Dino Builder | Block Building Game for Kids

What kind of game is it?

A block building sandbox game for kids, set in a world of blocks seen from the side. You play as Compsognathus, a small dinosaur, and dig and stack blocks to build homes and nests for dinosaurs. Dig up dirt, grass, stone, wood, leaves, sand, and water, then stack them wherever you like.

Place a nest and make a nice place around it, and a dinosaur will come and move in. Up high, a flying reptile arrives. Surround the nest with walls and a roof for a small dinosaur. Put water and grass nearby for a long-neck dinosaur, or lots of wood and leaves for a forest dinosaur. You can see everyone who lives in your world in Dino Friends.

Fossil blocks are buried under the ground. Dig one up to add it to your Fossil Book and read a fun fact about that dinosaur. There are no time limits, and nothing can hurt you. Your world is saved automatically, so you can pick up where you left off next time.

How to play

1. Walk with the ◀ ▶ buttons and jump with the Jump button. Tap a square far away, and your dino walks over to it.
2. In Dig mode (orange), tap a square to dig up the block. It goes into your items.
3. Pick a block from your items to switch to Build mode (light blue). Tap a square to place the block there.
4. Pick the nest from your items, place it, and make a nice home around it (you start with 3 nests).
5. When the conditions are right, a dinosaur moves in. Tap a dinosaur living there to see its name and a fun fact.

What brings dinosaurs: 10 or more blocks above the ground → flying reptile; walls and a roof all around → small dino; water and grass nearby → long-neck dino; wood and leaves nearby (6 or more in all) → forest dino. If you dig up a nest, the dinosaur living there goes out.

On a computer, click a square with the mouse to dig or build. Walk with the arrow keys or A and D, jump with the space bar, ↑ or W, press E to switch between Dig and Build, and use the number keys to pick an item.

Who it's for

• Kids who love dinosaurs and building things with blocks
• Families looking for a calm game with no timers or scores, played at your own pace
• Parents and kids who want to figure out together what kind of home will bring a dinosaur

Ages: 3 and up (young kids can play with a grown-up)

Free. No sign-up, no download. Play in your browser on phone or computer. The sound is off when you start; tap the 🔇 button to turn it on.

Dinosaurs in the game

You play as Compsognathus. 16 kinds of dinosaurs can move into your nests:

• Flying reptiles: Pteranodon, Pterodactylus, Rhamphorhynchus, Dimorphodon
• Small dinos: Heterodontosaurus, Hypsilophodon, Sinosauropteryx, Troodon
• Long-neck dinos: Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, Giraffatitan, Apatosaurus
• Forest dinos: Stegosaurus, Maiasaura, Protoceratops, Pachycephalosaurus

There are 20 kinds of fossils under the ground: Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Velociraptor, Spinosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Iguanodon, Pachycephalosaurus, Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, Maiasaura, Protoceratops, Gallimimus, Oviraptor, Carnotaurus, Fukuisaurus, Fukuiraptor, Nipponosaurus. Each dinosaur has its own page in our Dinosaur Encyclopedia (in Japanese).

Fun fact: Fossil nests of Maiasaura were found together with many baby fossils, so scientists think it raised its young in nests. Fukuisaurus is a dinosaur whose fossils were found in Fukui, Japan.