Dino Dan!

Is your child a fan of dinosaurs? It seems like our boys are in that phase right now. So when we were offered the chance to check out a new DVD from the series Dino Dan, I figured our boys would approve. I was right - they did!

Dino Dan is a Canadian/American television series for children ages 2-7. The series is produced in Toronto, Canada, by Sinking Ship Entertainment.  Dino Dan follows the adventures of paleontologist-in-training Dan Henderson as he imagines dinosaurs into the real world! Join Dan as he plays a game of chase with his prehistoric pals, tracks down a mysterious dinosaur and learns how dinosaurs got their names. He uses the scientific method to gather clues and solve mysteries! One of the brand’s partners is the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is Canada’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the science of paleontology.  This museum houses the world’s largest display of dinosaurs.  Dino Dan has filmed at the Royal Tyrrell Museum already for seasons one and two and plans to film again for seasons three and four.

So what is Dino Dan all about?

Follow the adventures of a paleontologist in training Dan Henderson as he imagines dinosaurs into the real world!  Combines live action with CGI dinosaurs!  Join Dan as he races a T-rex and a Spinosaurus to see who’s a faster carnivore, makes dancing in gym class fun using different dinosaur movements, and learns all about teamwork from his dinosaur pals. Dan uses the scientific method to gather clues and solve mysteries. Ready? Set? Dino! is an action packed adventure full of discovery!

Ready? Set? Dino! includes a few different episodes featuring Dan and his friends or Dan and the dinosaurs. The boys are quite pleased to watch, although I think the 6 1/2 year old understands it quite a bit better than the 3 1/2 year old. The episodes are short, which I think is a bonus because I like to limit screen time, but I suppose some people might think they're too short. Everything is family-friendly, so there's nothing a 2-year old shouldn't see, but I do think rating this for kids ages 2-7 isn't quite accurate. I would think something more like 4-8 would be reasonable, just because it's hard for younger children to relate. Dan is a school-aged kid, and many of the scenes take place at school, something hard for toddlers and preschoolers to understand. The dinosaurs are quite realistic, and could be scary for younger children as well, as they appear real, and alongside real people.

On our recent road trip, this is one DVD we brought along. The boys each have their favourite episodes, and were happy to choose to watch Dino Dan when offered the DVD player. Check out the trailer:

Dino Dan also has a great website with games and a "virtual world" experience where you are the paleontologist-in-training.

Ready? Set? Dino! is available for purchase on Amazon.ca and in stores.

**Disclosure: The product mentioned above has been given free of charge from eOne Films in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of use.