The boy was playing by the machine at a Cairns shopping centre when he crawled inside and managed to wedge himself between a penguin and a teddy bear.

A spokesman for the Mt Sheridan plaza shopping centre said the boy was stuck inside for up to three minutes, but he had no idea how the child managed to squeeze himself in there.

Fortunately there was no need to get out the claw.

Centre management were able to release the boy by unlocking the front door to the machine.

It is understood the boy was not injured.

There are seven other toy machines at the shopping centre, the spokesman said.

The Mt Sheridan toddler's tale is not without precedent.

In 2008 a girl in the US climbed into a toy vending machine and became stuck as parents frantically tried to get her out.