Definitely Dinosaurs: The Playskool Toy Line Built for Prehistoric Adventures

A dinosaur line made for actual play

Playskool introduced Definitely Dinosaurs in 1987 for younger children. The figures favored sturdy construction, bold colors and approachable sculpts over delicate realism. They were meant to be handled, hauled outside and sent crashing through whatever prehistoric landscape a child could build.

That durability is a major reason so many loose examples still survive. Even heavily played-with dinosaurs often retain the shape, texture and personality that made the line distinctive.

Dinosaurs, Cavesters and a world of their own

Many sets paired a dinosaur with one or more small prehistoric human figures commonly known as Cavesters. Saddles or harnesses let the characters ride the larger animals, while included storybooks helped turn a shelf of separate creatures into a shared adventure world.

The premise was fantasy rather than paleontology—humans and dinosaurs did not live together—but that was precisely the point. Definitely Dinosaurs was built around imaginative play, not museum accuracy.

How to recognize an original figure

Playskool gave the line a distinctive dinosaur-shaped authenticity mark molded into the figures. Collector identification should still go beyond one mark: check the molded manufacturer and date information, compare the colors and sculpt, and confirm that any rider or accessory actually belongs with that animal.

• Look underneath the body and along the legs for molded marks.
• Check moving jaws, limbs and necks for cracks or looseness.
• Match saddles, harnesses and Cavesters to documented sets.
• Treat a molded date as evidence—not automatic proof of the exact retail year.

What completeness means to collectors

A loose dinosaur can be a satisfying display piece by itself, but complete sets may also include a named Cavester, riding equipment, a storybook and original packaging. Those smaller parts are easier to lose, so they can matter disproportionately when comparing examples.

Do not let completeness hide condition problems. A clean loose figure with strong color and intact moving parts can be a better purchase than a nominally complete set with splits, deep chew marks or damaged joints.

Why Definitely Dinosaurs still works

The line sits in a sweet spot between educational dinosaur models and character-driven action figures. Its creatures look believable enough to feel prehistoric, yet friendly and rugged enough to invite play. For adults who grew up with them, the appeal is immediate: these were dinosaurs you could actually take on an adventure.

For a new collector, the smartest starting point is the dinosaur you remember—or the sculpt that stops you in your tracks. Learn that set, identify what originally came with it and expand deliberately from there.