Who are the Smiling Critters? What parents should know

• ✓Official rating above age 7
  Poppy Playtime: ESRB T; PEGI 12–16
• –Contact with other players or strangers
  No in-game chat
• –Purchases with real money
  Paid game
• –Paid random items
  None
• ✓Violence or scary content in rating descriptors
  Horror: CatNap is a villain in Chapter 3
• –Government lawsuits, fines, or safety warnings
  None found

Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count.

Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?

Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.

Who are the Smiling Critters?

Short answer: Characters from the horror game Poppy Playtime.

In the game's story, they're plush toys made by the fictional Playtime Co., each with a big grin and a color of its own. There are eight: Bobby BearHug, Bubba Bubbaphant, CraftyCorn, DogDay, Hoppy Hopscotch, KickinChicken, PickyPiggy, and CatNap. They look like a preschool cartoon, which is why many young kids love them.

Are the Smiling Critters scary?

Short answer: In the game, yes. They appear in Poppy Playtime's Chapter 3, "Deep Sleep," where CatNap, a purple cat, is the main villain and hunts the player through an abandoned orphanage, and the other Critters appear as damaged "Ruined Critters," secondary enemies, according to the fan-run Poppy Playtime Wiki. Poppy Playtime is a horror game rated T for Teen (ages 13 and up) by the ESRB, and 12 to 16 by PEGI depending on the chapter.

Why young kids know them

The Critters look like toys, and they're shown in fan videos and cartoons online. Many young kids know the characters, songs, and names without having played the horror game. Read more in our Poppy Playtime guide.

The habit kids may copy: cute outside, scary inside

The Critters are built on a surprise: a friendly smile that turns into a monster. Some kids love the scare; others carry it to bed.

Try tonight: real or made up?

If CatNap shows up at bedtime, ask: "Is CatNap real, or made up by a game company?" Then name who made it. In our program, this is the lesson "True or Made Up": checking a fear against the facts.

What are the Smiling Critters' names?

Bobby BearHug, Bubba Bubbaphant, CraftyCorn, DogDay, Hoppy Hopscotch, KickinChicken, PickyPiggy, and CatNap.

Is CatNap scary?

In Poppy Playtime's Chapter 3, CatNap is the main villain who chases the player. The game is rated T for Teen.

What game are the Smiling Critters from?

Poppy Playtime, a horror game by Mob Entertainment.

What age is Poppy Playtime for?

The ESRB rates it T for Teen (ages 13 and up); PEGI rates it 12 to 16 depending on the chapter.

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