The croquet set that gets them off the screens
or 4 payments of £5.49 with Klarna
🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.
- Screen-free garden play
- Hand-eye coordination
- Two players ready to go
- Ages 3 to adult
- Solid wood construction
- Ships within 2-3 days
- 30-day returns
- Klarna available
Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795
as seen in
Real talk
The game that keeps them coming back outside
Animal Croquet arrived in our back garden and we stopped checking the screen lock time. Two balls, two mallets, five animal hoops to swing through in order. Your child works through the numbered course, guided by a panda, bunny, deer, hedgehog and fox. Simple. Instantly playable. The kind of thing they ask to do again tomorrow.
This is how you get the happy tiredness. Active play, real skill-building, and the sound of actual giggling instead of a notification ping.
Joe Jaques, Jaques of London
What's in the box
What arrives at your door
Everything needed for two players to start playing this weekend. Wood-finished, hand-packed, ready to gift.
5 animal hoops
Panda, bunny, deer, hedgehog, fox. Each numbered so your child plays them in sequence. Beautifully finished wood, not plastic.
- ✓ Numbered 1 through 5
- ✓ Hand-finished wood
- ✓ Stands firm in grass
2 mallets + 2 balls
Child-sized grip, weighted properly so even a 3-year-old can swing and connect. Both players start at the same time.
- ✓ Child-sized grip
- ✓ Play together from game one
- ✓ Ready to use straight away
Simple rules, endless play
Guide your ball through each numbered hoop in order, working around the garden course. Hit the final hoop, you win. No complex scoring, no confusion.
- ✓ First introduction to croquet
- ✓ Works for ages 3 and up
- ✓ Plays 2 at a time
Ordered by 2pm, arrives within 2-3 business days
Children's Animal Croquet: £21.99
While they play
What they're building while they play
Looks like play. Works like a lesson.
Hand-eye coordination
Swinging the mallet at a moving target, judging distance and angle. Every swing teaches spatial awareness.
Following sequence
Playing the hoops in numbered order. A simple rule they follow themselves, building focus and rule-following.
Fine motor strength
Gripping the mallet, building arm and hand strength with every swing. Play that feels like play but builds real capability.
Taking turns
Two players, one turn at a time. No timer, no app, just learning to wait, watch, and celebrate the other player's hit.
What families say about Jaques of London
What other families say
"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."
"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."
"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."
"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!"
"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."
"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!"
Get ready for life
Why real play matters
Real brain growth comes from real play.
Set up in the garden
Push the 5 animal hoops into the grass in numbered order. Takes 2 minutes. No tools, no assembly needed.
One player, one mallet, one ball
Each player takes their ball and mallet. Start at hoop 1 and work through in sequence. Play to your own pace.
First through all 5 hoops wins
Guide your ball through each numbered hoop in order, around the garden course. Reach the final hoop and you're done.
Why this matters right now
We really are different
Why Animal Croquet stays in the garden longer
| Jaques Children's Animal Croquet | Cheap Alternatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | ✅ | ❌ Hollow plastic cracks in the sun |
| Weight and feel | ✅ | ❌ Lightweight sets feel cheap in hand |
| Hand-finished detail | ✅ | ⚠️ Mass-produced often rough or uneven |
| Hoop strength | ✅ | ❌ Plastic hoops bend or snap |
| Two complete sets included | ✅ | ⚠️ Often need to buy a second mallet set |
| Made to be kept | ✅ | ❌ Disposable design, worn out in 1-2 seasons |
| 30-day returns | ✅ | ⚠️ Restocking fees or strict final-sale policies |
- ✅ Solid wood
- ✅ Heft and grip
- ✅ Hand-finished
- ✅ Hoops hold firm
- ✅ 2 complete sets
- ✅ Made to last
- ✅ 30-day returns
- ❌ Plastic cracks
- ❌ Feels cheap
- ⚠️ Often rough
- ❌ Hoops snap
- ⚠️ Single set only
- ❌ Wears out fast
- ⚠️ Final sale only
Ordered by 2pm, arrives within 2-3 business days
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 answered
What age is this right for?
Animal Croquet starts at 3. The rules are simple enough a toddler can follow, and the mallets are sized to fit. Older children and adults enjoy it too. One family said it's made for any age gathering in the garden. If you're buying for a 4th or 5th birthday, this is the one.
Is this really worth more than a plastic set?
Yes. Solid wood doesn't crack in the sun, the weight feels right in a child's hand, and hand-finished details last. One buyer told us, 'worth every penny full price'. Played for years, passed to younger siblings or cousins, handed down eventually. Pennies per game over time.
Can I gift this if I need it soon?
Yes. Order by 2pm and Animal Croquet ships within 2-3 business days. Gift wrapping is available at checkout. One parent told us it 'saved Christmas' because it arrived when promised.
What if we're not sure about the quality when it arrives?
30-day returns, no fuss. You get to hold it, feel the wood, let your child try it. One grandparent told us they were relieved it wasn't 'the usual tat from China'. Another said, 'Toys that don't break after five minutes of play'. If it's not right, send it back.
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.
Ordered by 2pm, arrives within 2-3 business days
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.
Croquet belongs to Jaques. We invented the modern game in the 1850s and have been refining it ever since. Animal Croquet brings that heritage down to child-scale, but doesn't cut corners. Five named animal hoops, solid wood, hand-finished, weighted properly so a small hand can swing and hit. We make it because outdoor play is disappearing, and because garden games are how families build memories. This set is built to be played with, passed on, and remembered.
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
Get them outside this weekend
£21.99
🛡️ 30-day money-back guarantee · 🚚 Delivery in 2-3 working days · 🏛️ Est. 1795
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