tape popsicle sticks at the bottom to turn it into a puppet. Sometimes I let the kids glue on googly eyes or even scraps of fabric. It’s such a forgiving craft—you can’t really mess it up, which is exactly what toddlers (and tired parents) need.

Handprint Dinosaurs

Handprint crafts always tug at my heart. There’s something about capturing those tiny hands in paint that feels special. When we made handprint dinosaurs, I just painted their palms green, pressed them on paper, and then added legs, tails, and spikes with markers. My daughter laughed so hard when I turned her little thumbprint into a dinosaur’s head. It felt like a memory captured forever.

The best part? You can make different types of dinosaurs just by changing the direction of the handprint. Sideways, upright, upside down—it all works. And toddlers love seeing their “hands turn into dinosaurs.” To be fair, it gets messy, so I usually have wipes ready, but it’s worth it. We still have one taped to the fridge, and every time I see it, I smile thinking about how proud she was of “her dinosaur family.”

Dino Footprint Stamps

Footprint dinosaurs might be even funnier than handprints. Kids love stomping, and this craft lets them do just that. I usually dip their feet in paint (which is already an adventure) and press them onto paper. Once the footprints dry, we turn them into long-neck dinosaurs or funny-looking T-Rexes. My toddler couldn’t stop giggling when I said, “Your foot just became a dino!”

If you’re doing this, I suggest using washable paint because it will get everywhere. But in my opinion, the mess is half the fun. You can make a whole herd by stamping multiple feet in different colors. Sometimes I let the kids decorate the background with trees or volcanoes using crayons. It’s one of those crafts that feels silly, but kids remember it. Honestly, every time my kid sees her old footprint dinos, she still says, “That’s me when I was little!”

Egg Carton Dinosaurs

Egg cartons are the most underrated craft supply, trust me. I cut out the little cups, paint them green or brown, and suddenly we’ve got dinosaur bodies. My toddler helped me glue them together once to make a long dinosaur, and she called it a “cater-dino.” It wasn’t exactly accurate, but who cares? It was adorable.

I’ve found that toddlers really enjoy the painting part here. Give them a brush, and they’ll happily cover everything, even the table. Sometimes we stick pipe cleaners for tails or spikes, and googly eyes always make it funnier. The finished dinosaurs aren’t perfect, but they’re chunky and cute in their own way. It’s one of those projects where the process is more exciting than the end result, and that’s totally fine. Plus, I like knowing we’re reusing something that would’ve just gone in the trash.

Dinosaur Masks

Masks are always a hit in my house. Toddlers love pretending, and when we made dinosaur masks out of paper plates, my daughter wore hers for the entire afternoon. I just cut out eye holes, let her paint it green, and glued on some spiky triangles along the top. She stomped around saying, “ROAR! I’m a scary dinosaur!” Honestly, it was more cute than scary.

What I like about this craft is how easy it is to personalize. You can make a T-Rex with sharp teeth, a stegosaurus with colorful spikes, or even a “princess dinosaur” if your toddler is in that phase. In my opinion, giving them a popsicle stick handle instead of string makes it easier for little ones to hold. Watching them put the mask on and get into character is the real payoff. It turns a quiet craft into an instant play session.

Popsicle Stick Dinosaurs

Popsicle sticks are one of my favorite go-to supplies. They’re cheap, sturdy, and toddlers can’t really break them (well, usually). When we made popsicle stick dinosaurs, I laid out sticks for the body, glued smaller pieces for legs, and then let my toddler add paper spikes and tails. To be fair, she mostly just covered everything in stickers, but it still looked like a dinosaur… kind of.

The fun part is decorating. Markers, washi tape, paint—you can throw anything on there. Sometimes I even cut out little heads from construction paper and glue them on top of the sticks. In my opinion, this craft is less about neatness and more about giving toddlers something hands-on. It’s also a nice one to pull out when you don’t want a huge mess. Plus, the dinosaurs actually hold up pretty well, so kids can play with them afterward.

Clay Dinosaurs

Clay day in my house always gets a little chaotic, but it’s worth it. Making clay dinosaurs is like letting toddlers be mini sculptors. I roll out simple shapes—like a long sausage for the neck, little balls for legs—and then help my toddler stick them together. Her version looked more like a “potato with spikes,” but she was thrilled. Honestly, it doesn’t need to be perfect to be fun.

I’ve found air-dry clay works best because you don’t need to bake it. Once it hardens, kids can even paint their dinos. And if you don’t want to fuss with clay, playdough works just as well. My favorite memory was when my kid tried making a whole “dino family” and gave them silly names. Clay crafts are messy and time-consuming, but they keep toddlers engaged for way longer than paper crafts, which is always a win in my book.

Paper Bag Dinosaur Puppets

Paper bag puppets are such a throwback craft, but toddlers love them. I remember giving my daughter a plain brown bag and telling her it could become a dinosaur. She looked at me like I was joking, but once she glued on teeth, eyes, and a paper tail, she wouldn’t stop roaring with it. It turned into a puppet show right there at the kitchen table.

What makes this one fun is how flexible it is. Any kind of paper scraps—triangles for spikes, circles for spots—will do the trick. You don’t need fancy materials, just a paper bag and some imagination. In my opinion, this is a great “rainy afternoon” craft. And once the puppet is done, it isn’t just a craft—it’s a toy. My daughter made hers “eat” half the crayons on the table. I just sat back and laughed.

Toilet Paper Roll Dinosaurs

Toilet paper rolls are one of those things I hoard for crafts. For dinosaurs, they’re perfect. Cut a slit for the legs, glue on a paper head, maybe add spikes down the back, and you’ve got yourself a dinosaur. My toddler loves painting the rolls first—half the time she ends up with rainbow-colored dinosaurs, which honestly look cooler than real ones.

The best part is how sturdy they turn out. Kids can actually play with them without the dinos falling apart right away. Sometimes I cut the rolls in half to make little baby dinosaurs, and my daughter creates whole “families.” In my opinion, this is one of the easiest crafts because the roll already gives you the base. All you have to do is decorate it, and toddlers never run out of ideas there.

Sponge Stamp Dinosaurs

Sponge stamping is such a fun sensory activity. I cut sponges into simple dinosaur shapes—just triangles or ovals really—and let my toddler dip them in paint. She loved pressing them on paper and watching the “dinos” appear. It’s messy, but the results look surprisingly cool, like little prehistoric patterns all over the page.

I’ve found that toddlers don’t really care about accuracy here. One time my daughter insisted on using pink paint for a T-Rex, and it ended up being her favorite. Honestly, I think the stamping action is what excites them most. If you layer the stamps, you can make a whole dino scene. It’s also a great way to use up leftover sponges, which I always seem to have stuffed in a drawer. In my opinion, it’s a simple craft with big toddler appeal.

Dinosaur Headbands

Headbands are one of those crafts that turn into instant dress-up. I cut strips of paper to fit around my toddler’s head, then let her decorate spikes and glue them on top. The first time we did this, she put it on and started stomping around, saying, “I’m the dino queen!” Honestly, it was hilarious.

What I like is that it’s so quick and adjustable. You can add tall spikes for a stegosaurus look or make a crest for a triceratops. Stickers, glitter, or even feathers can make it extra fun. Toddlers love seeing themselves “become dinosaurs” in the mirror, and it’s such a proud moment for them. In my opinion, headbands are perfect when you want something interactive without a ton of cleanup. Plus, they make the cutest photo memories.

Bubble Wrap Dino Painting

Bubble wrap is pure magic for toddlers. I once taped a piece to my kid’s hand, dipped it in paint, and pressed it onto paper. The dino “scales” effect was amazing, and she couldn’t stop popping the leftover bubbles. Honestly, it was the most fun she’d had with painting in weeks.

This craft is more about textures than perfect dinos, but you can cut the bubble wrap into dinosaur shapes if you’re feeling fancy. I like just letting kids stamp freely and then adding dino outlines around the prints. It looks super cool without much effort. To be fair, it does get a bit sticky, but that’s part of the charm. In my opinion, this is one of those “wow” crafts that keeps toddlers entertained way longer than you expect.

Dinosaur Collage with Stickers

If there’s one thing toddlers never get tired of, it’s stickers. I drew a big dinosaur outline on paper and let my daughter fill it with every sticker she could find. It turned into a crazy rainbow dino, and she was so proud of it. Honestly, it was one of the least stressful crafts we’ve ever done.

The beauty of this is that toddlers get the control. They don’t need to stay inside the lines; they just enjoy sticking things wherever they want. Sometimes I mix in scraps of paper or foam shapes to give it more texture. In my opinion, this is a great craft for quiet moments because it’s low-mess but still keeps little hands busy. Plus, the final collage actually looks super colorful and fun on the wall.

Leaf Print Dinosaurs

One autumn afternoon, I had a bunch of leaves lying around, and I thought—why not make dinosaurs? I dipped the leaves in paint, pressed them on paper, and then added little legs and heads. The patterns looked just like dino skin. My toddler loved picking which leaves would become “long necks” or “spiky dinos.” It was such a fun outdoor-to-indoor craft.

What I love is that every leaf makes a different print, so no two dinosaurs look the same. Toddlers feel like they’ve discovered something magical when the prints show up on paper. Honestly, it’s so simple but feels special because you’re using nature. In my opinion, it’s also a nice excuse to get kids outside collecting supplies first. That way, the craft turns into a whole little adventure from start to finish.

Felt Dinosaurs

Felt crafts are my cozy-day favorite. I cut out simple dinosaur shapes from colorful felt sheets, and my toddler helps glue on eyes, spikes, and spots. They always come out soft and squishy, which she loves carrying around like toys. One time she even tucked her felt dino into bed with her—honestly, it melted my heart.

The best part about felt is how forgiving it is. If the shapes aren’t perfect, they still look adorable. I sometimes make a bunch of felt dinos and stick Velcro on the back so my daughter can play with them on a felt board. In my opinion, this craft lasts longer than paper ones because the dinos don’t tear. Plus, it feels like you’re making a little keepsake instead of just another disposable project.