Plush figure:Littlefoot from The Land before Time

What is it about dinosaurs that so enthrall children? Is it that dinosaurs are so big? Or that they are extinct? Maybe it is that many have been portrayed as such ferocious beings? Some parents notice that their children have an abiding fascination for dinosaurs, devotedly classifying every period of the earth's history and memorizing every impossible-to-pronounce dinosaur name associated with it. Children learn by heart each detail of a dinosaur's habitat and diet, its mortal enemies, and its demise. In a battle between any two dinosaurs, a young enthusiast can pick the winner and even predict the when and where of the death blow. Some child specialists suggest that kids are attracted to dinosaurs because they are so big�bigger even than adults. That dinosaurs are extinct may also appeal to children. Even if they are scary, they are safe: there is zero chance of one lurking in the closet or under the bed at night. Some specialists think it is the dinosaurs' power and ferocity that attracts children. Youngsters appreciate the power they do not have. Other specialist speculate that young paleontologists recognize the fierceness and aggression of the beasts which they struggle with themselves. Or maybe kids like dinosaurs because a fantastic T-Rex, Apatosaurus, and Velociraptor so easily fit into their make-believe worlds.