Playtime For Your Bunny

Rabbits are very social and playful animals, and they also need a lot of exercise every day.

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Playtime is very important for them both mentally and physically - they need to stretch their muscles and move in ways instinct tells them to, and they need to express their feelings and share with others (human or rabbit or other pets). They love to play games and to play with toys. This is something people who keep rabbits outdoors simply do not know, and is one of many reasons rabbits should be kept indoors with the rest of the family. A bored bunny is a very unhappy bunny! Knowing this also helps to (hopefully) protect the furniture and woodwork by giving the bunny something else to occupy its mind and destroy. Any toy rabbits destroy or throw around are the ones they like the most!

Rabbits need toys and playtime distractions to keep their minds busy
Rabbits enjoy playing with other rabbits, humans, and other pets
Rabbits respond to an invitation to play - you just have to learn how to invite a rabbit to play a game, and how your rabbit invites you (perhaps nipping your ankle and running away, or taking something of yours and hiding it, or playing hide and seek, etc)
Rotating your rabbit's toys helps keep interest in them (when your rabbit gets bored with a toy, swap it with another one and put it aside to offer as a "new" toy later on)
Rabbits have a sense of humor and will even play practical jokes on you - don't be surprised to find your car keys in the rabbit's water bowl if you're not giving him/her enough attention

For toys to be safe for your bunny, they must be untreated (ie, not painted or otherwise finished, no colored inks except soy-based, etc) and you must also watch to see which ones they play with and which ones they chew - you don't want them swallowing plastics.

Some things rabbits may find amusing to play with: (make sure these are all untreated)

Cardboard tubes from paper towels or toilet paper (also try stuffing some hay in the tubes - what's known as a "hay bomb")
Old telephone books to shred
Cardboard tube used for post foundations to run through and hide in
Cardboard hidey-boxes (cut entrances in two locations in a box large enough for the bunny to fit inside of)
Ball with a bell inside
Apple twigs
Small pieces of untreated wood to chew on (except for aromatic woods like pine, cedar, etc)
Willow baskets to shred
Stainless steel measuring cups to throw around
Stainless steel spoons to throw around
Tin cans (no sharp edges)
Oatmeal containers
Hand towels, bath towels - to bunch up and spread out and generally arrange - watch for loose strands that might wrap around a paw and cut off circulation!!
Golf balls
Small cardboard boxes to chew and toss around
Paper bags (especially stuff with fresh hay and tied off with twine)
Parrot toys
Dried out pine cones
Downey balls (clean, of course)
Newspaper (no color)
Baby rattles to toss around
Wooden blocks to toss around
Metal bowls to toss around
Key-ring with keys to toss around
Lids from jars to toss around
A metal or plastic slinky
Plush bunny to groom and sometimes pounce
More coming soon...

Articles

HRS FAQ: Toys

The House Rabbit Society's FAQ on why rabbits need toys and what makes for a good toy

More Than Just a Chew Stick

The House Rabbit Society's article on why toys are so important

Favourite Bunny Toys

A nice list of some of the toys rabbits like to play with the most

Toys for Rabbits

Zooh Corner's article on rabbits and toys

Diverting the Digger

Giving a digging rabbit a place to dig

Boosting your bunny's ego in 4 easy steps

Guide to checking your rabbit for health problems.

Tips on Building Box Toys

A large cardboard box can be a delightful playhouse for your bunny with just a little work

Rabbit Toys

The House Rabbit Network's article on keeping your bunny stimulated with simple toys