STEPPING back in time at the Jurassic Kingdom event currently on at Temple Newsam in Leeds, it is almost impossible not to hum the theme for Jurassic Park as you walk through the arch into fields full of dinosaurs, writes Damian Holmes.

The spectacle is pretty amazing, and for younger members of the family, more than a little bit scarey – at least at first.

The oohs and ahhhs of delight were initially at least mingled with the cautious sounds of toddlers assessing the situation, and one or two bursting into tears.

Our own three-year-old Jurassic explorer was reluctant to go too close to the first two or three dinosaurs we encountered on our expedition, particularly when they moved and roared, but the awe and wonder of seeing these beasts in the flesh – or at least as close as we ever will – soon overcame the trepidation (along with the promise of an ice cream at the end!).

But the delight on the vast majority of young visitors faces was plain to see, and the technical wizardry on display here is certainly very impressive.

Visitors follow a fairly linear path (although there is some scope to explore your own way) around fields, wooded areas, and a river bank, seeing a vast array of dinosaurs from different periods, including a Dimetrodon, an Apatosaurus and raptors.

The most impressive appear at the end when the huge Tyrannosarus Rex and less fearsome but equally impressive Brachiosaurus loom into view through the trees.

They all have various degrees of animated behaviour – including arms moving up and down, tails swaying side-to-side, heads moving up and down, eyes blinking and jaws opening wide with roaring sound effects.

There is of course, an educational element, with all of the installations explaining when the dinosaur portrayed lived and where traces of it had been found, along with an explanation of their Latin names. There is also a marquee showing films, which understandably seemed a bit less popular than the up-close-and-personal creatures outside, along with what is billed as T-Rex excavation scene, which doubled up as a sandpit for most of the young visitors.

But there is no doubt that it is the dinosaurs that are the thing – and this is a fantastic experience that offers the chance to get up close and personal with these ‘terrible lizards’.

Jurassic Kingdom is at Temple Newsam until 29 October.

Online prices are adult £11.50 and child £9.50. They are a little more on the gate, and family tickets and concessions are available. More details, go to http://www.jurassickingdom.uk/leeds/