Dinosaurs may have died out several millennia ago, but they remain brilliant – whether you’re a child or a parent. Dinosaur Mix is the latest app tapping into this well-known fact.

Released by developer Cowly Owl – which also made the marvellous Makego and Little Digits apps – this is an iPhone and iPad app that gets children to make their own prehistoric creatures.

“Mix and swap body parts then see it come to life. Explore the world, let out a roar and find eggs to change your dinosaur’s appearance,” explains its App Store listing.

“Mix up the body, head, tail and legs from a Tyrannosaurus, Spinosaurus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus and Brachiosaurus into many combinations.”

We love the fact that the dinosaurs are so colourful in Dinosaur Mix. Science tells us that… well, nobody’s quite sure what colour the real dinosaurs were, and while they tend to get portrayed as brown or greenish in modern times, we like the idea of them being much more flamboyant.

Once your children have created a dinosaur, they can lead it around the forest or volcanic plains, finding the right food to give it a tasty snack (don’t worry: no violent scenes).

Dinosaur Mix costs £1.99 for iPhone and iPad on Apple’s App Store, with no in-app purchases included.

Read about more dinosaur apps for kids on Apps Playground, and check out our 100 Best iPad Apps of 2013 e-book – £1.99 from Apple’s iBooks Store