IKEA invites the little ones – and their parents – on an adventure through the African savannah, right from the comfort of their living room. The new SANDLÖPARE children's collection is more than just a cute collection of stuffed animals – it's a mission with a powerful message: play, explore and (in the process) save the world.
If your kids are obsessed with animals but you don't have space for a pet lion (who does?), SANDLÖPARE is perfect for you. IKEA in collaboration with the Swedish Wildlife Conservation Center Nordens Ark presents a collection that combines play, learning and pure childlike enthusiasm for all creatures that jump, fly, crawl and growl.
Play – a luxury of modern childhood?
According to the latest research IKEA Play Report 2024 Only 51% of % children are satisfied with the amount of time they have to play. Parents? They want more playtime together too – 54% of % say they don’t have enough time to play with their children. (Probably when they’re stuck in the endless queue to assemble furniture.)
This is where SANDLÖPARE comes in: a collection that includes 29 products, designed to encourage exploration, imagination and role-play. In this mini safari, a chair can become a zebra, a rug a snake and a child's room a real savannah base - without the risk of being chased by a hyena.
Not just toys – ambassadors for endangered species
IKEA and Nordens Ark designed the collection to raise awareness of lesser-known but endangered animal species. Have you heard of flat pancake turtle? Or a crocodile with a thin snout? Also a designer Anna Edlundh there aren't any – until now.
“Thanks to the collaboration with Nordens Ark, our illustrations have become more realistic. Children (and parents) can now discover these unique species with the same curiosity as I did,” says Edlundh.
And that's not all: IKEA will support Nordens Ark with awareness campaigns in the coming years, and Nordens Ark will help IKEA develop new products that awaken curiosity about nature and the importance of coexistence with animals.
Sustainability? A must-have for every stuffed lion
All toys in the SANDLÖPARE collection are made of 100 % recycled materials – from the filling to the seams. Well, almost everything. Sorry, velvet monkey and her baby and chimpanzee have slightly less than 100 % recycling (more precisely: 99.91 % and 99.84 %), due to small details that require additional security.
But don't worry - each toy has been through more testing than the average mobile phone: pulling, biting, mud, machine washing, even a psychological test (well, almost). The biggest challenge? Giraffe neck.
“It had to stay upright after multiple washes, but still be soft – not like a baseball bat,” he says. Jorge Omar Santoyo Henaine, product developer at IKEA. “It was a puzzle, but we solved it. Now we are really happy with the result.”
Eyes that say it all (and are safe for babies)
Since 1997, all IKEA toys have embroidery instead of button eyes – for safety reasons. But something magical happened: the toys became even cuter because of it. As Jorge says:
“For a product developer, it’s like gold at the end of a rainbow. The size and placement of a single white dot is the difference between an angry, surprised, or in love giraffe.”
In other words: their animals are not only safe – they are also sassy.
SANDLÖPARE is coming in October 2025
So if you're looking for a way to bring the soul of Africa into your child's room without actually having to replace the entire interior design - wait until October 2025when the collection comes to everyone IKEA stores around the world.
And maybe, just maybe, you or your children will learn something about rare animals, responsible stewardship of nature... or just happily wash a giraffe with a flexible neck. Both count.
