The best animal toys to let their imagination run wild

How adorable is Waggles the Animagic dachshund? It walks and wags its tail - just like a real dog, plus it makes barking noises too. We certainly recommend this to dog lovers and households that can't have real pets.

One reviewer said: "When this gift was opened and used, the money paid was well worth it. To my niece, (4 years old) this dog is real. She walks it around like a living animal and loves it. For this reason alone, this product is excellent."

Perfect for expanding their imagination, this Littlest Pet Shop play set is packed with fun activities and accessories for your bobblin’ pets to enjoy. In the play set they'll find four different rooms ready to be customised with an aviary tower, rotating aquarium and terrarium. As well as the playset in the box, you'll find two pets, 20 accessories, a collectors card, and a coin with access to exclusive digital content.

He has 50 sounds and reactions, super soft fur and his mouth moves as he sucks his thumb and drinks his bottle. Our mum of two tester found her children loved this toy. "The Monkey really caught my children’s attention and they instantly loved playing with him. My daughter (16 months) was absolutely fascinated and loved being able to feed him with the bottle, cuddle him and got very excited when he made noises and interacted with her."

The monkey is squishy, soft and light in weight, making it easy for tots to carry him around and play with him on the go. "My Son (3 years) also loved playing with Mango Monkey, however with him being older in age he really engaged with all of the reactions and could understand how to feed, tickle and get the monkey to suckle with his mouth." Said our tester.

This product lends itself well by being able to be played with a variety of ages, with it being so interactive and cute it really draws children in to want to play. The hands and mouth are a rubber material which allows the product to be more hard wearing when being played with children. 
The monkey is operated by batteries in a battery pack at the back of the Monkey. "This is fastened by a Velcro strip, it is not very strong Velcro which allows the back to open up quite a lot. This could be a hazard to a child accessing batteries." Commented our tester.

Thanks to the carry handle, your little one can take this Playmobil Noah's Ark everywhere. The smooth surfaces and rounded edges make them safe for tots to hold. We love that there's built-in storage space (as the top lifts up) and that it floats on water, just like a real boat!

A reviewer said: "Bought this as a Christmas present for our little boy's first Christmas. It’s his favourite toy. It's very sturdy and none of the pieces are small enough as a choking hazard for him. He loves playing with it and loves that it can go in the bath too. He carries the giraffe everywhere with him. We will definitely be looking for more of the range for his birthday. It doesn’t take up too much space either."

Your little one can "make" their own toy with Cookeez Makery! Simply mix the ingredients to form a dough and pop it into the mould. Open the oven and find a freshly "baked", warm plush to play with. Magic!

A reviewer said: "My daughter absolutely loved baking her teddy treat! And was amazed when it baked and smelled amazing plus she still plays with the mini cooker, good value for money!"

This farm animal toy set from Fisher-Price comes with 5 figures and different accessories. It has interactive features such as lights, sounds and educational music - some sections that will even move around.

One reviewer said: "This Fisher Price Farm is an imaginative toy that will keep little ones entertained and keep them coming back to play again and again! Our 2-year-old grandson loves all of the different features like the stalls, bell, weather vain, feeding silo, the chute and the windows. Plus, there are animal noises and different smart stage sounds. Good value, as I’m sure it will last. "

Your baby can learn about the animals of the ocean as they stack up these sea creatures from Le Toy Van. We love them because they are durable and the colours aren't overly vivid, plus they help to develop their attention span and hand-eye coordination.

A review: "I bought this stacking set for my 1-year-old and he likes throwing them and putting them in/taking them out of the wood toy bin we have, but honestly, I LOVE them. I play with them every day. Not ashamed to say it, they are challenging and relaxing at the same time and my guests love trying them out too! I got both the forest set and the sea set. The size isn’t too small, even for my son who puts everything in his mouth, as long as you’re there with your kiddo you should be fine. The paint on the pieces is really nice as well, not too vivid, just a soft, non-toxic paint."

If your little one loves horses, they'll enjoy playing with this Schleich Pony Agility set and moving the figures through the course. Each piece has been modelled with the finest detail for a realistic finish.

One reviewer said: "Great quality as always. Realistic, and will allow me to use it with my toddler in a variety of ways, from open-ended free play into home-schooling. Worth the price when you know it will last years."

Learn through play with this Animals of Africa Lego Duplo set. It comes with a mat to put the toys on and they'll practise fine motor skills through simple building opportunities.

A happy parent review: "One of the very few toys my daughter still plays with (she's 20 months now). And trust me, she throws half of the things she gets into a box or everywhere but she is always holding the elephant or the giraffe. A good product!"

Squishmallows are loved by children and adults alike. Enos the leopard is a super tactile and squishy toy, made from ultra-soft material. If your little one wants to collect them, other options are available.

One reviewer put: "You open the package and you're immediately in love. The toy has a super cute face, extra cuddly fur on the stomach, is super soft and simply cuddly. It also helps me as a kind of therapy pillow. Placed on my chest, it calms down and allows me to sleep better at night. So an absolute win."

If you remember playing with Sylvanian Families in your own childhood, you'll take great pleasure in introducing them to your little ones. This hedgehog family is a great starter set as there are 4 toy animal figures in total.

A reviewer put: "My granddaughter asked for Sylvanian Family figures for her birthday. I remembered my own daughters having Sylvanian Family and was so pleased my granddaughter now plays with them. As soon as I saw the hedgehogs, I knew they were what I was going to buy. They look adorable, their prickles are very soft and they have very cute outfits. They are very well made, their clothes remove easily and I feel they will last a long time."

Jellycat toys have taken the world by storm recently and there's something about the Bashful Bunny in particular that captures people's hearts. It has no small parts and is suitable for all ages.

A reviewer said: "Super, super soft with the cutest ears imaginable. Jellycat soft toys are always high quality, but there’s something special about this pesky rabbit."

Encourage imaginative play with these Melissa & Doug Safari Friends Hand Puppets. They're super soft and easy to use, as they can fit on both children's and adults' hands.

A reviewer put: "The puppets themselves are very well made, nice and soft and so far very durable, even in the hands of small little terrors. I would recommend these to anyone, it's a great alternative to another games console or electrical toy. It encourages them to perform and use their imagination and for me this is the most important part of any toy you buy. It needs to encourage personal growth, imagination and exploration, even in young children and this is exactly what you get in toys like this."

Learning Minds has created these toy zoo animals specifically with toddlers in mind. Inside the box you'll find an elephant, hippo, giraffe, zebra, gorilla, tiger, lion and crocodile. Each one has been hand-painted.

A parent reviewer said: "My toddler absolutely loves these animals, they are a really good size, and very well made. They might seem a little expensive, but it is well worth paying a little extra. You will not be disappointed with these, and neither will your children."

Whether you're decorating a cake or creating an icy display, these Arctic creatures will fit in perfectly. They're brilliant for older children who enjoy playing with small toy animal figures.

One reviewer put: "Excellent quality, sturdy, excellent detail. I wasn't expecting such good detail based on the picture of this item here, but wow, they really are absolutely excellent, to such a point that I would put them on display."