Sonny the Sloth Plush Toy

Sonny the Sloth — the one in the range built for winding down

Of the eight animals in the Zoo Crew, the sloth is the one that reads as calm. Long limbs that drape rather than stick out, a face doing nothing in particular, and a shape that settles into the crook of an arm. If you're choosing a soft toy specifically for winding down rather than playing with, this is the one. About 30 x 20cm, filled with 100% recycled stuffing, made by Make Believe Ideas with London Zoo — a ZSL conservation zoo — and suitable from birth.

🦥 Long arms are the whole trick

A sloth's limbs drape over a shoulder or across a chest instead of poking out at angles. That's why it is so good for cuddles where a stiffer toy isn't — it drapes, stays put, and doesn't need arranging. The arms are also the easiest thing in the range for a small hand to grab and hang on to.

♻️ 100% recycled filling — and a zoo that benefits

The stuffing is 100% recycled rather than virgin polyester, and the range was made with London Zoo. Make Believe Ideas state that every purchase supports ZSL's vital conservation work here in the UK and around the world — so when the sloth questions start, there's a real answer at the end of them.

💡 A fact to keep for later

Real sloths only go to the toilet about once a week, and climb all the way down from the tree to do it. We accept no responsibility for how often this gets repeated at nursery.

What we like about it

• The calmest shape in the range — limbs that drape rather than stick out
• A proper cuddle size at about 30 x 20cm, with the arms adding reach
• Suitable from birth, with nothing rigid anywhere
• Filled with 100% recycled stuffing rather than virgin polyester
• Made with London Zoo, and every purchase supports ZSL's conservation work
• One of eight animals in the Zoo Crew

Specification

• Suitable from: birth
• Size: approx. 30cm x 20cm
• Filling: 100% recycled stuffing
• Care: surface wash only
• Made with: London Zoo — a ZSL conservation zoo. Every purchase supports ZSL's conservation work

❓ Frequently asked questions

Surface wash only — what does that mean in practice?
No machine and no soaking: clean the outside with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, then let it dry fully. This matters more for a cuddle toy than most, because it is the one that gets held closest. Our honest advice: if Sonny becomes the one they can't be without, buy a second. A spare is worth far more than it costs on the day the first one goes missing.

How big is it?
About 30 x 20cm, so a proper armful rather than a pocket animal — roughly a sheet of A4 with a bit to spare, and the draping arms make it feel longer than that. For comparison the giraffe is the tallest at 32 x 9cm and the penguin chick the roundest at 25 x 23cm.

Can it go in the cot?
It's rated from birth, but safer sleep guidance is to keep the cot clear of soft toys for the first year — so for a newborn this is a daytime and winding-down companion, and it stays out of the cot until around 12 months. Worth saying plainly, since a sloth rather invites the question.

How does buying it help ZSL?
The range was created with London Zoo, and Make Believe Ideas state that every purchase supports ZSL's conservation work in the UK and abroad. We'd rather quote them than put a figure on it we can't verify.

Is it a grab-and-shake toy or a cuddle-up-to one?
A cuddle-up-to one. For something a newborn can hold and wave, the Clip & Go animals are smaller, clip to a pram and have a textured teething ring — though there's no sloth in that format. The Sloth Hand-Puppet Cloth Book is the other way to have this animal, and it works from day one because you do the moving.

Does it make a good gift?
It's the one we'd pick for a baby who already has an elephant. Sloths are a touch more interesting than the usual suspects without being obscure, and the winding-down angle gives it a job rather than just a shelf.

🦁 Meet the rest of the Zoo Crew

Eight animals, all from birth, all with the same recycled filling. Sizes differ more than the photographs suggest, so they are listed:

• Echo the Elephant — 30 x 20cm. The classic, and the easiest ears to hold.
• Lennon the Lion — 30 x 20cm. A fluffy mane against velvety fur, so the most texture of the eight.
• Giggles the Giraffe — 32 x 9cm. The tallest and slimmest, and the easiest to carry about by the neck.
• Sonny the Sloth — this one, 30 x 20cm. The calm one, for winding down.
• Pebble the Penguin Chick — 25 x 23cm. Almost round, and the easiest to hold with both arms.
• Bouncy the Bush Baby — 30 x 20cm. The one nobody else's toddler has, and gently weighted.
• Honey the Pygmy Hippo — 31 x 16cm. Long, low and also weighted, so she sits up.
• Raffles the Red Panda — 30 x 16cm, where the tail is the whole point.

Beyond the plush, the Clip & Go animals are smaller with a pram clip and a teething ring, the hand-puppet cloth books put the animal on your hand, and Never Touch the Zoo Crew! is the touch-and-feel book the range grew out of. See it all in our Zoo Crew collection.

Our guides to when soft toys and comforters are safe to introduce and the best toys for babies under 6 months go into more detail.

❤️ From our family to yours

Carefully chosen products for babies, toddlers and parents. Browse the whole Zoo Crew range and the rest of the Make Believe Ideas collection — free UK delivery on orders over £25.