Every parent has experienced their share of temper tantrums because — let’s be real — toddlers don’t know how to control their feelings. (TBH, many adults don’t know how either.) The Mix & Match-a-Saurus, from VTech, helps teach kids about emotions with the help of an adorable talking dinosaur named Dino. 

Designed for kids ages 3 and up, Dino comes with three emotion tiles (happy, angry, and sleepy), three music tiles (hip-hop, marching, and ballet), and three character tiles (dinosaur, robot, and monster) that kids can mix and match to bring Dino to life. Kids can insert the tiles into three slots on Dino’s back to activate different play modes, making the toy move, sing, and dance according to the tile type. 

There are 27 possible combinations of emotions, music styles, and characters, such as a sleepy, ballet-dancing monster or an angry, marching robot. Talk about mood swings! Experimenting with the emotion tiles helps kids build social and emotional skills. Angry Dino may stomp around like a moody kid who doesn’t get what he wants, but he also gives helpful tips, such as, “Let’s practice calming down. Try taking a big, deep breath.” This helps toddlers learn that there are many ways to express feelings. You don’t have to hide your emotions — instead, let ’em loose in a healthy way.

Toddlers can also use the Mix & Match-a-Saurus for educational play by pressing the buttons to learn about shapes and colors. Dino speaks directly to kids, too, asking questions and making play an interactive experience. One of the things he says is, “Can you roar like me? ROAR! It’s your turn. … What a great roar!” 

The Mix & Match-a-Saurus includes a large dinosaur egg that kids can use both during playtime and for cleanup. The egg opens up to store all the tiles inside when kids are done playing.

Kids can follow their hearts as they laugh, dance, and roar along with Dino.

About the author

Jackie Cucco

Jackie Cucco

Jackie Cucco was a Senior Editor of The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider. She covered toy trends, pop culture, and entertainment news, and made appearances on national and regional outlets, including CBS, WPIX, News 12, and more. Jackie spends her time watching horror movies and working her way through every Stephen King novel out there.

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