figure: Breyer Arabian Mare

Children seem instinctively drawn to animals. Household pets and exotic creatures of storybooks, zoos, and popular culture fascinate and entertain the littlest toddler. A youngster’s development involves learning to identify each creature and to imitate the sound it makes. Toy figures of the dogs and cats, horses and cows, elephants and giraffes, and other animals naturally fit easily into a child’s pretend play. The small mammals and birds populate the make-believe stories youngsters create to imagine and mold the world around them.