Amazing Animals Sing Along Mummy & Baby Tiger by Fisher Price

This is a fun pair of animals for little hands to explore. The baby's legs and head click when you move them and the Mummy sings a little song about her baby when you turn her head. The paws on both Mummy and baby are textured, so children who enjoy exploring with their fingers or their mouths have something interesting to feel. The suggested manufacturer age range for this is toy is 3-7 years, but I have found that 2 year olds are much more interested in what these tigers have to offer than older children. Strengths: The toys are very easy to manipulate and they fit into the Amazing animals train and boat that I described earlier in the blog. Weaknesses: The play value is somewhat limited for this toy unless you combine it with some of the other Amazing Animal plat sets. The Mummy tiger also requires batteries and my tiger seems to go through them quickly. Price: $12 - $15. Where to Buy: You can find this toy primarily through online retailers like eBay, http://www.pennywisestore.com/. and Amazon.

Stack and Smile Crocodile by Fisher Price

If your little one likes blocks this toy is probably a good bet for you. The crocodile comes with 4 or 5 peek-a-blocks (blocks with little animals an objects inside of them) that can be stored inside the crocodile when the toy is not being played with. The blocks stack fairly easily on the crocodile's back and because they have a bristle-block texture on them they tend to stay stuck together pretty well. Strengths: The blocks are a nice size for little hands and the crocodile makes cute sounds when you put the blocks in the mouth or in the storage space on it's back. Weaknesses: The storage space on the crocodile's back doesn't latch, so the blocks spill out easily unless you keep the toy on a level surface. Price: Because this toy has been off of the market for a little while you can buy it used for about $10 - $12 online at Amazon, or if you want a new one you could pay up to about $70 (in my opinion, a bit over priced for the overall quality and play value of the toy). When it first came out it was priced between about $25 - $30. Where to Buy: Amazon or other online toy sellers.

Amazing Animals Press & Go Cheetah & Crocodile by Fisher Price

Infants and toddlers really enjoy cause-effect toys, and these two cute little critters from Fisher Price don't disappoint. When you push down on the birds that sit on the back of the crocodile, his mouth opens and closes as he zooms across the floor. When the turtle that sits on the cheetah's back is pushed down, the cheetah's tail wags and clicks as it rolls along. Strengths: These toys don't require batteries and they work well on a variety of floor surfaces. Weaknesses: For young children it can be difficult to push down the birds and turtle that make the toy go. This can lead to some frustration so they are best used if an adult or older child joins in the play. Price: $14 - $20 (each animal is sold separately and the crocodile is usually the more expensive of the two). Where to Buy: Most recently I've seen the cheetah at stores like Toys R' Us, but I've only been able to find the crocodile online.

Amazing Animals Roll Along Musical Ark by Fisher Price

This is a fun addition to all of the other Amazing Animal toy sets. The ark is nice size and can comfortably accommodate several animal friends. It rolls easily on hard surface floors and the sounds it makes are not as annoying as some toys. Strengths: This is a great toddler and older infant toy because of the animals. They are a wonderful size for gripping and each of the larger animals has movable parts that click and make other fun sounds. Weaknesses: The rolling action of the ark doesn't work well on anything but a hard, flat surface, but that is fairly standard for most rolling toys. Price:$26 - $30. Where to Buy: The toy is difficult to find because I don't believe that Fisher Price is still producing it. However, there are some available through retailers like Amazon and eBay .

Amazing Animals Polar Friends Tote by Fisher Price

This is a cute and compact little toy that's easy to take along on car trips. It comes with three animal figures and an "ice" block that has a little fish that rattles inside of it. The Mama polar bear, baby polar bear, and penguin are a nice size for little hands to hang on to. Strengths: The Mama bear makes fun growling sounds when you push her head down and all four of the pieces fit neatly into the carrying tote. Weaknesses: It doesn't have great educational value as a toy, but it's fun to play with. Price: $20 - $24. Where to Buy: There aren't many of the Amazing Animals series of toys that are available in outlets like Toys R Us, but you still find it on Amazon and eBay.

Pull Along Zebra by Plan Toys

This eco-friendly wooden pull toy is one that brings to mind a simpler time in the world. The toy doesn't light up, beep, or blink - it's just a well constructed toy that bobs along after a child when it is pulled across the floor. When the zebra is pulled the head moves up and down, but other than that there are no other special effects. Strengths: The toy is great for encouraging walking, reaching, grasping, and other motor movements. Weaknesses: Some children lose interest quickly because the toy doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles. Price: $15-$20. Where to Buy: Plan toys are typically available in specialty toy shops or can be purchased on-line through retailers like Moolka Toys (http://www.moolka.com/) or Baby Earth (http://www.babyearth.com/).

Rain Forest Shake n' Chime Ball by Fisher Price

This is a cute addition to the Rain Forest line of toys by Fisher Price that is appropriate for young infants to play with. The chime ball moves easily and the little animals inside the ball gently rock back and forth when the ball is bumped by either a hand or foot. Strengths: This is a great toy for a young infant (less than about 6 months) and provides some great early learning exercises in cause-effect play. Weaknesses: The toy quickly becomes boring for slightly older infants, so the life of the toy isn't that great for the price you pay. Price: $12- $15. Where to Buy: This toy is available through most major toy outlets that carry Fisher Price Toys such as Toys R Us, WalMart, and Target.

Amazing Animals Rollin' Around Jungle Playground

This colourful playground offers many fun options for play for toddlers. The most exciting feature of the toy is watching one of the three chunky animals (tiger, rhino, and elephant) zoom down the plastic slide and bump into the monkey on the way down. Children can be very entertained by making the animals go down the slide, so play can become a little redundant, but if you play with your child you can help to stretch their imagination beyond the simple drop and roll action. The animals, which are a good size for toddler hands to grip, make great shakers! Strengths: Children seem to love this toy and it will keep them entertained for a long period of time. The toy is musical, but there is an on/off switch, so you can let your child play even when you're tired of listening to the song. My experience has been that most children like the toy just as much when the sound is turned off. Weaknesses: Besides the slide there are two other "activity stations" for the animals on this toy: a teeter-totter and a carousel. Neither of these options seem to work as well as the slide and I find that children quickly lose interest in them and will go back to dropping the animals down the slide.

Amazing Animals Push & Pull Gift Set by Fisher Price

This is yet another set of train cars that go with the Sing & Go Choo Choo by Fisher Price. The hippo and lion come in cars that can be easily attached to the big train, but the panda and crocodile can be used in more independent play. Strengths: The cars make fun clicking sounds when they move and the durable animals are positionable. Weaknesses: The animals are a little bit big to fit comfortably into the train cars and there is no room to put the panda or crocodile anywhere on the train if you use all of the other animals.

Amazing Animals Push & Pull Babies

This cute twosome is actually a supplementary piece for the Sing and Go Choo Choo by Fisher Price. The teeter-totter that the baby elephant and giraffe sit on actually moves up and down when the toy is pulled forward.Strengths: The animals are cute and their heads and legs move so they can be posed (a little bit). Weaknesses: Although the premise of the toy is great it fails in execution. The animals are just a bit to big to sit comfortably on the teeter-totter and tend to fall off when the cart is attached to a moving choo-choo train.

Amazing Animals Sing & Go Choo Choo by Fisher Price

This wonderful, colourful train is always a hit with the infants and toddlers I use it with. The toy moves easily on carpeted surfaces and has both a "sit and play" and moving mode, which gives the toy some longevity in terms of how long a baby/toddler will play with it. I have found it to be most popular with children over the age of about 9 months. I'm not sure if this toy is available directly through Fisher Price any longer, but it is available at Amazon and eBay. Strengths: The durable and positionable animals can be removed from the train and played with independently. There are also several other animal sets you can purchase to make the train longer. Weaknesses: The music that plays when the train is on can become a bit annoying after a while.

Press 'n Spin Safari Friends by Lamaze

Pushing buttons that make a toy do something funny or produce a sound is a highly popular activity for infants and toddlers starting at about 6 months of age. The Press 'n Spin Safari Friends is designed so the animals spin around and a fun and lively song plays when the top of the palm tree is pressed down. Strengths: The palm tree button is large and easy to depress, so younger children can theoretically operate the toy with some degree of independence. Weaknesses: Although the palm tree button is easy to depress, many children in the recommended age group have difficulty operating the toy. Most children are more interested in holding on to the monkey or lion than actually operating the toy for its intended purpose. If an adult then presses the button to make the toy go, children continue to hold on to the animal figures, which doesn't allow them to spin freely. Because of this the motor on the toy wears out quickly. Because of these limitations the toy is not a good play value for the money.

Walk 'n Roll Safari by Lamaze

Pull toys are always fun for toddlers and help younger infants learn to track moving objects. The Walk 'n Roll Safari offers three colourful animals that spin (the lion), bang on a drum (the monkey), and clash symbols (the giraffe) when pulled. Strengths: The toy is colourful and interesting to look at. Weaknesses: The concept for this toy is a great one, but sadly it doesn't deliver what is promised. The animals are fairly unstable so they fall down or come apart at the slightest pull of the string. Additionally the actions that are supposed to accompany the animals aren't very dramatic. Overall this is a disappointing toy from a company that is usually right on the money with their offerings.

Amazing Animals Press & Go Animal Parade by Fisher Price

This musical train seems to be a hit with both infants and toddlers alike. The four animals are cute and the zebra, rhino, and giraffe have pose-able heads that make fun clicking sounds when turned. Because the toy is motorized it travels for about 10 seconds when the bird sitting on the elephant's back is pushed down. As the "parade" moves across the floor the toy plays music and makes realistic animal sounds. Strengths: Infants seem to enjoy watching the train as it scoots across the floor while the more mobile toddler will chase the toy until it stops. Weaknesses: The animals are difficult to link together and snap apart. Sometimes you have to push/pull them so hard it feels like the toy is about to break.

Push n' Go Mother & Baby Giraffe by Bruin

This is a simple toy that is great for "on-the-go" toddlers. Basically, the toy works by pushing the head of the mother giraffe down, making the wheeled legs open like a pair of scissors. When you let go of the head, mother and baby roll across the floor. The toy moves fairly quickly, so little feet get lots of practice chasing it. It also requires the child to use both hands to operate the toy - one hand to stabilize it and the other to push the mother's head down. Although Toys R' Us carries Bruin toys, I've never seen this particular toy at stores in the U.S. The website for Fat Brain Toys, http://www.fatbraintoys.com, carries the toy on occasion. Strengths: It's a fun, colourful toy that both toddlers and infants can enjoy - infants by watching and toddlers by chasing. Also it's reasonably priced so it offers good play value for the money you'll spend. Weaknesses: It is difficult to find and younger toddlers can become frustrated with a toy that requires them to use both hands to operate in.