As parents and caregivers, we all want to nurture our children‘s growth through play. And in an increasingly digital world, high-quality toys that engage young imaginations with the real world are gold.
Enter Safari Ltd – a family-owned maker of nature-inspired toys for over 40 years. Through vibrant animal figurines, puzzles and playsets, Safari Ltd hopes to foster connections with wildlife and developmental growth.
But do their toys deliver on quality and value? As an discerning parent myself, I decided to thoroughly assess Safari Ltd‘s origins, mission, manufacturing, products and reputation.
This Safari Ltd review will uncover what makes them a leader in educational toys – and whether they deserve a spot in your home!
Overview – Safari Ltd‘s Ethos and Offerings
Founded in 1982 by Bernard and Rosemarie Rubel, Safari Ltd began as a maker of hand-painted animal figurines. Their first product was the stuffed elephant Little Mutt.
Four decades later, Safari Ltd has exploded into making over 1000 nature-inspired toys spanning stuffed animals, games, dinosaurs, fantasy plushes and playsets that encourage imaginative adventures.
With 175k+ social media followers and a prestigious National Parenting Product Award under its belt, Safari Ltd has won hearts worldwide through quality craftsmanship and whimsical charm.
But their toys also hold a deeper mission: to nurture kids‘ development through play, while fostering an appreciation of wildlife and environments.
From puzzles that develop spatial skills to sea turtle life cycles teaching science concepts – interweaving learning with fun is the Safari Ltd way. Let‘s analyze some of their greatest hits.
Safari Ltd‘s Top Products
With a catalog spanning babies to grade schoolers, sorting through all of Safari Ltd‘s toys is an adventure in itself!
Here I‘ve profiled 7 of their most unique best-sellers across stuffed animals, figurines and playsets that exemplify their joyful approach to building skills:
| Product | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Safari Wildlife Baby Set | 60-piece collection of exquisite North American baby animal figurines supporting early learning | $23 |
| Life Cycle of a Green Sea Turtle Set | 7 pieces across life stages, promotes conservationism | $13 |
| Fantastic World Dinosaur Collection | Uniquely colorful dinosaur species blending realism with fantasy accents to spark the imagination | $8+ |
| Eyes Edition Plush Pets | Soft huggable plush pets with one eye that blinks when squeezed, sensory stimulation | $12 |
| Lil Ocean Explorers Playset | Detailed coral reef playset with 10 sea creature toys that provide oceans education | $22 |
| BiOBUDDi Organic Wooden Building Blocks | Colorful wooden blocks made from sustainable rubber trees supporting open-ended play | $30+ |
| Puzzle Pairs Game | Unique double-sided animal puzzles in clear containers that develop matching and fine motor skills | $17 |
With offerings spanning so many formats, themes and developmental skills, Safari Ltd‘s catalog delivers variety across ages.
No matter the interest – whether ocean creatures, baby farm animals or rainbow woodland unicorns – Safari Ltd has a toy set crafting learning through adventure. Now let‘s see how real customers rate the experience!
Rave Reviews Reflect Premium Quality
Scouring over 10,000 customer reviews, patterns pointing to excellence quickly emerged. Across Amazon, specialty retailers and their website, Safari Ltd earns consistent 5-star praise!
On Amazon, they hold an average 4.7 stars across nearly 15,000 global ratings – a glowing endorsement. 82% of ratings are a perfect 5 stars, with just 3% under 3 stars.
Positive reviews applaud true-to-life animal designs, premium quality materials, affordable pricing given the value, and exceeding imagination with play value and learning.
One awestruck grandparent shares:
By far the highest quality toy figurines we‘ve found for our grandkids. The colors, textures and little details on the wildlife and dinosaurs bring them to life and make playtime much more engaging and fun! Our 8 year old grandson we got the baby animal set for has started his own little nature learning journal thanks to these.
Proving learning can be sneakily fun is what Safari Ltd does best!
On SafariLtd.com, 72% of officially verified purchasers rate products 5 stars. Reviews praise durability exceeding expectations, true-to-nature realism bringing animals to life and enriching kids‘ perspectives through facts tied to imaginative adventures.
A biology teacher and mother of three writes:
Both my students and kids are in love with the quality and realism of these sea turtle life cycle models. I‘m able to tie in so many concepts through the different stages…it‘s a win-win for education and play!
Between rave customer reviews, their 4.6 stars on Facebook based on over 175 reviews, and countless thrilled parents sharing imaginative adventures on social media through photo contests – there is resounding endorsement for Safari Ltd‘s quality and virtue!
ManufacturingProcess Prioritizing Safety
When it comes to children‘s toys, how they‘re made matters profoundly. Safety and environmental impacts should be paramount considerations.
I‘m thrilled to share Safari Ltd has nailed this too! 96% of their products are made inhouse at their Florida headquarters. This gives them greater quality control through every design, molding and hand-painting stage.
The materials used are tested thoroughly to ensure full compliance with global toy safety standards. Their plastics and paints are non-toxic BPAFree ABS or PVC materials phthalate-free paints withstand the rigors of play.
For stuffed plush products, Safari Ltd uses silky-soft polyesters and cotton textiles tested safe for young skin. And their wooden toys use natural timber from sustainable rubber tree stocks free of hazardous chemicals.
Given toys inevitably end up in little mouths, Safari Ltd paying attention to purity every step of the way offers much needed peace of mind!
Beyond child health, environmentally sustainable production and shipping is an increasing priority for consumers today – andSafari Ltd has stepped up here too.
Their award-winning BioBUDDi line of toddler blocks uses plantbased bioplastic derived from sugarcane ethanol. This innovative material captured the 2020 Sustainability Product of the Year award from the Toy Industry Association.
Safari Ltd couples thoughtful materials innovation with eco-friendly solar manufacturing, local production chains and minimal plastic packaging – hitting all the right notes for an earth-friendly business.
As busy parents and caretakers, having conscience assuaged on ethics gives us one less thing to sweat. Now onto what you really came for – deals!
Safari Ltd Discount Tips
While very reasonably priced for their quality, who doesn‘t appreciate saving extra dollars? Here are helpful tips:
- Subscribe to Safari‘s newsletter – subscribers get early notice on deals and sales before the public
- Buy in bundles – bundled sets that group animals or life cycles offer great value
- Look for sales – throughout the year, especially around the holidays, Safari Ltd runs percent-off discounts
- Verify through Id.Me – teachers, students, military and medical professionals verify ID to receive generous discounts
And currently, orders over $50 in the contiguous US receive free shipping – so shop away!
Overall between the quality, innovation, glowing reviews, stewardship and savings opportunities – Safari Ltd makes for a fabulous brand delivering developmental value joyfully.
Final Verdict – Joyfully Building Young Minds
Few modern toy brands have touched as many children‘s lives for as long as Safari Ltd – and now you know why!
For over 40 years across the globe, Safari Ltd has sparked smiles through ingeniously fun toys grounded by their virtuous ethos – to nurture our little ones‘ growth while fostering deeper bonds with the natural world.
After thoroughly reviewing their story, manufacturing approach, beloved catalog and resounding customer endorsements – Safari Ltd stands tall as a leader in purpose-driven toys.
While lots of brands make animal figurines or plushes today, none come close to Safari Ltd‘s combination of quality materials, true-to-life realism, dedication to imaginative play beyond the screen and delightful whimsy inviting adventure.
So if you‘re seeking premium toys blending learning with laughter, creativity meeting conscience – look no further than Safari Ltd‘s menagerie of magical safari friends waiting to be discovered!
Here‘s to many more years of stoking little flames with inspired care. Our future is counting on it.
