How to build a magnetic tile T-rex

A big square body balanced on its corner, a boxy head that tips up to roar, a row of spikes and a tail that sticks out behind. The T-rex is the dinosaur every kid asks for, and with 45 tiles it is built in about half an hour.

Tiles
45
Level
Hard
Ages
6+
Time
30–40 minutes

Last updated

A T-rex built from 45 magnet tiles

Drag to turn it

Every tile in place 45 of 45

Step by step

  1. Tiles 1–8

    Make the body and feet

    Stand two large squares on their corners, one square behind the other, each on two green right triangles that act as feet. Join the two sides with two squares across the lower edges.

  2. Tiles 9–13

    Add the chest

    On each side, snap a square and a triangle onto the front upper edge. A third square under the chest ties the two sides together.

  3. Tiles 14–21

    Build the head

    Stand two large squares as the sides of the head, with six squares between them: two underneath, two at the snout and two on top. It is open at the back, and it tips up a little.

  4. Tiles 22–28

    Raise the back and neck

    Lean a tall triangle up the back of the body on each side, with a square on the short edge of each and one more square across the top. Hang a green tall triangle from the back of the head on each side as the neck.

  5. Tiles 29–40

    Add the spikes and the arms

    Snap three small triangles along the back on each side for spikes, then three at the chest on each side for the little arms.

  6. Tiles 41–45

    Swing out the tail

    Fit a square and two triangles at the root of the tail, then a green tall triangle on each side pointing back.

The 3D guide above places every one of the 45 tiles in this order. In the app it also counts your tiles, swaps in the colors you own and shows the T-rex on your table in AR.

Tips

Make your T-rex even better

Build one side, then the other

Both sides of the T-rex are the same, so build one side first and copy it, one tile at a time.

Balance matters

It stands on four small feet and has a heavy head. Build on a hard, flat table and set it down gently.

Swap the colors

Green and purple are only a suggestion. Try a body in one color and the spikes in another.

A dinosaur world

Add trees from flat green triangles and a few rocks from squares for a prehistoric scene.

Questions

About the magnetic tile T-rex

How many magnetic tiles do you need to build a T-rex?

This T-rex takes 45 tiles: 16 triangles, 15 squares, 6 tall triangles, 4 right triangles and 4 large squares.

What age is this T-rex for?

It is one of the harder builds because the body stands on its corner, best from about six, or younger with a grown-up. Each step places a single tile, so it is easy to stop and carry on later.

Will it work with my magnetic tiles?

It needs 16 triangles and 4 large squares, and some boxes hold fewer, so check your set first. Magitile does it for you and shows what your tiles can build.

Can the T-rex stand up on its own?

Yes, on a hard, flat surface. It stands on four small right-triangle feet, so build it on a table or a wooden floor and not on a rug.

Build the T-rex with Magitile

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