When we think of dinosaurs, we tend to imagine the largest of them: the ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex with its razor-sharp teeth, the Triceratops with its huge, pointed horns and the Brachiosaurus, who could send a human flying with a sweep of its long tail. But not all dinosaurs were big and scary - in fact some of them were really quite cute. Let’s take a look at the eight friendliest dinosaurs to have walked the earth. 

Scutellosaurus

Living around 200 million years ago in modern-day America, Scutellosaurus was fairly small (for a dinosaur), growing no more than two metres in length and weighing around 10kg. This herbivore was a docile, social animal that spent its time nibbling on vegetation and avoiding predators.

Compsognathus

While Compsognathus was a carnivore, it was only the size of a turkey, meaning it wouldn’t have posed much of a threat to humans. One of the tiniest dinosaurs to have existed, it only reached 70cm in length and weighed roughly 3kg - about the same as a small cat. 

Shuuvia

Another of the miniature dinosaurs, Shuuvia lived in the desert around 80 million years ago and only grew to about 60cm long. It’s thought to have been rather fluffy with a coat made of small, feather-like structures, and probably ate termites.

Stegosaurus

Stegosaurus is thought to have been a gentle giant. Despite its heavy build and the large plates on its back, it was a peaceful, social animal that moved slowly and generally took little notice of others unless threatened. 

Yi

Another small, feathered dinosaur, Yi qi (pronounced ‘ee chee’) lived in modern-day China in the Middle Jurassic period. It had bat-like wings but is no relation of today’s birds or bats, making it something of an anomaly. It’s thought to have weighed less than 400g  - around the same as a can of baked beans.

Europasaurus

Not all sauropods were house-sized like Diplodocus. Europasaurus was a dwarf sauropod, measuring up to six metres in length (compared to Diplodocus’ 26 metres). This Late Jurassic dinosaur lived on a small island cut off from the European mainland, meaning it had access to limited resources and never grew any bigger. 

Aquilops

Discovered in the late 1990s in America, Aquilops was a tiny ancestor of Triceratops. It was about the same size and weight as a large rabbit and is thought to have been something of a fussy eater, browsing a limited selection of plants. 

Tethyshadros

Another example of ‘insular dwarfism’, Tethyshadros evolved on an island that could only support a limited population of small dinosaurs. This duck-billed creature grew to about four metres and lived in what is now northeast Italy, eating plants and shrubs.  

Discover dinosaurs near you

Whether you prefer friendly dinosaurs or the fiercest of them, you can discover a selection of the most intriguing by searching ‘family theatre near me’. Dinosaur World Live is touring the UK and Ireland from February, introducing kids to prehistoric favourites and less known dinos alike. As one of the best family shows in the UK for dino-mad children, it’s perfect for shorter attention spans, being just 55 minutes long with no interval. Search ‘family show near me’ and book tickets at your local theatre.