if you want, you could make a distinction between interactive and non-interactive toys. there's certainly a wide gulf between Rudy and, say, the Toto doggie figurine that's screwed to the WOZ shooter lane rail. Are they both toys? I mean in broad terms, sure. but figurines bolted to the playfield aren't what people aren't usually talking about when they say "Stern games could use more toys" or whatever.

So I think it makes sense to at least assume in pinball contexts when we mention toys we're talking about objects that are at least minimally interactive. but even then, there's grey areas -- for example, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man on Ghostbusters is merely on a spring behind the playfield. the ball never hits it, and he isn't powered, but he wobbles when you nudge. does that count as interactive? what about a toy that simply lights up during a certain mode?

well, she goes up and down and yells at the player depending on what you do with the ball. i think that counts in my book.

eh both of those things if i took em off the game and handed em to my kids would seem like a toy to them. but in spirit i think i agree with you - in pinball when we talk about toys, i think we usually are thinking about cool cranes and mouths and gates and magnets and things that interact with the ball. but i don't think you'll successfully nail down a specific definition. Space Shuttle is kinda considered the Toy that Saved Pinball and it doesn't really do anything.