Review: World of Dinosaurs

Our latest creative endeavor has brought us to a truly gargantuan offering from Djeco: the World of Dinosaurs multi-activity kit. When I describe this kit as "massive," I am not utilizing hyperbole; it is a veritable treasure trove of artistic exploration. The box contains six distinct disciplines: four scratch-art boards, a painting project, two 3D layered picture boards, a stamp-and-draw landscape, a foam-and-foil collage, and three substantial assembly projects. As is the hallmark of the Djeco brand, the instructions are rendered in a sophisticated pictorial format, allowing for student autonomy. However, since my daughter is a passionate devotee of all things creative, we decided to transform our post-school hours into a marathon art session, tackling a sample of each project together.

We initiated our journey with the scratch art, which features a prehistoric menagerie including a Rougeosaure and a Plumosaure. These boards require a comprehensive "reveal," which can be a bit labor-intensive for a young child's hands. To prevent "stylus fatigue," we often treat these as a collaborative effort—taking turns or spreading the task throughout the week. Next, we pivoted to the painting project, featuring a woolly mammoth and a saber-toothed tiger. This served as a magnificent springboard for a scientific discussion; my daughter was so captivated by the saber-toothed tiger that our art lesson seamlessly evolved into a spontaneous paleontology seminar.

The 3D picture boards were a personal highlight for both of us. By using double-sided adhesive foam squares to layer precut images of a Triceratops and a Tachosaure, we achieved a striking depth of field that is visually quite impressive. Following this, we unfolded the stamp and drawing scene, and I was genuinely astonished by its scale—it is significantly larger than any other Djeco landscape we’ve encountered! While the manual suggests specific placements for the thirteen stamps and silver ink pen, I encouraged her to follow her own creative compass. There is a profound educational value in allowing a child to direct their own composition, and the sheer size of the board allowed us to work side-by-side in a wonderful moment of shared creativity.

The foam and foil collage provided the most theatrical "reveal" of the day. The process involves placing numbered foam stickers onto the board and pressing metallic foil against the adhesive. Each time my daughter peeled back the foil to reveal the shimmering surface beneath, she would exclaim, "And now, the reveal!" It was a high-energy success. We concluded with the assembly projects, which resulted in three-dimensional cardboard dinosaurs of a much larger scale than the typical two-inch miniatures I expected. The pieces interconnected with a satisfying ease, preventing the common frustration of bent or torn cardboard. My daughter has since "adopted" the Brachiosaure, naming her "Dina" (short for "Brachy"), and she has become a permanent fixture in her playroom.

Ultimately, the World of Dinosaurs kit is a premier recommendation for any parent looking to combine fine motor development with a "wow-factor" project. It is, according to my resident artist, the most enjoyable kit we have curated to date. Whether you are looking for a rainy-day marathon or a month’s worth of Friday afternoon art rewards, this kit delivers exceptional value and variety. I am eager to hear from the community: do you have a favorite multi-media art kit that has kept your "mini-paleontologists" engaged for hours? Let us know in the comments below!