Colorful animal figurines of an elephant, lion, zebra, cheetah, and rhinoceros arranged on a wooden surface.

24 Toys & Gifts for Kids Who Love Animals

Let’s help each other discover new ideas for cool animal gifts, books, and toys for kids that like animals.

The gift ideas on Upparent are unique because they’ve been submitted by regular parents in our community, sharing the things their families have tried and loved. Here’s a list of special stuffed animals, figurines, books and other animal-themed gifts that parents in our community have recommended because they have been well-loved by their own animal-loving kids. 

Browse the list for inspiration and leave a review for the best animal-themed toys for kids that your family has tried. Don’t forget to recommend any animal toys & gifts that have been a hit with your animal-loving kid, too!


 
    nationalgeographic.com

    National Geographic Kids

    National Geographic Kids magazine offers fun and educational content for young readers, featuring fascinating articles about animals, science, nature, and geography. It includes vibrant photos, puzzles, and interactive activities to spark curiosity and learning.

    Erin P. said:  This magazine will help your child have a better understanding of just how interesting the world can be. National Geographic Kids magazines will often have stories and highlights about animals, countries, cultures and history. Sign up your inquisitive child for this subscription! There is a separate bi-monthly magazine called National Geographic Little Kids for the younger set age 3-6.

    amzn.to

    Who Would Win? Series

    This excellent series of animal books for kids pits various animals against each other in hypothetical battles, exploring their unique strengths and weaknesses through engaging text and vibrant illustrations.

    amazon.com

    Butterfly Garden Kit

    Experiencing the life cycle of the butterfly up close is a fun science experiment for animal-loving kids. This kit comes with a voucher that you can redeem for a caterpillar delivery once you're ready (and the weather is right).

    amzn.to

    Fisher Price Little People Caring For Animals Farm

    Interactive electronic farm playset with 45+ songs, sounds, and phrases for toddler-friendly storytelling fun.

    Sue Krawitz Tandoc said:  My oldest son was a late talker and we had this Farm with animals when he was young, before he could talk. He used to try to mimic the animal sounds which helped him start to use sounds before he could speak real words.

    amazon.com

    Schleich Animal Figurines

    Schleich animal figurines are highly detailed, hand-painted toys that bring the animal kingdom to life. They are crafted with precision and authenticity, making them both fun and educational for children.

    Kelly R said:  All of the Schleich animal figurines make the best toys for 4 year olds, and will see many hours of imaginative play. They are so much more durable, realistic and beautiful than other brands, and our trusty T Rex still looks pretty cool in our tween's room years later! They are some of my favorite ideas for stocking stuffers that will get used for years and years. The reindeer is a perfect nod to Christmas!

    amazon.com

    Wild Republic Animal Figurines

    Wild Republic offers compact sets of realistic animal figurines perfect for imaginative play. The sets typically contain a variety of animals from a specific theme, such as farm animal toys, sea creatures, and forest animals.

    Alexandra F. said:  My kids love playing with animal figurines, and while Schleich toys are our favorites they are always drawn to these little miniatures as well. We really like the quality of the Wild Republic mini animals - not quite as good as Schleich, but better than most other animal figurines, and smaller (and cheaper!) than Schleich. Battat animal figurines are even smaller (and less expensive), if you're looking for them to fit in a small space, like an advent calendar, and all of these mini animals make great party favors and class favors for preschoolers (add a cute "wild about you" message and your school valentines are set!). They are also the toys my boys use most in the bath!

    amzn.to

    Window Bird Feeder

    This cool acrylic bird feeder attaches easily to a window, and makes a fun gift idea for teens and tweens to enjoy from their rooms.

    amzn.to

    Binoculars

    A sturdy pair of kid-friendly binoculars has such a wide variety of uses. Don't forget to bring them along to the zoo so your animal-loving kids can get a closer look.

    myfahlo.com

    Fahlo Bracelet

    Fahlo bracelets connect kids to real-life animals, with each one linked to a specific animal (sea turtle, gorilla, polar bear & more). Each bracelet supports a conservation partnership, and you can track your chosen animal's movements on an interactive map, learning about its life and the challenges it faces in the wild.

    amzn.to

    HUDDLE Stuffed Animal Storage Bean Bag Chair

    A stylish and functional solution for taming stuffed animal clutter. It doubles as a cozy bean bag chair and a spacious storage container, keeping stuffed animals organized and out of sight.

    Local Zoo Membership

    Kids who love animals will treasure the opportunity to visit them regularly with a membership to a local zoo. Membership fees can also help support many zoos’ conservation and educational missions.

    Gift Card to Local Zoo Gift Shop

    Animal-loving kids can take their pick from the many animal-themed toys and gifts at the gift shop whenever they visit their local zoo.

    Alexandra F. said:  When my kids were toddlers and preschoolers, we were at our local zoo pretty much every week. Inevitably, the first and last thing we did every time we visited was to stop into the gift shop so they could check out all the amazing stuffed animals, animal figurines and other animal-themed toys. Of course, they rarely got to buy anything, so it was mostly window shopping for them. But, it did give me the idea to ask my family to contribute to a “gift shop fund” whenever they were looking for gift ideas for the kids. This was a huge hit!! My boys absolutely loved having money to buy stuff with when we visited - it was like they got the gift of buying from the gift shop, as well as the toy itself!

    amazon.com

    James Herriot's Treasury for Children: Warm and Joyful Animal Tales

    A heartwarming collection of stories about the adventures of a young veterinarian in rural Yorkshire, England.

    gifts.worldwildlife.org

    World Wildlife Fund Symbolic Species Adoptions

    Support the World Wildlife Fund's global efforts to protect wild animals and their habitats by "adopting" one of a huge variety of animal species. These symbolic adoptions come with a "kit" including an informational card about the animal you've adopted, an adorable animal plush, and a certificate of adoption.

    amzn.to

    Weird But True! Animals

    This captivating collection of bizarre and surprising animal facts by National Geographic is designed to entertain and educate young readers. Filled with fun, quirky details and vibrant photos, it explores the oddest and most fascinating creatures on Earth.

Primary photo:   Magda Ehlers on Pexels

Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.