T-Rex Linen Dinosaur Toy

T-Rex — the smallest of the four, which is exactly why he gets taken everywhere

A hand-finished linen dinosaur, 19cm long and 16cm tall — the most compact of the set by a clear margin. He is the one that goes in the changing bag without an argument, the one that fits in a coat pocket on a pram walk, and therefore the one most likely to be there when he is actually needed.

🦣 Small enough to come too

Every parent learns that the favourite toy and the toy you can carry are rarely the same object. T-Rex is both. At 19 x 16cm he takes up about as much room as a paperback, so he comes to the shops, to the grandparents', to the appointment where you need something to hand over fast.

🦖 And he is still a T-Rex, which matters more than you would think

Of the four, this is the one a toddler names first and asks for by name. Stegosaurus and Brontosaurus come later; every small child knows a T-Rex. If the dinosaur is being bought for a child who has already discovered dinosaurs rather than a baby who hasn't, he is the one that lands.

🧶 Linen, which is not what most baby toys are made of

Most soft toys at this age are synthetic plush. Linen is a different thing in the hand — smooth, dry, with a faint grain, and it softens every time it is washed rather than matting the way fur does. It is also why he looks like something a grown-up chose rather than something that came free with a magazine.

What we like about it

• The smallest of the four at 19 x 16 x 6cm — the changing-bag one
• The dinosaur every child can name, which matters once they are old enough to ask
• Linen rather than synthetic plush — softens with washing instead of matting
• Hand finished, so each one has its own character
• Light enough to hold up at arm's length without complaint
• Suitable from birth and still wanted at four
• No batteries, no sound, nothing to switch off

Specification

• Suitable from: birth
• Size: 19 x 16 x 6cm
• Materials: linen, hand finished
• Safety: UKCA and CE marked
• Care: hand wash only. Do not bleach, do not tumble dry, do not iron
• Designed in: the UK by ThreadBear Design

❓ Frequently asked questions

Linen — is it actually soft enough for a newborn?
It is soft, but it is not fluffy, and it is worth knowing the difference before you buy. Linen is smooth and dry to the touch with a slight grain, where plush is deep and furry. Plenty of babies prefer it — it doesn't cling to a damp face the way synthetic fur does — and it gets softer with every wash rather than going matted. But if you are picturing something fluffy, picture linen instead.

Hand wash only, on a toy for a newborn?
Yes, and that is the honest trade-off for linen. Hand wash only, no bleach, no tumble dry, no iron. In practice: a bowl of warm water with a little non-bio, a gentle squeeze rather than a wring, dried flat away from a radiator. Linen dries quickly, so it is less of a chore than it sounds — but if you want something machine washable, our Nattou cuddly toys go in at 30.

Is he too small to be the main present?
He is the smallest of the four, so if you want the one with presence on a shelf, that is Bronty at 26cm tall. T-Rex is the one you buy because it will actually leave the house.

Does he make any noise?
No rattle, no squeaker, no crinkle. A quiet toy, which some parents are actively looking for by the third month.

Is he a good gift?
Yes, and a particularly good second gift — the small thing alongside something bigger. He is also the easiest of the four to post.

🦖 Which linen dinosaur?

Four of them, all linen, all hand finished, all from birth. They differ by shape, and the shape is what decides which one suits:

• T-Rex — this one. 19 x 16 x 6cm. The smallest of the four, so the one that travels, and the one a child can name.
• Bronty the Brontosaurus — 20 x 26 x 6cm. The tall one, by a long way, with a long neck that works as a handle.
• Steggy the Stegosaurus — 25 x 13 x 6cm. The longest and lowest, so the only one that lies flat. Best for the youngest babies.
• Trike the Triceratops — 24 x 12 x 7cm. The deepest and so the chunkiest to hold, with three horns to grab.

More dinosaurs elsewhere in the shop: the Dino Surprise Puzzle with six eggs to open, Never Touch a Dinosaur! for a touch-and-feel read, and the Happy Stacking Dinosaurs in wood.

See the whole range in our ThreadBear Design collection, or more cuddly toys.

Safety information

Adult supervision recommended. Inspect the seams and stitching regularly and stop using the toy if anything is coming loose.

Our guides to when soft toys and comforters are safe to introduce and the best toys for babies under 6 months go into more detail.

❤️ From our family to yours

Carefully chosen products for babies, toddlers and parents. Browse more cuddly toys and the rest of the ThreadBear Design range — free UK delivery on orders over £25.