Port Lympne Dinosaur Forest

We recently visited Port Lympne Wildlife Reserve and I was prepared to enjoy seeing the animals and the safari, I wasn't prepared for how good their 'Dinosaur Forest' would be.  For four children who all love dinosaurs (Cora may not be talking but give her a toy dinosaur and she knows to start roaring) it was fantastic.  As the UK's biggest outdoor dinosaur exhibition it was bigger and better than any of the ones we have previously visited.

You walk through the forest following a path that traces the different eras of dinosaurs so you can really see how they have evolved.  What made this brilliant for young children is how hands on it is.  Whilst there are signs asking you not to climb on the dinosaurs, you are able to touch them, walk around them and study the different features.  It is so much more interactive and that is perfect for these four explorers.  Port Lympne have designed it so well with plenty of information one each one and even my non-reader could understand some of it.

Each dinosaur's weight is compared to other animals and you can see that it weighs 15 rhinos or something similar by the 15 pictures of rhinos in the box.  The boys loved counting and comparing as they walked round and Dylan could read them more of the information too.

There are dinosaurs in the trees up high, tiny ones on the floor and some where even the tallest of my boys barely reached his knee.  There was so much to see and I know if we were to return, this is what they would most like to see. Towards the end of the exhibit there were dinosaurs that you could climb on/in which was fun and made a great picture too!

I have written already about our experience at Port Lympne and about staying overnight at Bear Lodge but I really wanted to share how impressed we were with the Dinosaur Forest too.

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What The Boys Wore - Dinosaurs (H&M)

When Finn was still tiny and staying in special care, I popped out the hospital for a couple of hours to do something 'normal' with my big boys.  We went for a lovely lunch and then to the shops as we had bought Finn clothes anticipating a big baby, and the dinky seven pound bundle we were handed was drowned in everything we had ready.

I asked Dylan which sleepsuits we should buy for his baby brother, and he looked at my choices dismissively before announcing ' the baby won't like those, he wants dinosaurs!'.  Finding Dinosaurs on newborn clothing is not all that easy, but we managed it thanks to h&m, and we ended up picking up something for the big two as well (Dylan chose all three of these items).  

Dylan's T-Rex top is sweatshirt material and says T-Rex down the black arm.  It goes straight back on the moment it comes out the wash and is definitely his favourite top.

Archie's hoodie is age 2-4 and somehow we find H&M clothing does fit for the full 2 years.  The boys love telling us what each dinosaur is called and it seems to go with everything too.

Finn's romper is part of a 2 pack, but this is definitely our favourite of the two.  He is only just outgrowing it at 12 weeks, despite it being 0-1 month and Dylan loves seeing Finn in the clothes that he chose for him.

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'To Dinosaur'

My son has a ferocious appetite. . . for milk, for breakfast, for dinner, for kisses and for toys, and it is not just children that make up words.  The Bloke has recently created the verb 'to dinosaur' to describe how Dylan growls as he face-dives at whatever it is he is after.


The phrase 'Dylan is dinosauring' is most commonly used when he notices someone's hands.  He has a real fascination with hands- more specifically, exploring them with his gums. I have never seen someone more desperate to have something than when he is eyeing up my fingers!


I understand that babies love to explore with their mouths but I never expected the salivating as he takes it in, the look in his eyes as he wonders whether it will fit in his mouth (and he is very ambitious- the sofa, a leg, the bumbo) and then with a long line of dribble pouring out his mouth he literally face-dives at whatever it is he wants.


My little Dylasaurus is currently 'dinosauring' a microphone on his baby bouncer acting like he hasn't been fed in months!

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