The Best Miniature Figurines & Mini Toys for Young Collectors

Miniatures have a long history in children's toys. Kids love small items designed for their little hands, and tiny replicas play an essential role in their psychological development. As a result, parents should provide a wide variety of options for their kids and pay attention to the quality of the toys.

What kind of mini-toys are best for imaginative play? It depends on the child's age, as play preferences and cognitive abilities can change drastically within a few years. Fortunately, this guide offers a crash course on the benefits of miniature toys, the types available, and which appeal to the various age ranges.

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Top Benefits of Miniatures & Mini Toys

Miniatures are a staple of small world play. This type of play combines young children's natural imagination with their urge to replicate what they see. For instance, kids who love dinosaur books may reenact the scenes they read about with dino minis. Older children may explore "What if?" scenarios by combining different types of toys. For instance, they may play out the scenario, "What if dinosaurs showed up on a farm?"

With no limits on play, kids can embrace their creativity. For example, children commonly incorporate non-toy objects into their scenes:

• Rug and carpet patterns and pieces of fabric or blankets
• Cardboard boxes and tubes
• Rocks, sticks, and leaves

These small-scale scenarios offer other benefits that set kids up for success in school, social situations, and everyday life. For example, posing hypothetical, no-stakes predicaments, such as how a caravan of miniatures can safely cross a river, allows little ones to flex their problem-solving muscles.

Small world play also presents ample opportunities for world-building. This skill is essential for creating narratives, especially those in fictional settings. Constructing a world governed by a set of rules with internal consistency is challenging, and these first years of letting their imaginations run wild lays the foundation for more intricate concepts later on.

Finally, playing with tiny toys allows kids to practice social skills. Older children may do so by playing with others, which requires taking turns, listening, and communicating feelings. Younger kids may prefer to play by themselves but still strengthen social skills by using toy figurines to mimick the social interactions they witnessed.

Different Types of Miniature Figurines & Mini Toys

There are a wide variety of miniatures available to kids today. Top-notch online toy stores, such as Safari Ltd., prioritize diversity, ensuring parents can find miniature figurines that appeal to their children's particular interests.

One great approach is to purchase sets of mini figurines. These sets contain several toys associated with a specific theme. Purchasing sets may be more affordable than buying minis individually, saving you money while giving your little ones more choices during playtime.

Categories

Safari Ltd. sells two categories of miniature toys: Good Luck Minis®and TOOBS® Miniature Figurines. Good Luck Minis® come in small bags containing around eight mini animal figurines. Each bag has a theme:

• Pets
• Wild west
• Fantasy
• Coral reef
• Garden

You can also get a blind bag with a mix of toys.

The TOOBS® Miniature Figurines come in a clear plastic tube. Like the Good Luck Minis®, TOOBS® Miniature Figurines typically have themes, though they range beyond animals to include musical instruments, construction vehicles, city buildings, soldiers, mermaids, and zombies. There are also more options for the amount of toys, ranging from a six-figure tube to a bulk bag.

Brands

In addition to selling its own toys, Safari Ltd. offers miniatures from a wide selection of other brands. For instance, you can find train sets for toddlers from Brio, which creates wooden vehicles and tracks that kids can assemble as they please.

If your little ones prefer figurines of their favorite pop culture properties, Funko Games provides endless possibilities:

• Marvel
• Disney
• Harry Potter
• Star Wars
• Naruto

Older kids can also appreciate collecting these figures to express their personalities.

Jada Toys licenses popular intellectual properties, including Batman and The Nightmare Before Christmas. This company's detailed car minis are excellent gifts for kids interested in vehicles.

If your kids prefer dollhouse-style minis, Playmobil Toys has you covered. This company offers carrying cases filled with miniature animal figurines, tiny mermaids, little firefighters, and more.

Fans of more tactile toys can appreciate the Goo Jit Zu line from License 2 Play. These figurines stretch, change color, and squish for engaging playtime.

Best Miniature Figurines & Mini Toys for Toddlers (3-4)

Kids in the toddler stage enjoy a mix of fantastical and real-world miniatures. Dressing up, having imaginary friends, and pretending to be characters from favorite shows are also common.

Brio makes several sets that appeal to this age group. 

• The Disney Princess Castle Set has engaging colors and a wooden track that can keep little ones busy for hours. 
• The Railway World Deluxe Set offers more track-building opportunities
• The Rescue Team Train Set introduces kids to first responders and their important jobs.
• Brio's Mickey Mouse & Engine set allows fans of the Disney mascot to bring him along on their favorite train adventures.

This is also the perfect age for educational toys. Life cycle minis, such as Life Cycle of a Frog and Life Cycle of a Honey Bee, illustrate the different developmental stages of wildlife, potentially getting kids interested in biology and ecology.

Best Miniature Figurines & Mini Toys for Kindergarteners (5-6)

Safari Ltd.'s TOOB® miniatures are excellent for kindergarteners. Due to their varied themes and large quantities, they appeal to parents, daycares, and teachers.

You can find animal minis with realistic designs, such as the Ocean TOOB® and Exotic Birds TOOB® sets, as well as fantasy creatures. Miniature dragon figurines, cryptid minis, and fairy figurines offer endless opportunities for imaginative play.

Additionally, you can find holiday-themed TOOBs® to add some seasonal cheer to playtime. Miniature Christmas figurines invite kids to set up their own North Pole, while miniature Halloween figurines facilitate spooky storytelling.

Curated playsets also introduce kindergarteners to different settings. For instance: 

• The Large Princess Castle from Playmobil provides youngsters with a traditional fantasy castle. 
• The Playmobil Wiltopia: Tropical Jungle Playground offers a jungle environment.
• The Horse Farm set mimics stables.

These sets encourage dramatic play, allowing kids to put themselves in the characters' shoes. Exploring different perspectives nurtures empathy, which is crucial for children's social development.

Miniatures also allow kindergartners to act out their favorite shows. The Scooby Doo! Mystery Machine set comes with three of the show's characters, as well as accessories.

Playmobil's Rescue Ambulance set helps kids learn about emergency workers and their equipment. It also provides context for situations little ones will encounter as they grow older.

The Heroes of Goo Jit Zu line from License 2 Play is also a great option for this age group. The Sonic the Hedgehog Mini Pack 12pc includes stretchy models of the property's most popular characters:

• Sonic
• Tails
• Shadow
• Knuckles

The Jurassic World Dino Hero Pack features Charlie, a raptor from the "Jurassic World" franchise. She's a perfect companion for young fans who enjoy tactile toys.

While most miniatures aren't ideal for physical play, squishy, stretchy mini toys encourage kids to use their muscles. Pulling and twisting these figurines' limbs can even contribute to hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Best Miniature Figurines & Mini Toys for Elementary (7-9)

Kids of elementary school age are finally developmentally capable of grappling with abstract concepts. Good versus evil is a complex issue that intrigues people of all ages, but it may be especially interesting for younger kids encountering these ideas for the first time. As a result, superheroes are especially popular with children aged 7 to 9. Other properties that explore this dichotomy, such as "Harry Potter" and "Star Wars," can also facilitate this development.

Funko

Funko miniatures appeal to elementary school kids with their cute, simplified designs. The company also licenses a vast array of IPs, including shows, books, and movies targeting this age range. For instance, you can purchase a Harry Potter Funko Bitty Pop! Mini Figure 4-Pack featuring the following characters:

• Dobby
• Draco Malfoy
• Harry Potter

The Disney Princess Ariel Funko Bitty Pop! Mini-Figure 4-Pack includes Tiana and Mulan in addition to Ariel, while Minnie Mouse, Chip, and Goofy make up the Disney Classics Goofy Funko Bitty Pop! Mini Figure 4-Pack.

"Star Wars" fans have the chance to grab minis from two sets: 

• Mandalorian Heavy Infantry Mando Bitty Pop! 4-Pack
• Star Wars Darth Vader Funko Bitty Pop! Mini Figure 4-Pack

If your little ones love Marvel miniatures and tabletop games, consider the Funkoverse Strategy Game Marvel - 4 Pack, which combines the two for hours of fun. The competitive play provided by tabletop games has several important lessons for young children:

• Coping with failure
• Following rules
• Taking turns

Parents can encourage the development of these skills while spending quality time with their young kids.

Jada Toys

Elementary-aged kids may also express interest in collecting memorabilia of their favorite properties. Funko is a great place to start collecting figurines, but plenty of other brands produce them. For instance, Jada Toys manufactures a Nightmare Before Christmas Mtalfigs 4-Pack featuring iconic characters:

• Sally
• Jack Skellington
• Jack Seklington as the Pumpkin King
• Zero

In addition to being great for play, these minis make excellent Halloween (and Christmas) decorations.

Batman has been a favorite of kids for decades, and Jada Toys offers a figurine of the latest take. The Batman Batmobile with Batman is a 1/18 scale mini of the Batmobile from the movie "The Batman." The die-cast vehicle has working headlights, taillights, and doors; the toy also has intricate details on the engine and interior, making it look incredibly realistic.

Fun Miniatures for Kids of All Ages

Miniatures from Safari Ltd. are an excellent way to encourage imaginative play. Check out the latest releases to find the perfect toy for your little one.

Sources:

• https://playgroundprofessionals.com/play/toys/importance-small-world-play-toddlers
• https://www.rcreducation.com/four-benefits-of-miniature-toys/
• https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/what-is-world-building
• https://www.brio.us/en-US
• https://www.parents.com/types-of-play-6835400