Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Young paleontologist teaches kids about Jurassic giants.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 30 parent reviews
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say that the show is a fun and educational experience for children who love dinosaurs, fostering a passion for science and creativity. However, some critics argue that its themes could be too intense for very young audiences, raising concerns about the character's imaginative interactions with dinosaurs and the portrayal of violence.
- educational value
- imaginative play
- age appropriateness
- mixed reviews
- parental guidance
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
DINO DAN centers on young Dan Henderson (Jason Spevack), an aspiring paleontologist who discovers that learning how dinosaurs lived is as easy as looking out at his own backyard. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Dan can see dinosaurs roaming the streets, parks, and school grounds amid the unsuspecting people, and by watching them interact, he learns a lot about how they lived so many years ago.
Is It Any Good?
CGI brings to colorful life these replicas of the Jurassic giants, and kids will delight in the chance to see what scientists believed them to look like during their heyday. Their physical appearance, size, and demeanor hold clues for kids to the way they lived, ate, and protected their young. In addition, each new story introduces kids to and defines science-based vocabulary words like "herbivore" in an attempt to increase their vocabulary.
Older kids will find the show a little cheesy and overacted, but younger kids who don't know the difference will enjoy the chance to see these dinosaurs in action. The best news is that compared to other CGI dino tales marketed for kids, this one is completely harmless, since the dinosaurs' interactions are brief and virtually violence-free.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about science. What aspects of science are your favorites? How does studying science help us understand the world around us? Why is it important to learn about extinct species like dinosaurs?
Kids: What are your favorite hobbies or interests? What books or other rescources help you learn more about these interests? How do they relate to your home or school life? Do your friends share your interests?
What kinds of fossils have been found where you live? What do they tell us about the creatures and people who lived here before us? Where can you go to see some of these items?
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 11, 2009
- Cast : Jason Spevack
- Network : Nick Jr.
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : Animals ( Dinosaurs ) , STEM
- TV rating :
- Award : Emmy - Emmy Award Winner
- Last updated : March 24, 2026
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