Stomping Around Reading: A Free Dino Adventure for the Kids

This summer, Reading town centre has gone thoroughly prehistoric. The Reading Dino Trail runs from Friday 25th July to Sunday 23rd August 2026, and it is completely free to take part. Nineteen giant dinosaurs, built entirely from toy bricks, are hidden across indoor venues and outdoor spaces throughout the town, from a towering stegosaurus made of 180,000 bricks to a collection of much smaller, much cuter baby dinos.

We decided to make a day of it, and it turned out to be an easy and very enjoyable free day out.

Getting there

Reading is well connected, so there are plenty of ways to arrive. We parked at the Oracle, which has convenient Drive In Drive Out parking right in the middle of everything, but there are several other car parks around the town centre too, including Broad Street Mall.

If you’d rather leave the car at home, the bus is a great option. Reading Buses run frequently into the town centre, and throughout August 2026, children aged 5 to 15 can travel free on participating local bus services as part of a national scheme running from 1st to 31st August. It’s worth checking with your bus operator which routes are included.

Once you are there, the trail map is easy to get hold of; pick one up from right next to the dinosaurs at the Oracle. It’s a lovely spot to start, and while you are there it’s worth grabbing a coffee or a bite to eat. Several places around Reading are advertising children eat free this summer (terms and conditions apply so worth checking before you order).

We picked up our trail map and set off. It’s an easy trail to follow for all ages, with the map guiding you clearly from one dinosaur to the next, so you are never quite sure which corner the next one will be round. It took us just over an hour to find half of the dinosaurs, weaving in and out of shops and squares as we went. The whole trail is buggy friendly, which made a real difference with little ones in tow, and there is no reason you need to do it all in one visit. We are already planning to come back another day to track down the rest; splitting it across two shorter outings suited us far better than trying to rush round in one go.

Along the way we picked up some brilliant dinosaur facts too, it turned the trail into a proper little learning adventure without ever feeling like hard work.

What struck us most was the sheer detail in each model. Every dinosaur is made entirely from toy bricks, and some of the larger ones took a team of four builders more than 400 hours each to construct! Standing next to them, you really appreciate the scale of the work that’s gone in.

Along the way, independent businesses across Reading are giving away free dinosaur trading cards; there are 25 to collect in total. We picked ours up simply by popping into a couple of shops as we passed.

There is also a competition running alongside the trail. Hidden letters are tucked among some of the dinosaurs, and once you have found them all, you can piece together a mystery phrase and enter online for a chance to win some dino-mite prizes. Full details and the entry link are on the What’s On Reading Dino Trail page.

We had a genuinely great time. It’s free, it’s flexible, it’s easy to follow whatever the age of your children, and there’s enough going on to fill a day or split across two. If you are looking for something to do with the family this summer that won’t cost you a penny, the Reading Dino Trail is well worth the trip.

Where: Reading Dino Trail

When: 25th July – 23rd August 2026, Reading Town centre

Cost Free to take part

More info and competition entry: whatsonreading.com