10 Cutest Toy Animals Rated for Pretend Play

by Joost Nusselder Updated on: March 23, 2023

Children and animals, it is a fantastic combination. Nothing is as fun as taking the kids for a day at the petting zoo or zoo.

And to see how they interact with our fellow residents on this planet.

Children can also be entertained for hours at home with toys animals. From the first bear hug, a child likes to play with animals.

This is a very nice toy and very suitable as gifts for children. Here we have made a selection of the nicest animal toys.

It is nice for children to have toys with which they can make up stories.

That's why toy animals are so much fun. Children love to interact with nature and create their own world with all kinds of animal figures.

To help you a little, I have researched what is available and what the best products are for your child.

I looked at the quality of the toys, the educational value and of course the fun factor. That's why this play set from Smartmax with magnetic animals ABSOLUTELY the best set to grow with your child. From just grabbing to discovering how magnets work.

But of course there are more fun options, also for smaller children. Here's the best from the test, then I'll dig deeper into each of these choices:

Toy animals	Images
Cutest magnet animals: Smart Max Safari	(view more images)
Cutest animals for toddler and toddler: DUPLO My First Balancing Animals 10884	(view more images)
Cutest bumpy animal: BS Toys Appleround bump cow	(view more images)
Cutest animal farm: Fisher Price Little People	(view more images)
Cutest animals from 4 years: Playmobil Large farm 70132	(view more images)
Cutest little animals: Playmobil City Life rodent enclosure 9277	(view more images)
Cutest toy animal for 6 years and older: Teksta Robot Puppy	(view more images)
Cutest animals from 3 years: Schleich Wild Life set	(view more images)
Cutest animals from 2 years: Melissa & Doug Sounds Farm Animal Shape Puzzle	(view more images)
Cutest stacking animals: Goki wooden farm animals	(view more images)

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Cutest toy animals rated

Best magnet animals: Smartmax Safari

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What a cute set of animals this is. And one of my son's favorite toys. They are nice and soft made of safe silicone rubber so that they actually go well in the mouth from baby.

After that, they are still fun to buy because they can grow with your child in different age stages. 

For example, with 1,5 they can click apart and together a bit because the different parts can separate and mix and match (for example two heads at each end) and your child's hands are already strong enough to separate the magnets. to get.

A little older again and your child will understand that colors belong together and that they always want to put them together in the right way. And they are also always a favorite with a fun fantasy game that involves animals.

This cool playset immediately appealed to us because it is full of very happy animals with which a child can come up with very cozy adventures.

It is also an educational game and teaches your child about different animals and why it sticks together with magnets.

Furthermore, the play set stimulates the child's eye and hand coordination. So those are 3 great advantages in a row!

Nice toys from Smartmax which is definitely worth it.

I have reviewed this set a little more extensively in our article about the best magnetic toys

Cutest animals for toddlers and toddlers: DUPLO My First Balancing Animals – 10884

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The Duplo first animals is a very nice set for a creative play afternoon and certainly fun for different (young) ages.

At first you can of course make the animals on the picture, not too many blocks but a nice set for the young builders. 

Plus they can learn to balance as soon as they get a little older, so great to practice with!

As they get a little more creative they will also start mixing and matching the eyes and other pieces for strange combinations, sometimes even a three-headed monstrosity!

But a cute one :)

Cutest bumpy animal: BS Toys Appleround bumpy cow

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Suitable for outside but also very nice for inside, this bumpy cow from BS Toys is easy to inflate and nice and bouncy!

BS Toys has a lot of fun toys and they mainly focus on outdoor play toys, we have seen before a nice octopus for outside on the garden hose treated by them. This bumpy cow is inflatable and therefore also suitable for outdoor use, but it is also just fine for indoor use.

It is great fun for children from about one and a half to three to sit on and bump around and every now and then when my son watches TV he likes to grab it and just sit on it.  

It is very easy to inflate with a nozzle at the bottom and actually since we got it, we only had to inflate once more and that was actually because it had been outside for a while, so it is hardly necessary at all .

It looks very nice in the room and it is nice to drag along and to bump into rows every now and then. And what I like most is that he's just standing there.  

There are all books in which also cows occur and then he recognizes it and then says "cow" and then he immediately sits on it!

A very nice and sturdy rocking cow for those who have a rocking horse want alternative.

Cutest animal farm: Fisher-Price Little People

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The Little People series from Fisher-Price is great fun for children because of the cute designs, cheerful colors and soft dolls to play with.

The farm animals appealed to us the most to be able to learn animals and their sounds and to play with them for hours.

A very nice farm set with soft dolls like the farmer with a chicken, and they are all soft animals.  

They are made of rubber with a hole as an opening and can therefore easily be bathed or as a toy in the shower be used if you want.  

There is really everything such as grain that they can play with that really rotates and a faantje that can rotate so always nice to put the farmer on it of course who can stand on it.  

There is also a nice door where the animals can slide down with a kind of slide underneath. The moment an animal hits the platform, it will make a noise.  

There are many different sounds in it, but at a certain point you get a bit fed up, at least I as a parent, but not my son as a child, he just keeps on going.  

There are quite a few different sounds and each animal actually comes along so your little one can also play along with what the animal wants.  

For example, at a certain point he says that the cows must be in the stable with a warm blanket over it and so you can take care of the cows and everything has a door where the animals can enter in their coop or some of the hay that is included. to do.

Furthermore, the doors open automatically when you press the button and there is also a button for the hen and her chicks to emerge from under the eggs.  

And of course the farm bell that indicates dinner time.  

A very nice set for a lot of fantasy play and the beauty of it is that it can close and with the handle it is easy to carry for hours of fun.

Cutest animals from 4 years: Playmobil Large farm 70132

Large farm playset from Playmobil with many country farm animals and a silo.

The Playmobil Big Farm playset not only looks great, but also offers a lot of options to the child who will play with it.

It teaches your child in a very playful way to know different animals and how to deal with animals.

From taking care of the animals to feeding the animals and even cleaning the pens.

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Numerous animal adventures

The playset has all the attributes your child needs to make up and experience countless stories and adventures.

It contains all kinds of animals that you can encounter on the farm and many other nice pieces that should not be missing on the farm.

This absolutely stimulates the child's imagination. You will be amazed when you hear them play or maybe laugh very loudly, because children are very creative in their thinking and make up the funniest stories.

A real farm

Your child can build his own farm with this playset, because the pieces are loose. This allows a nice creation to be made.

The child can decide for himself how the farm should be arranged. This is extremely suitable for promoting the spatial insight and creativity of the child.

And because the pieces are easy to assemble and disassemble, something new can be made every time.

That never gets boring! No wonder the set is perfect for the age group 4 - 10 years.

Here's Play with Me with a big farm demo:

Allow your child to fully empathize

For parents who may be planning a trip to a real farm, this is a welcome solution.

Except that for such a trip you have to take into account the standard stuff, the playset can certainly help to prepare your child for the visit itself.

Especially if it is their first time, as a parent you want to be well prepared for the day.

Small children can become more fearful of animals that are bigger than them or that they have never seen in real life.

With the set they get to know the different animals in advance and what they can possibly expect.

What to expect in the fun Playmobil Large farm package

Because the Playmobil Large petting zoo can be used in such a variety of ways and is particularly affordable and fun in almost every way, we think it is a fantastic example of toy animals.

We said we are very satisfied with the price of this product as you actually get a lot more than just a few game pieces.

This is the reason why it is our preference.

Here we will go a little deeper into this fun package, so that you as a parent know exactly what to expect when you purchase it.

We have ours, by the way just bought here.

Nice game pieces with many details

The playset has no less than 74 pieces to play with. From animals to trellises and straw, but also fun tools and figures are part of the set.

The dolls have 'handy hands' with which they can easily hold a bag of food and feed the animals, because you can also move their arms and legs.

The dolls are nicely dressed and all have a cheerful face that automatically makes you happy.

The animals look just as cute, are portrayed very realistically and are made in good proportions to the other pieces.

Made of solid material

As a parent, it is certainly important to know what material the toy is made of.

The playing pieces in the playset are made of durable plastic. That means that they last a long time, because plastic does not break easily.

A big advantage of plastic toys is that it weighs less than, for example, wood.

Anyone who has more than one child in the house knows from experience that sheep and rabbits can sometimes 'fly' and end up on the little brother's or sister's head. In that respect, we think plastic toys are a lot safer.

The maintenance of plastic toys is also easy.

For example, you can easily put all the toy animals in a bucket of soapy water, rinse with clean water and your toy animals are as good as new.

In short, toys made of plastic have many advantages that the average parent can agree on.

Cheerful fresh colors and easy to handle

The colors used are very fresh and you can assume that the colors are colourfast.

As long as you neatly store the game pieces in the appropriate box after playing, the color will certainly be preserved for a long time.

It is not recommended to leave the pieces in the sun or rain.

What we also found important in this choice is that the toys are very easy to handle.

The toy animals work without batteries or charger or cables. The child can therefore play with it anytime and anywhere.

Pay attention to safety with the small pieces

The game pieces are quite small. Although the age category indicates that the toy is suitable for 4 years upwards, it is still recommended that as a parent you should definitely keep an eye on the younger siblings because of the risk of ingestion.

Cutest small animals: Playmobil City Life rodent enclosure 9277

The play set with the farm toy animals is perfect to give as a gift.

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If one playset is not enough for you, you could also expand with the PLAYMOBIL rodent set with outdoor run.

With this you get even more fence and figures and accessories with which stories can be played.

For a very pleasant price you will make your child's niece or nephew or classmate completely happy with these beautiful toy animals.

Cutest toy animal for 6 years and older: Teksta robot puppy

For our number 1 robot animal we chose the Teksta Robot Puppy. Especially because the dog can do so many funny things.

It is a hip toy animal that children of this time will really like.

And who does not like a (robot) dog? Yes, everyone! You do not have to walk or bathe or feed this dog.

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Such an electronic pet has many advantages. Read on for the cool details.

The Teksta Robotic Puppy 5.0 is the latest generation of robot toys. My first thoughts on this $80 plastic dog that drools and you need to train was, that's a lot of money!

When you start playing, the first thing you do is download an app. There is no instruction and some users indicate that the beginning can be quite difficult, but fortunately there are a lot of Youtube videos with explanations.

Once you learn how to train him you can have a lot of fun with the Robotic Puppy, although I think 6 above all, you are helping a lot and it is perfect for ages 7-10.

Here is Eveline Maureen reviewing him with her daughter:

As a parent, I love that it teaches kids patience and that they should take the time to train their puppy. You get to know your puppy through his expression the more you play.

The hand gestures work very well. Build quality seemed very good (this was an issue in previous versions). You can feed your puppy with the bone that comes with him or play with him with the ball that is also included.

The puppy does have some trouble walking and sitting on rugs, but works well on wooden floors, but some parents are concerned that he could damage the floor with the flips so that might be something to watch out for.

Considering that a new video game often costs around $60, the cost of the puppy isn't that high when you put it into perspective, especially for a interactive toys that respond to voice, hand and the app.

He has eye patterns that light up in different colors and you learn how Teksta feels, knows when he's hungry, wants to play or just wants your loving attention.

It's a great toy for any child who longs for their own puppy and has the patience to start training, which is really easy if you follow the video instructions.

Also read: Transporting nice animals with these toy tractors

What else you should know

The robot dog is quite on the pricey side, but for such an advanced toy this is the right price range.

Cutest animals from 3 years: Schleich Wild Life set

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Beautifully finished Schleich Wild Life set consisting of 4 cute animals: a lion, a baby elephant, a monkey and a zebra.

Here RaceToyTime shows many more animals from the Wild Life set:

Best from 2 years old: Melissa & Doug sounds farm animal shapes puzzle  

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Wooden buttons puzzle with sound. The puzzle has 8 pieces in the shape of different types of animals.

If you place the right animal in the right place, the board will make the corresponding animal sound.

Best stackable animals: Goki wooden farm animals

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They are actually just farm animals made of wood, but they can do much more than that.

In the beginning it seems a bit minimalistic, because the wooden animals are actually flat, they only have two legs, but this also offers a lot of extra possibilities.

They can always participate in fun fantasy play, for example along with the Little People farm or other playsets you may already have.

Or, as my son often does, run them over. Ah yes, boys?

But you can also stack them perfectly!

I'm not sure if the makers intended it that way, you sometimes see specific sets made for stacking, but one of the best things about these wooden animals is to stack them.

Quite a tricky game!

Frequently asked questions about animal toys

Why do children love animals so much in stories and toys?

This is because the world of animals is an instinctive place for children to explore, because it is so tangible.

Another reason psychologists believe that children are so fascinated with animals is that children have an innate desire to understand their ever-expanding world and animals are a big part of that.

How do you teach children about animals?

There are several things you can do to teach children about animals:

1. Get a pet. There is nothing like direct contact with animals to help children feel comfortable with them.
2. Talk about the animals in books and on TV or a kid-friendly iPad. If you see animals in television shows and movies, point them out to your kids.
3. Take trips to zoos, parks and farms (like this nice one).
4. Visit animal welfare centers such as Pieterburen.
5. Have fun and educational toys and with animals as we discuss in this article.

From what age should a child know animal sounds?

Most children start speaking their first word after 12-14 months. By 18 months, they have increased their expressive vocabulary to about 20 words.

Of those 20 words, there may also be some or a large portion of sounds (such as animal sounds or car sounds), names, food, verbs, etc.

Then they begin to learn more and more words or animal sounds to learn.

Conclusion

So you see that there are different options for the suitable toy animals.

And the things you should pay attention to when choosing the toys are also important.

Every parent has almost a different view and what he or she finds primarily important about a toy.

One thing is certain for us and that is that toys do not have to be approached that complicated.

The first thing that applies is: how does your child react to the toy? Is he having fun and having fun with it?

That was or has always been the real purpose of toys? Have fun!

In addition to the fun and safety, you can then look at the educational value of the toys and the interests of your child.

If you have something extra to the toy that you choose for your child, then it is certainly included.

Because it not only gives your child endless fun and enjoyment, but it teaches them to interact with animals in a playful way.

It also stimulates their thinking and the motor skills of their hands and eyes.

Furthermore, the playset is a good preparation for that one trip to the real petting zoo or for when you would consider taking a rabbit or guinea pig into your home.

And this applies to almost all toy animals. Let your child play with all kinds of animal figures, such as our number 3 in the list above, the Wild Life animal set from Schleich. A very nice brand.

We have also written about it before with the best toy dinosaurs.

With this they will explore and discover the world around them in a playful way. They cannot learn early enough that we are not walking this planet alone.

You can read more about this fun DUPLO Safari packages for even more animal fun!

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.