Outdoor Games · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

The garden finally becomes the family's favourite room

£21.99

or 4 payments of £5.49 with Klarna

🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.

Express · order today for next-day delivery

Standard · 2-3 working days

Ages 3+
2 mallets included
5 animal hoops
Wooden construction
Screen-free fun
Hand-eye coordination
30-day returns
Klarna available

Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795

as seen in

Real talk

Your garden has been waiting for this

You've spent summers on the borders and lawn. Now watch what happens when you give the garden a reason to gather. Animal Croquet isn't complicated, it isn't trendy, and it doesn't need a manual. It just works. From the first afternoon, the lawn becomes the place children actually want to be.

You'll get the quiet satisfaction of seeing your garden do what you built it for. And the bonus: you get to join in too.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What arrives at your door

Everything needed to start playing. Set up takes minutes. The fun lasts all season.

Animal Croquet set with five wooden animal hoops arranged on grass

In the box

Five animal hoops

A panda, bunny, deer, hedgehog and fox. Each one numbered, guiding children through the course in order. Built from finished wood, they're sturdy enough for daily garden use.

✓ Panda, bunny, deer, hedgehog, fox
✓ Numbered sequence for play
✓ Finished wood construction

Two wooden mallets and balls for Animal Croquet

In the box

Two mallets and balls

Everything two children need to play together from the first swing. The mallets are sized for young hands. Simple enough to pick up in minutes, satisfying enough to keep them coming back.

✓ 2 mallets sized for children
✓ 2 balls included
✓ Ready to play straight away

Child playing Animal Croquet in a garden setting

Play style

Guide the ball through each hoop

Children guide their ball through each numbered animal hoop in order, working their way around the course. It's a woodland adventure in your back garden. Simple rules mean little ones understand the goal immediately. The play keeps them outside, active and laughing.

✓ Play in numbered sequence
✓ Works for ages 3 and up
✓ Garden adventure, no screens

Ready to activate your garden

Children's Animal Croquet: £21.99

While they play

What children quietly build while they play

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

🎯

Hand-eye coordination

Aiming through hoops, controlling swing strength, reading the ball path. Real skill development disguised as fun.

🧠

Spatial awareness

Understanding distances, angles and positioning on the course. The garden becomes their playground for learning.

👥

Turn-taking and patience

Playing alongside another child teaches waiting, celebrating theirs wins and managing their own turns. Real social skills.

🌳

Outdoor confidence

Time outside building familiarity with the garden, moving freely, using their body with purpose.

What families say about Jaques of London

Parents and grandparents who bought it

★★★★★

"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."

Lynda Evans✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."

Danella Jones✓ Google review

★★★★★

"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."

Irene Johnstone✓ Google review

★★★★★

"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"

Tegan✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."

John A✓ Google review

★★★★★

"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"

Sarah Lardner✓ Google review

★★★★★ 4.8/5 rated by families across Google and Trustpilot: real reviews, quoted word for word

Get ready for life

Why real play matters

Real brain growth comes from real play.

Play from the very first afternoon

No complicated setup. Two children, two mallets, five hoops. Rules are simple enough to pick up in minutes. Keeps them playing for hours.

→

Two children play together easily

Mallets sized for young hands. Ball speed is manageable. Designed so the youngest can guide and hit without frustration.

→

Five animal hoops make a full course

Numbered sequence keeps the game flowing. Each animal is distinct, so children understand where to go next. Creates a woodland adventure on your lawn.

Why this matters right now

1795 Year Jaques began making games We've watched what actually gets played outside. This set has the bones of a classic because it's simple, it works, and children come back to it.

Wood Built from finished wood Not plastic, not flat-pack flimsy. Built to live in the garden through seasons. Hoops stay true, mallets stay solid.

Screen-free Reason to stay outside Once it's set up, the garden pulls children away from indoors. Not because it's educational, but because it's genuinely fun.

230 yrs of making things worth keeping Jaques of London has been crafting games and toys since 1795. This one is built to be handed down, not thrown out.

We really are different

Why Animal Croquet wins on your lawn

	Jaques Children's Animal Croquet	Cheap Alternatives
Age range from	✅	❌ Often 5+ or higher
Wooden construction	✅	⚠️ Many use plastic
Hoops with character	✅	❌ Plain painted rings
Play for 2 children	✅	⚠️ Requires 4 players
Setup time	✅	⚠️ Complex assembly
Garden aesthetic	✅	❌ Bright plastic look
Holds up to daily use	✅	⚠️ Degrades quickly

Jaques

✅ Ages 3+
✅ Finished wood
✅ Adorable designs
✅ Play for 2
✅ Minutes to set up
✅ Looks garden-ready
✅ Seasons of play

Cheap alternatives

❌ Often 5+ only
⚠️ Usually plastic
❌ Plain rings only
⚠️ Needs 4 players
⚠️ Needs assembly
❌ Plastic brightness
⚠️ Quick wear

Ready to activate your garden

Children's Animal Croquet: £21.99

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.

Questions & answers

Questions from garden-builders like you

How many children can play at once?

Two play actively at a time with the mallets and balls included. Others can take turns or you can watch and cheer. Siblings and cousins often rotate, which keeps the afternoon flowing naturally. No long waits, everyone gets their turn.

Will it survive in the garden year-round?

It's built from finished wood to live outdoors. We'd recommend bringing the hoops in over winter if you're in a harsh climate, or storing under a gazebo between seasons. The wood is robust enough for daily use through spring and summer. Most families simply tuck it away when weather turns.

Can a 3-year-old actually play this?

Yes. The mallets are sized for little hands, the swing is simple to learn, and hitting the ball through a hoop is genuinely satisfying even for the youngest. Don't expect perfect aim, but they'll understand the goal immediately and want to keep trying. It's inclusive from age 3 upward.

Is it worth the garden space it takes up?

That's the question that sold every parent who bought it. The answer comes when you watch your lawn actually get used. Your garden becomes the reason family gathers outside. For most buyers, that shift in how the space functions makes it the best investment they've made in outdoor life.

How much does it cost?

The Children's Animal Croquet is £21.99 today. Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.

What's your returns policy?

30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.

Ready to activate your garden

Children's Animal Croquet: £21.99

Our story

Making toys worth keeping since 1795.

Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.

When Jaques started in 1795, the garden was where families gathered naturally. We've never stopped making games for that impulse. Animal Croquet carries that legacy. It's not engineered to be cool, it's made to be played. Finished wood hoops with character, mallets children can actually grip, rules simple enough that three-year-olds start on their first try. We've built it because we know what actually happens in a garden when something is genuinely fun. The lawn stops being something you admire from the kitchen window.

Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London

Ready when you are