🥩 Dinosaur Diets
Herbivores · Carnivores · Omnivores · Teeth & clues · Grades 1–5
🌿 Herbivores (Plant Eaters)
TriceratopsUsed its beak to snip plants and flat teeth to grind them — like a built-in food processor
Brachiosaurus50 feet tall! Ate from the tops of trees like a giant giraffe — consumed ~400 lbs of plants daily
StegosaurusHad a tiny mouth and small, leaf-shaped teeth for munching ferns and low plants
Clue: flat teethHerbivores had flat, wide teeth designed for grinding and crushing plant material
🥩 Carnivores (Meat Eaters)
T. RexKing of carnivores — had 60 teeth up to 12 inches long and a bite force of 12,800 pounds!
VelociraptorSmall but deadly — used a 3-inch curved claw on each foot to slash prey. Hunted in packs
SpinosaurusLargest carnivorous dinosaur (bigger than T. Rex!) — ate fish and had crocodile-like jaws
Clue: sharp teethCarnivores had sharp, serrated teeth like steak knives — plus forward-facing eyes for tracking prey
🥗 Omnivores (Both!)
Ornithomimus'Bird mimic' — fast runner with no teeth, used its beak to eat plants, insects, and small animals
OviraptorDespite its name ('egg thief'), it ate a mixed diet of plants, eggs, and small creatures
GallimimusOstrich-like dino that ate whatever it could find — plants, insects, and small lizards
Clue: mixed teethOmnivores often had a mix of tooth types or beak-like mouths adapted for varied diets
🎯 Quiz Time!
⭐ 0Q 1/4
Understanding Dinosaur Diets
One of the most fascinating ways to study dinosaurs is through their diets. By examining fossilized teeth, jaw structure, and even coprolites (fossilized dino poop!), paleontologists can determine what different dinosaurs ate. This connects life science, adaptation, and the fossil record.
This interactive tool sorts dinosaurs by diet type — herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore — with real examples and physical clues. A quiz reinforces key concepts. Great for grades 1–5 and aligned with NGSS life science standards.
Last reviewed: April 2026
🌟 Keep Exploring