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Dinosaur Facts for Kids

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Fun Dinosaur Facts for Kids

Looking for Dinosaur Facts for Kids? What was the biggest dinosaur? Which dinosaur was discovered first. How can you tell if a dinosaur is male or female? What dinosaur mistakes have scientists made? Lots of fun and interesting dinosaur facts for the paleontologist in training.

[ The picture is an early reconstruction of Megalosaurus - you'll find out more about him (or her) later. ]

Quiz: Was the Biggest Dinosaur a Carnivore or Herbivore

Before you read any further, try this one quick quiz question:

Dinosaur Facts

Biggest Dinosaur Ever

What was the biggest dinosaur?

Biggest Dinosaur Ever

Click the image to see a bigger version - you'll have to scroll along to see it all.

The biggest dinosaurs come from the Sauropod family. Diplodocus and Supersaurus are members of this family, and they are very big dinosaurs. Argentinasaurus is even bigger. But at 130-200 feet long, Amphicoelias is thought to be the biggest (tallest and longest) dinosaur that has been discovered.

130-200 ft or 40-60 meters is about as long as an Olympic Swimming Pool (50m or 164ft)! Wow can you imagine that. Look at the person in the diagram above and imagine how far above you an Amphicoelias would be.

Long Dinosaur Toy: Diplodocus

Safari Ltd Carnegie Diplodocus
Safari Ltd Carnegie Diplodocus
@ Amazon Price BUY NOW

Product Dimensions: 22.8 x 4.9 x 4.9 inches.


Not as big as a real Diplodocus, but you couldn't fit one of those in the toy box!

Biggest Carnivorous Dinosaur

What is the biggest meat-eating dinosaur

Biggest Carnivorous Dinosaur

Spinosaurus was the biggest meat eating dinosaur at over 50 feet long. (Source:Spinosaurus towers over T-Rex.)

Spinosaurus
Spinosaurus
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This Spinosaurus toy from Papo is an accurate (but smaller scale!) reconstruction of the biggest carnivorous dinosaur ever. You can move his jaw for added fierceness!

First Dinosaur Discovered

What was the first dinosaur ever found?

MegalosaurusThe first dinosaurs were discovered and named by British geologists. (Learn more about British Dinosaurs.)

Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to be scientifically described and given a name in 1824. Megalosaurus is a big meat-eating Theropod dinosaur (like T-Rex).

Iguanodon was discovered in 1822 but not formally documented until after Megalosaurus. Iguanodon was a herbivore.

Of course, dinosaur bones had likely been found before, but these discoveries marked the start of modern dinosaur paleontology and our fascination with these prehistoric beasts. (Fact Source: Megalosaurus on Wikipedia).

[ Image Credit: Public Domain via Wikipedia]

How can you tell if a dinosaur is male or female?

Well, it's difficult ...

T-REX DINOSAURS Tee Rex Shirt shirt
T-REX DINOSAURS Tee Rex Shirt
by RavenSpiritPrints
View other Dinosaur girl T-Shirts

We know there were male and female dinosaurs, but very little is known about differences between male and female dinosaurs of the same species.

"Unlike mammals, we don't see [gender] differentiation in the skeletons of reptiles," she added. "From the skeleton itself, it's impossible to tell whether an animal was a male or a female. Reptiles don't give birth to live young, so they don't have broad or narrow pelvises, for example." - Angela Milner

However, paleontologist Mary Schweitzer discovered a way to identify female dinosaurs that are preparing to produce eggs. Schweitzer identified Medulary Bone in the thigh of a T-Rex - Medulary bone is only found in female birds.

(Fact Source: He Rex or She Rex? Experts Find Way to Tell Dino Gender)

First Dinosaur Theme Park

Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

Have you been to a dinosaur park to see realistic dinosaur statues? Did you know that this has been a popular pastime since Victorian times? The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs were the first dinosaur theme park in the 1850s. You can still visit the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs in London today.



Click the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs Map to get a better view.

Dinosaur Mistakes

Dinosaur Mistakes: Iguanodon

Did Iguanodon have a horn on the end of his nose?

mantell iguanodon restoration

Image Credit Gideon Mantell - PD-US

Iguanodon was discovered in 1822 by Gideon Mantell, an English geologist. At first, as you can see from his Iguanodon reconstruction drawing, Mantell thought that Iguanodon had a horn on the end of his nose. Wrong! He had actually found an Iguanodon claw. (Fact Source: Iguanodon at Wikipedia)

You can see the correct placement of the Iguanodon claw in this toy iguanodon figure:
Safari LTD Carnegie Iguanodon
Safari LTD Carnegie Iguanodon
@ Amazon Price BUY NOW

Dinosaur Mistakes: Oviraptor

The Egg Thief

Papo Oviraptor
Papo Oviraptor
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The first Oviraptor fossils were found with eggs which were assumed to be from another species. The Oviraptor got a reputation for being an Egg Thief and the name to match - Oviraptor is latin for Egg Thief.

Poor Oviraptor was wrongly accused. Paleontologists now think that Oviraptor was just being a good mother (or father?) looking after its own eggs. (Fact Source: Oviraptor on Wikipedia)

Learn More

Dinosaur Trivia Quiz

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Walking with Dinosaurs DVD

Learn more Dinosaur Facts

Walking with Dinosaurs
Walking with Dinosaurs
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We love Walking with Dinosaurs. It's very well animated and packed full of dinosaur facts.

“Raah!”

Comments

Did you enjoy the dinosaur facts?

  • Buchamar Dec 14, 2011 @ 6:27 pm | delete
    In Daytona they just found a Mastodon! Great Levs - Thank you!
  • BryanLSC Aug 9, 2011 @ 5:45 am | delete
    Great work! Great lens! Nice and tidy. Love it!
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