Photo-A-Day #2257

Eva playing with a couple of wild Anamalz. Anamalz are cute little wooden animals with huge personality. One of them is a cute little giraffe and the other is a brontosaurus. I know that they aren’t called that anymore but I am glad that Anamalz still call them that. That is what I grew up with. Eva was pretty excited when these arrived. She loves giraffes, they are her favorite animal.

Great textures on these Anamalz

When I presented these to her she was pretty excited to play. The giraffe immediately met a few of her other giraffes and I got to play with the brontosaurus. We played with the anamalz for a good long time and they have become integrated into her childhood pantheon of toys.

When I was approached to review these toys are was excited to do so because, let’s face it, I love toys. I went out and bought Eva a veritable Noah’s ark of toys before she was born. Had I known about Anamalz I probably would have bought them for her to play with. They are highly poseable, cute and best of all, quiet. That is because they are made of wood and textiles and not plastics. Each one has a simple design but enough personality so that they can show their unique nature.

If you are interested in finding a green toy that encourages creative and imaginative play then you should take a look at the Anamalz Line. I have a complete press release below detailing the whole line and you can also visit the Anamalz Facebook page or the Anamalz website.

Disclosure: I received these two Anamalz to review. The opinions about them are 100% mine.

Available in Four Animal Themes: Farm, Wild, Australian & Prehistoric

Nashville, Tenn. (June 1, 2011) – Move over lions, tigers and bears. Durable and adorable wooden anamalz have moms and Mother Nature herself exclaiming “oh my” when they wrap their hands around koala, kangaroo and crocodile. Each pose-able playmate is made from sustainable maple wood and features an endearing touch of color, cloth and cuteness.

These handcrafted wooden toys, designed in Australia, are integrated with textiles that give them the ability to bend into pose-able positions. Anamalz can look up and down or left and right making playtime a creative time.

As one online boutique described them, “they are a unique gift, a story teller, a toy and a companion.”

Children are immediately engaged when they see anamalz because these wooden toys look so different from other toys out on the store shelf. Grownups notice the handsome design and the glossy grain from the eco-friendly maple. Judges at Australia’s prestigious Design Award gave anamalz the top prize in 2009 for Materials and Textiles Innovation. At the opposite end of the globe, The Canadian Toy Testing Council (CTTC) awarded the cute creatures a CTTC three star rating – the highest level – designating excellence in all areas of function, design, durability and most importantly, play value.

According to Josh Tyler, anamalz North America’s Chief Zookeeper, “each anamalz figure is hand-painted with child-friendly water-based paint and recycled packaging is used whenever possible. Our company is proud of our green credentials – and we have established a trust fund that contributes to various wildlife and children’s organization around the globe.” Hence, anamalz is looking after the animals!

Four categories make up the anamalz line of pose-able pals: Farm [including donkey, horse, llama], Wild [baboon, buffalo, moose, to name a few] Australian [emu, wombat, kangaroo] and the all new Prehistoric [parasaurolophus, stegosaurus, triceratops]. Accessories include a play mat and trees enhance the play experience.

In all, there are 35+ figures to collect.

An added online experience awaits anamalz owners. Click on their website, www.anamalz.com, and enter the password printed on the anamalz hang tag. Enter the site to animate your new pal, download wallpaper and play games only available to owners. Elsewhere on the website kids can find tips on improving their environment and sending feedback to the toymakers.New for 2011 are more than a dozen pose-able animals and accessories including six dinosaurs, a favorite of kids.

The wonderfully affordable pals were designed for children ages 3 and up.

Prehistoric Anamalz ($12.95 each and all new!)

• Brontosaurus: This long necked dinosaur is ready to play and easy to find with his red accents.
• Parasaurolophus: Walking upright on two legs is this friendly blue accented dino with a single horn on his wooden head.
• Stegosaurus: This chunky shaped dinosaur walks on four large feet and sports dark brown scales down his back. The smile on his long face shows he’s ready to play.
• Torosaurus: This prehistoric guy is ready to run across the room with his white and silver features alert and eager to play.
• Triceratops: Ready to roam? This horned dinosaur can bend his legs and tail for hours of creative play.
• Tyrannosaurus Rex: This big guy is beloved by all dinosaur fans with his large head, torso and feet. The green accents made him appealing to the touch as well as the eyes.

Wild Anamalz ($8.95 each)

• Baboon: This wooden pal is ready for some wild times, as his ears stand alert for giggles and gasps.
• Buffalo: Where will he roam today? Buffalo is the most colorful of the wild animals from his braided tail to his covered head.
• Moose: Look who’s on the loose! This handsome guy sports giant antlers, shiny nose and a softly covered neck ready to bend and pose for endless adventures.
• Polar Bear: Some like it hot but this bear adores the cold and he’s dressed for snow with a white neck collar.

The Wild Anamalz collection also features Brown Bear, Camel, Crocodile, Elephant, Giraffe, Gorilla, Hippo, Lion, Panda, Rhino, Tiger and Zebra.

Farm Anamalz ($8.95 each)

• Llama: Standing tall and proud is this handsome farm animal whose neck and tail are swathed in softness.

The Farm Anamalz collection also includes Bull, Cow, Horse, Pig, Sheep, Black Ram, Donkey, Goat and Reindeer.

Australian Anamalz: The Australian Anamalz collection offers emu, kangaroo, koala (each $8.95) and an Aussie pouch ($19.95) with three native animals — the wombat, koala and echidna.

Anamalz Accessories (all new)

Playmat ($39.95) Made from high quality materials, the playmat gives anamalz a colorful place to roam. A river flows with
three push-along fish and separates the green pastures from the rugged dirt field. Orange, apple and wild trees can be added for a fresh adventure. At the end of play, the playmat can be turned inside out and becomes a handy bag for storage.

Orange tree ($16.95) Standing over 6” tall, this green tree with a wood base sports bright oranges, ready for picking in a make pretend world!

Apple tree ($16.95) Add an apple tree to any adventure on the farm or with the dinosaurs. Stands over 6” tall with a wooden trunk and bright green ball accented with red fruit.

Wild tree ($16.95) Use your imagination and place this tree around your wild animals as they roam the living room or the
kitchen table.

Anamalz can be found everywhere – online at small boutiques like www.hazelnutkids.com, in Canada at www.raspberrykids.com, at Barnes & Noble and specialty shops coast to coast plus internationally in over 20 countries.

About anamalz
Designed in Australia and made from sustainable maple wood, anamalz is the name of the wonderfully designed, award winning range of toy animals that can be bent into dozens of funny poses. The green business proudly uses fabric that is azo dyed and their waste wood is used on a farm to grow mushrooms. Each toy is assembled in factories that are of the highest standards and meet international regulations. Of the dozens of animals, the giraffe, reindeer and dinosaurs are particular favorites – although a lovable gorilla with the nickname “Rilla” is also a popular choice among youngsters! Visit all of the anamalz at their website at www.anamalz.com