DINOSAURS
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They may have died out some 65 million years ago, but dinosaurs continue to rule the earth. As new movies prepare for release, and companies boast collections of fresh toys, Robert Hutchins explores why 2013 has turned into ‘the Year of the Dinosaur’ before shining a spotlight on some
THEY MAY BE extinct, but dinosaurs are far from forgotten. In fact, with a new Walking with Dinosaurs3D movie on the horizon and Vivid on board with a master toy portfolio; the natural History Museum teaming with Nurture Rights for an interactive Dinosaur Roar experience; and a host of new dino-themed releases from VTech, The In Thing, H Grossman and more, dinosaurs are seemingly more popular than ever. “This year almost became
known as the Year of the Dinosaur,” The In Thing’s Kieran Murphy tells ToyNews. “With so many great dinosaur products, TV, movie and magazine launches, Toy Fair 2013 was full of it.” And it seems that the popularity of dinosaurs this year is echoed by Grossman’s Martin Grossman. “There has been a massive uplift in dinosaurs in 2013,” he explains. “Dinosaurs are always
popular, and our Megasaurs are growing in popularity.” But as scientists peg the Cretaceous Tertiary period
26 November
as that of the last living dinosaur, why some 65 million years later, do they still rule the earth, albeit on a much smaller, toy scale? “To be honest, it’s been
asked before, and nobody really knows,” says Mike Walley, palaeontologist
creatures toys and products, but supplies museum shops, engages children with educational visits to schools and offers advice to TV and movie producers on all things dinosaur. “It’s a bizarre way to make a living,” he admits, “but
Dinosaurs are always popular, and our Megasaurs are growing in popularity.
Martin Grossman, H Grossman
and proprietor of Everything Dinosaur. “If you ask a psychologist
why dinosaurs are so popular, they might tell you it’s because some were very large and frightening, but children very quickly learn they’re extinct and can’t harm them. They’re the cool, safe monsters.” Walley is the
founder of Everything Dinosaur, an educational company that not only sells dinosaur and prehistoric
Despite falling foul to a meteor shower some time ago, dinosaurs have enjoyed quite the afterlife on the shelves of toy shops across the world.
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parents can talk to us, people who know about the animals and buy with reassurance that what they’re getting is educational.” Ideas are mixed on how the sector has maintained its popularity, but working with a team of experts all adopting an active role in children’s education, Walley believes that getting kids to interact with fossils is a sure- fire way to encourage their fascination with the prehistoric beasts.
“The size of some of these amazing fossils is spectacular, and when we show the children, we get that wide- eyed, jaw dropping moment.” Meanwhile, others believe it’s the constant reinterpretation of them which makes themso engaging. “Dinosaur toys have always been popular,” says James Cokell, Dinosaur Trainbrand manager with Tomy. “But hit TV shows like Dinosaur Trainhave meant that they continue to be top selling lines. “Whereas they are sometimes seen as boy’s toys, girls love them just as much because the shows depict their caring nature too.”
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