Trike Linen Dinosaur Toy

Trike the Triceratops — the chunkiest of the four to get hold of

A hand-finished linen dinosaur, 24cm long, 12cm tall and 7cm deep. That 7cm is the number that matters: Trike is the thickest of the four through the body, which makes him the most satisfying of the set to actually grip. A flat toy is easy to pick up; a deep one is easy to hold on to.

🦏 Three horns, which is three things to grab

Two over the eyes and one on the nose, plus the frill behind the head. For a baby working out how to get hold of something, that is four separate handles on a toy that is otherwise a smooth shape — and horns are the bit a toddler reaches for first when a dinosaur becomes a character rather than a cuddle.

🧶 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 to it, and it softens every time it is washed rather than matting the way fur does. It is also why Trike looks like something a grown-up chose rather than something that came free with a magazine.

🧩 From birth, and still there at four

Suitable from birth, which for a newborn means something to be shown and held against. From about four months he becomes something to grab — and being the chunkiest, he is the one a hand closes around most easily. From eighteen months or so he becomes a character in a game, which is when a dinosaur really earns its keep.

What we like about it

• The deepest of the four at 7cm through the body — the easiest to keep hold of
• Three horns and a frill, so four separate things for a hand to find
• Linen rather than synthetic plush — softens with washing instead of matting
• Hand finished, so each one has its own character
• 24 x 12 x 7cm, so substantial without being unwieldy
• Suitable from birth and still wanted at four
• No batteries, no sound, nothing to switch off

Specification

• Suitable from: birth
• Size: 24 x 12 x 7cm
• 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.

Are the horns hard?
No — they are soft linen, stuffed like the rest of him. They hold their shape enough to be grabbable without being anything you would mind a baby rolling onto.

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?
One of the better ones at this price, because he doesn't look like it. Linen and a hand finish read as considered, he is suitable from birth so there is no waiting, and dinosaurs carry a child from the cot to primary school.

🦖 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:

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

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.