10 Things to Do with Safari Ltd® TOOBS®

You might be familiar with Safari Ltd® TOOBS®, but in case you’re not, allow us to give a brief explainer. TOOBS® are sets of themed mini-figures packaged in a portable container, complete with latching top and carry strap.

With over 100 TOOBS® to choose from, including deluxe Super TOOBS® and Designer TOOBS®, they’re a versatile and educational tool for all kinds of fun activities. We figured we’d help you get a head start by providing ten fun ways to use TOOBS®!

1) Portable Play on the Go

The most obvious way to use TOOBS® is for portable play. They make great toys for occupying kids on long trips in a car, or on a plane. They’re small enough to not take up a lot of space, and their carry case helps them go virtually anywhere safely and securely. On a trip to the beach, or to the zoo, aquarium, or park, a relevant TOOB® can provide a supplemental educational experience 

2) Turn Them into Accessories for You

TOOB® figures also make an excellent base for a wide range of DIY projects with minimal difficulty. They’re small enough to make into a wide range of fashion items, including earrings or necklace charms. All you need is a small screw-in eyelet: carefully insert it into the top of your desired TOOB® mini-figure and voila! Instant fabulous accessories!

3) Turn Them into Accessories (for Your Toys)

TOOBS® can also be a great way to provide some support for your other toys and figures. Give an animal sidekick of your choosing to your action figure or doll! Or give them a musical instrument, a tool, or even a bunch of bananas! Our TOOBS® offer way more than just animal toys, so there’s plenty of options to accessorize your toy collection.

4) Sandtray/Sand Play Therapy

Sand play is an important tool used in play therapy that can help children work through many types of challenges and issues. It involves allowing children to create an imaginative scenario using figurines in a sand environment. TOOB® figures present a perfectly sized tool for this, as most trays used in this method are small enough to fit on a desk. The themed nature of TOOBS® also helps children select figures that are similar or linked to each other to include multiple characters in their sand play scene.

5) Sensory Bins

The sensory bin is a wonderful teaching tool that helps younger children to develop their motor skills and familiarize themselves with their own senses in a hands-on way. Through exploration and discovery, sensory bins help children learn valuable play skills at an early age. Simply fill a shallow bin or tray with a desired filler, such as Playfoam sand, water, or rice, and then add TOOB® figures and tweezers or other tools. As with sand tray therapy, these items are the perfect size for use in sensory bins, as you can fit many in a standard size storage container and they’re easily gripped by little hands.

6) Matching Games

For children a bit older, TOOB® items can serve as an integral part of matching and identification games. By giving kids a three-dimensional version of an animal or item, they can better understand it and identify it. Using TOOBS® in conjunction with flash cards can help children to associate images, words and objects as they learn.

7) Decorations for Parties and Holidays

TOOB® figures can be great for decorating parties and events, or giving your holiday décor an extra special touch. You can use them as cake toppers for cupcakes, or give them out as freebies at children’s parties. Choose a theme that your child likes, such as whales, dinosaurs, sharks, space or dragons. You can also choose a theme for holiday events, like the US Presidents or USA Super TOOBS® for a July 4^th party, or our Nativity Super TOOB® for the Christmas holiday. You can also use the method mentioned above of adding a screw-in eyelet to make holiday ornaments!

8) Game Pieces

If you or your children get sick of the same old boring, generic game pieces, why not substitute a TOOB® figure that better represents the player. Since they’re small enough to work on most game boards, they’ll fit right in. Whether a children’s board game or a fantasy tabletop role-playing game for older players, adding TOOB® figures as game pieces can create a more fun and unique atmosphere.

9) Create a Diorama

Got a school project coming up? TOOBS® to the rescue! Their small size makes these mini-figures perfect for the ever popular traditional “shoebox diorama”. Children can draw or print out any desired background, and place TOOB® figurines wherever they want, creating their own miniature scene. Since each TOOB® are centered on a particular theme, it’s easy to create an entire world for animals and characters found in all kinds of environments, from the Arctic to the Wild West.

10) Make Your Own Bath Bombs

Using a homemade bath bomb recipe, you can conceal a TOOB® figure within to reveal a surprise for your children during bath time! Make getting clean fun by giving your kids something to look forward to in the tub – a new TOOB® figure!

Hopefully, this list has opened your eyes to the idea that TOOBS® are so much more than portable playthings. But don’t stop here! Use your own imagination and come up with more unique and innovative ways to use TOOBS®!