Dinosaur terrarium: The 5 best of 2022

Growing up, I had a huge obsession with dinosaurs – I even created a dinosaur terrarium. Not sure how it started, but it happened shortly before “The Land Before Time” movie came out to theaters. I remember how mom and dad did everything that they could to embrace this obsession of mine.

One thing that I was able to create was my dinosaur terrarium. Finishing It gave me a sense of pride and I loved showing it off on my bedroom shelf.

If you have a dino lover, a dinosaur terrarium is a neat addition to spike their creativity. Keep reading to find out the best dinosaur terrariums and what to look for when you purchase them.

Best dinosaur terrariums: our picks

1. Creativity for Kids Dinosaur Egg Mini Garden Kit

Up first, we’ve got the kid’s dinosaur egg mini garden kit from Creativity for Kids – an affordable, mini dinosaur terrarium that makes the perfect low-cost gift that any little dinosaur fan will love. This product is one of a set of four from the brand, which offers mermaid, unicorn, and aquarium-themed terrarium kits in addition to dinosaurs. This product is recommended for children aged six years and up.

This decorative mini terrarium is shaped like a dinosaur egg and measures 5 ¼” x 3” – making it one of the smaller products on this list. In the box, you’ll find some potting mix, a pack of quick-growing chia seeds, a set of dinosaur stickers, decorative multi-colored sand, and several fun mini dinosaur figures. The chia seeds included in this kit sprout within 3-5 days of planting, so you won’t need to wait very long for this terrarium to be fully complete.

Overall, this terrarium kit is a great bargain pick – with its $10 price tag making it the most affordable on our list. While it’s not as large or has all the bells and whistles of other, more expensive picks we’ve included here, it does what it says and comes well-packaged, making it great as a gift. It also comes reasonably well-rated, scoring an average of 4.5-stars from a whopping 1,594+ verified customer reviews.

Buy it: From $10, Amazon.com

2. Me&You Light-Up Terrarium Kit for Kids

Up next, we’ve got the light-up dinosaur terrarium kit from Me&You – a brand that makes all sorts of fun, dinosaur-themed STEM toys, including a range of popular dinosaur egg toys and dig kits. This terrarium kit is recommended for kids aged six years and up, being the perfect DIY activity to enjoy either on their own or as a fun activity for you to enjoy with your little one.

In the kit, you’ll find an LED light, 5x dinosaur figures, soil, sand, chia and wheatgrass seeds, white river rock, a spray bottle, and of course, a jar to put it all in. In addition to everything you’ll need to create your very own light-up dinosaur terrarium, this set also includes a large dinosaur poster, a set of dinosaur stickers to customize it further, and educational, illustrated cards to accompany the included dinosaur figures.

Overall, this set is pretty good – it’s packed full of accessories and comes in great packaging, making it perfect as a gift for your child or those of friends or loved ones. That said, it’s a little pricey – being one of the more expensive picks on our list – however, for what you’re getting, the few extra bucks are arguably worth it. This one also comes reasonably well-rated, scoring an average of 4.5-stars from some 1,051+ verified customer ratings.

Buy it: From $25, Amazon.com

3. Onnetila Dinosaur Fairy Garden in a Jar Light up Terrarium Kit

Next, we’ve got this super cute dinosaur light-up fairy garden in a jar – the perfect gift for any young, budding paleontologist, offering a fun and accessible introduction into STEM. The kit is ideal for kids aged from six to ten years old and makes a great DIY dinosaur project to help get them and keep them interested in dinosaurs – fostering a love of our prehistoric friends for a lifetime.

Included in the box, you’ll find the terrarium jar and light-up lid, along with vermiculite soil, grass seeds, a growing ball, spray bottle, miniature dinosaur figures, and a 21-piece dinosaur sticker sheet that your little one can use to further customize their brand-new dinosaur terrarium. There’s also an easy-to-follow instruction booklet included, making it incredibly easy for your little one to put the terrarium together, either with or without help from an adult. All the items of this kit are 100% kid-friendly and safe, complying with US toy safety standards.

All in all, if you’re looking for an affordable, complete dinosaur terrarium packed full of accessories, then this product from Onnetila could well be what you’re looking for. With a retail price of just $17, this pick is at the lower end of picks on our list in terms of cost – being one of the better budget picks we’ve included. This kit also comes reasonably well-rated, scoring an average rating of 4-stars from some 759+ customer reviews.

Buy it: From $17, Amazon.com

4. CAPKIT Store Light-up Dino World Terrarium Kit

This next pick is from brand CAPKIT – their Dino World Terrarium Kit, one of the largest, best-value kits we’ve included on our list of picks. This terrarium with a rechargeable light-up lid offers your little one everything they’ll need to create their very own dino scene, being a perfect first dinosaur-themed DIY project for your little aspiring paleontologist to enjoy.

Inside the box, you’ll find a 4” x 6” terrarium jar with a light-up lid, a micro-USD charging cable, six dinosaur figures, a mini volcano, a spray bottle, a sticker sheet, vermiculite soil, blue sand, river rocks, wheatgrass, and chia seeds. In addition, the kit also includes an easy-to-follow instruction booklet, making the dinosaur terrarium easy to set up and put together.

This terrarium is a pretty good deal – being one of the larger, most complete kits on our list, retailing for just $20 – that’s a few bucks cheaper than comparable alternatives. We’re also big fans of its sleek, black packaging – something which makes it great as a gift, given how nice its packaging looks. It also benefits from being well-rated, scoring an average of 4.5-stars from some 377+ verified customer reviews.

Buy it: From $20, Amazon.com

5. Uptown Farmer Kids Dinosaur Terrarium Kit for Kids

Last but not least, we’ve got this complete dinosaur terrarium set from Uptown Farmer. This set packs everything you need in a gift box, perfect for any dino fan aged 6 to 9 years. This product is an excellent activity and a great bedroom night light, ideally suited to be placed on a bedside table or desk.

Inside the box, you’ll find everything you need to put your dinosaur terrarium together. This includes a jar and lid with moon and star cutouts, rechargeable LED light and clip, micro-USD charging cable, vermiculite soil, perlite rocks, wheatgrass and chia seeds, green non-toxic sand, spray bottle, along with dinosaur and tree figures to complete the scene. You also won’t need batteries, as included LED lamp is rechargeable. This will save you plenty of money in the long run.

Overall, this set is pretty nice – it’s well-presented, competitively priced, and comes complete with everything you’ll need to get started. While it’s not the cheapest option on this list – in fact, it’s towards the higher end of products on this list price-wise – it is one of the best packaged, making it especially good as a gift for a friend or loved one. This product also scores pretty well when it comes to ratings, scoring an average of 4.5-stars from 198+ customer reviews.

Buy it: From $26, Amazon.com

Buyer’s guide for dinosaur terrariums

If a child is interested in dinosaurs a terrarium is a great place to get their creativity involved.

Generally, a terrarium is a mini garden that is placed inside a jar that is usually sealed. However, there are also open terrariums that do not have a lid. Plants can grow inside these as the water vapor is released, which recycles the water.

Keep reading on how you can find the best dinosaur terrariums for your child.

Science is where it is at

If your child is into dinosaurs, there is a good chance that they are into science as well. And even if they are not, then a dinosaur terrarium would still suit them.

Children will be able to see how a plant grows in a simulated environment. This will often get them thinking about how a plant can survive if there is a lid on the container. They may have many great questions about how a plant will grow in these surroundings.

Night lights

We have seen some cool dinosaur terrariums on the market. Some even light up! This is a cool thing for children that need a dinosaur night light. Imagine if your child is scared of the dark or they have bad dreams. But they feel that a night light is too babyish. With a dinosaur terrarium that lights up, they can use this light to feel safe and secure. No one will be the wiser that your child likes having a light on while sleeping.

Rainy day fun

Kids often complain they are bored when it is rainy out. Why not keep a few dinosaur terrariums on hand for them to make on such occasions? Children can build their own or work on one together.

Confidence builder

When a child grows a garden, they can enjoy a creative activity. This fosters independent play and creative confidence. It will also develop nurturing skills, responsibility, and patience.

Perfect gift

If you feel that your child gets invited to every birthday party, stock up on dinosaur terrariums. Many on the market are inexpensive, yet they are an amazing gift to receive. You can also give them as holiday gifts, such as Christmas or Easter.

Fine motor skills

When you introduce your child to a dinosaur terrarium, you are helping them work on their fine motor skills. A child will need to place dinosaurs with their fingers, grip tweezers, take dino stickers off a sheet, screw on a lid, or spoon dirt or seeds into the container. All of these will assist a child in developing better motor skills.

Open-ended questions

If you’re working on a dinosaur terrarium with your child, it’s a learning experience that you can assist in facilitating. Ask open-ended questions to your child to help them in the learning process. The questions would vary depending upon how old the child was. Some really good questions to ask while working on a terrarium include:

• How do you suppose the plant will be able to survive in the container?
• If dinosaurs were alive today, what do you think would happen?
• Would you like to have a dinosaur as a pet?
• What was your favorite dinosaur and why?
• Why did the dinosaurs die?
• Which dinosaur was the scariest? The meanest? The ugliest?
• What would happen if dinosaurs lived in zoos?

Responsibility

Having a terrarium can give a child a responsibility each day. You may tell the child before they create their terrarium that it will be up to them to report to you on how well the plant inside is doing.

Pride

Remember above how I said I was proud of the dinosaur terrarium that I made? I carefully selected the dinosaurs that I had in my collection to add, found the best container I could, and made sure to add a plant that looked the part for a dinosaur era. Granted, mine was fake, but to me, it looked amazing! I was so happy with what I created that I wanted to share it with anyone that would give me the time of day.

Think of how good your child will feel once they have created their own and the plant starts to grow! They will be super excited to see it growing and feel accomplished as well for making something so cool!

Final thoughts

Dinosaur terrariums are a lot of fun for a child. They can spark creativity in a child and also give them a responsibility to check on them.

We hope you have enjoyed our dinosaur terrarium reviews and buyer’s guide. You will now be able to pick out the best one for your child’s needs.

But best of all, you will be able to help your child create the best memories ever.