In case you haven’t seen them before, Calico Critters are a big deal. Rebranded for the U.S. from Sylvanian Familes, these cute collectible critters make excellent decorations for your desk or hobby room. What started with classic domesticated animals like cats, dogs, and rabbits, has expanded to a much wider selection of animals and playsets that expand upon your opportunities to collect them all.
Whether you remember these families from your childhood or you’re just learning about them now, we’ve compiled the best sets to start your collection or add to it! Below are our best picks, from full families to additional characters and playsets to build your own village or community of adorable creatures.
Calico Critters Cuddle Bear Family
Sweet As Honey
You’ve never met a more unbearably adorable family before, which makes them the perfect starter set for your collection. All four members of the family come with removable clothes that you can swap out. The family is made up of Arthur, Ava, Aidan, and Carol, and they can’t wait to meet you.
The Cuddle Bear family is perfect for just starting out with your collection. You get two adult characters and two children, which is great for getting to know the colorful cast of characters. They capture the cute and cozy vibe of many of the characters, especially with their honey-gold fur and warm color palette. The price of a family is a steal compared to playsets that have more characters and accessories.
The designers did a wonderful job making the family unbearably cute and round. Their simple faces and well-dressed manner show off their sophisticated, country style, and the clothes can be removed and swapped.
Calico Critters Hopscotch Rabbit Grandparents
Everyone’s Favorite Grandparents
George and Patricia are part of the Hopscotch Rabbit Family, but they can easily be adopted into any Calico Critters family that needs live-in grandparents. Dressed in their Sunday best, they’ll add a bit of elegance and class to any family they meet.
Calico Critters usually come in families of four or solo with accessories. George and Patricia, however, come as a pair that can accompany any family willing to accept a new set of grandparents. They’re elegant and refined with their finest clothes and spectacles, and they’re happy to spend time with the youngest members of the family and share stories from the past.
George and Patricia are treasured members of the family, and they come from the classic Hopscotch Rabbit Family. These two are the perfect additions to any existing families in your collection. They come with removable glasses, which can be hidden by the more mischievous Calico Critter children.
Calico Critters Fashion Playset: Town Girl Series - Persian Cat
Passion For Fashion
The Persian Cat Town Girl set comes with one collectible cat and a plethora of outfits and accessories to dress her up with. She wouldn’t be caught wearing the same outfit twice in a week, and it’s your job to make sure she remains fashionable at all times. There are plenty of ways to mix and match all the accessories.
If you love swapping outfits and dressing for any occasion, the Persian Cat Town Girl set is one of the best sets for building a wardrobe. Calico Critters are often quite homey, but this playset will help reimagine their style and make them more fashionable. With two complete outfits and a handful of accessories, you can mix and match to make new outfits – especially if adding this cool cat to your collection.
Many Calico Critters end up going barefoot, but not the Persian Cat Older Sister. Liberated from her family, she’s able to afford the finer things in life, including handbags and heels that make her a fashion icon in her cozy little village.
Calico Critters Royal Princess Set
The Royal Court
The royal princesses Grace, Linnea, Apricot, Mary, and Bonnie cordially invite you to join them in a fanciful party of pretend. In their finest costumes, they’re ready to create a fantasy adventure. The outfits can be mixed and matched for even more fun, and will fit other Calico Critter children and babies!
Small and cute, this set is a great way to collect several different Calico Critters with unique outfits! While the baby Calico Critters are smaller than the adults, they take up less space, which means you can collect more of them. You can mix and match the outfits to make up different fairytales and play pretend.
If you don’t mind adopting five children who don’t have parents, this is the perfect set to pick up to start a diverse and adorable collection. Be careful, though – or you may just want to find each of their families to expand your collection.
Calico Critters Highbranch Giraffe Family
The Tallest Family In Town
Egbert and Olive bring their two children, Brie and Bran, to town. They love sightseeing and come with their own binoculars and camera to take photos of precious moments. The family of four has fun giraffe-patterned clothing and looks forward to meeting the neighbors. Unlike many of the Calico Critter families, they are uniquely gifted with height.
While many Calico Critter families are domesticated animals, like cats, dogs, and rabbits, there are some that branch out. The Highbranch family is made up of soft and sweet giraffes, and they are uniquely designed to blend their towering appeal with handheld cuteness. The giraffe-patterned patches and a pop of movement to their outfits.
If you want something a little more fantastical than finely dressed cats and dogs, a family of giraffes that love photography and sightseeing is perfect for taking your collection to new heights. Avid collectors who have previous sets, including the Ellwoods Elphant Family, can welcome more neighbors.
Calico Critters Pony Friends Set
The Mane Attraction
Bella and Giselle and fashion forward, and they take pride in their fabulous manes. With brushes, combs, and different bows and barrettes, they can practice their hair styling skills. Use the mirror to show them what their hard work looks like and inspire them to come up with new looks!
When it comes to unique critters, the ponies are some of the most qualifying characters. Not only is their face shape different, but they have long manes of silky smooth hair to decorate and style as you please. While this can get tangled over time, careful pushing and styling can keep it neat and tidy.
Aside from that, you can share the accessories with other characters. Even without the salon playset, you can set Bella and Giselle up to use their mirror on your desk or shelf. They’re not picky, so long as they get to practice their styling skills!
FAQ
What Are The Rarest Calico Critters?
The rarest Calico Critters include the massive Giant Freya Rabbit, which was used in store displays and is several feet tall. Following that, the Brown Mole family is quite rare, as well as the 5th anniversary white rabbit family released in Japan.
What Are The Most Popular Calico Critters?
The most popular Calico Critter family is the Red Panda family, which features four adorable red pandas with red and white fur. Additionally, the Hopscotch Rabbit family is also quite popular, and even has additional family members available.
