Common Sense Media Review
By Amanda Bindel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Encyclopedia-like exploration with focus on science skills.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Dinosaur Train A to Z
Parent and Kid Reviews
Privacy Rating Pass
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
Music and characters from the PBS show lead kids on the Dinosaur Train, where they can explore dinosaur facts. They can search dinosaurs on the train by letter or in the dinosaur section by classification. They're classified by the food they eat, their legs, and the period in which they lived. Kids choose a dinosaur, hear facts about it, see an X-ray of it, and feed it. Kids can mark a favorite dino with a star to easily find it again. In the letters section, kids drag uppercase letters onto a rock, hearing the letter's name as they drag it.
Is It Any Good?
DINOSAUR TRAIN A TO Z is a must-have for dinosaur-obsessed kids. They'll get to learn facts about 26 dinosaurs and play around with them. Budding scientists will get a kick out of searching by categories. Kids who are looking for more game-like fun or characters from the show may be disappointed. This is a pretty scientific app with information and vocabulary geared for older kids but presented in small enough chunks that preschoolers will grasp some of it. Since only 26 dinos are included, kids may not find their favorites included (there's no T. rex), which may lead to requests to buy more dino packs. The letters section is a fun way to explore uppercase letters (but note that it's open exploration with no direction or phonics). Kids drag any letter and hear the letter's name.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the app complements the Dinosaur Train TV show. Look up dinosaurs featured on that day's episode in the app.
Help young preschoolers understand that they can feed the dino (in the food section) or hear its sound (in that section).
Play around with selecting classifications of dinosaurs to study one period or type at a time.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android , Kindle Fire
- Subjects : Language & Reading : reading , vocabulary , Science : animals
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : collecting data , investigation , Tech Skills : using and applying technology
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Release date : February 24, 2014
- Genre : Education
- Topics : Animals ( Dinosaurs ) , Numbers and Letters
- Publisher : PBS KIDS
- Version : 1.3
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 6.0 or later; Android 4.0 and up
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate