Pleasent T. Rowland, a retired teacher and writer, founded the Pleasant company in 1986. Operating out of Middleton, Wisconsin, the company produced three dolls, each from a different era of American history. American girl dolls open up the imagination, filling a child’s eyes with wonder, and the doll comes with an educational benefit as well.
Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly were the first three original American girl dolls, each with her own set of historically accurate accessories and outfits. Their popularity exploded in the 90’s and kids still go crazy for them today.
American Girl Doll Nostalgia
The girls who grew up with American girl dolls are now having kids of their own, and parents love to give their children the same things they loved. Subsequently, the popularity has grown even more in the last few years.
Collecting American Girl Dolls, Clothes, and Accessories
When a child has one of these dolls, it opens up a world of options for gift-giving occasions. With a myriad of outfits and accessories available, you can appeal to a youngster’s personality and give “The. Best. Gift. Ever.”
What Makes them Awesome?
In addition to collecting and playing dress-up, girls are getting even more creative with the American Girl Dolls now. Check out this adorable dance video, featuring six American Girls. The impressive part? This was all done by a 9-year-old, with minimal help from an adult; looks like someone has a career in choreography or video production!!
The Zoo Factory is now offering awesome products from a Shark Tank success story! Shark Tank is an Emmy nominated reality show, in which self-made entrepreneurs search to invest in some of the best businesses and ideas in the country. A recent winner had an idea that was too awesome for us to forget about. Subsequently, The Zoo Factory now carries Cotton Candy Dryer Sheetsand Teddy Needs a Bath Bags.
Teddy Needs a Bath
The National Allergy Association suggests cleaning your child’s stuffed toys often, at least once per month. Washing a stuffed toy in a traditional washer and dryer may effectively destroy bacteria, but it could destroy your son or daughter’s beloved ‘pet’ as well.
Teddy Needs a Bath is a safe, pediatrician recommended solution for removing bacteria and dust mites, while keeping the toy intact.
Cotton Candy Dryer Sheets
You can add to the excitement by drying the stuffed animal with a scented dryer sheet. Place it inside the Teddy Needs a Bath laundry bag, along with the toy, and it will come out smelling sweet and feeling soft.
For more information about these awesome products, visit: teddyneedsabath.com
Calm, relaxing noises that emanate the womb have consistently proven to be beneficial to babies in a myriad of ways. Womb sounds, coupled with a mother’s loving voice, can dramatically influence the development and well-being of a child.
Amir Lanav, a neuroscientist, was more than a little worried and curious after the premature birth of his twins. Intrigued, Lanav wondered if his wife’s voice could help improve his children’s health and spirits. With his home computer, Lanav recorded his wife telling the babies to stay strong.
This theory proved to have a decent effect on the babies’ health, so the hospital queried Lanav about his ideas and together they set up more tests. A series of studies with premature babies and older infants showed that babies who listen to their mom’s voices get better sleep and feel less anxiety, promoting a better immune system.
Speaking, reading, and singing also played a major role in how the baby improved over time. The more soft and emotional the voice is the better; naturally, singing proved to be the most effective.
A stuffed animal in itself is a thoughtful, timeless gift, perfect for any new or expecting mother. Record a comforting, maternal message and place it inside of the companion. When the child heads to bed and snuggles against this toy, he or she will be welcomed by familiar sounds in a scary, unfamiliar word. These precious gifts are not only adorable, but also they could play a huge role in improving your child’s mood, development, behavior, and health.
When people have stuffed animals that may be worth money, they don’t necessarily want their little ones playing with them, undressing or dressing them or brushing their fur or hair. While this may seem like fun to the child, it could be doing irrevocable harm to the plush toy and in the world of antiquities, the better the item’s condition, usually the more valuable it is.
A woman in Western New York recently reported a case in which her aunt had given the woman’s six year-old daughter an old teddy bear that belonged to the aunt in her youth. Kept in storage and still in good condition, the young child was eager to play with the plush toy and make it a part of her own collection.
The mother relished watching her daughter play with the bear and was happy to tell her aunt that the bear had become a part of the child’s regular play things. But all that changed when the child’s grandmother, the sister of the aunt, saw the child playing with the stuffed bear and panicked. She recognized the bear as an antique, a Steiff to be exact. The German stuffed animal company, founded in 1880, is known for its production of high-quality stuffed animals.
The grandmother was able to identify the Steiff bear based on the silver colored metal button on the left ear of the bear. It featured raised script that read “Steiff.” Knowing that she had quite the find in her hands, the grandmother did her best to pacify the child with the promise of the purchase of a new stuffed animal. She took her find to an appraiser who estimated the bear’s worth to be somewhere in the thousands of dollars.
In the end, the grandmother was able to procure the stuffed animal and keep it in safe place, where it could continue to appreciate without sustaining any damage. She didn’t want to sell the toy out from under the child to whom the bear was given, but she also wanted to keep it nice until the child was grown and able to understand the true value of the bear.
It’s not every day you find a treasure such as a Steiff stuffed animal. But if it ever happens, have it appraised by a professional antiques appraiser, specifically one who deals with antique toys, dolls and stuffed animals. This way, you’ll know whether or not your child’s play things could bring more money than you imagined.
You see it every day…a child playing make-believe with their stuffed animals. These animals become accessories to the imaginations of children. From dolls and animals in dress up attire to plush animals acting out scenes like those in fantasy or science fiction. Depending on the age of the child, these stuffed animals might be involved in elaborate plot lines or just sitting down for light conversation at high tea. What this means for the child is companionship, development and the ability to feel in control. To the stuffed animal, it means having a purpose!
This kind of play is known as dramatic play and it refers to the made up games that children enjoy. When adults witness it, they see a child acting cute while playing with stuffed animals and other non-living friends. But to a child involved in dramatic playing, the world that is created fosters their abilities to learn and develop. This is an imaginary world that supports intellectual growth and builds social and verbal skills.
It may seem like just fun and games in a make-believe environment, but dramatic play with stuffed animals is rooted in psychology.
During this type of play, children are acting out scenes from their own day-to-day lives, albeit, they are not entirely cognizant of that. They may be acting out, or reliving the things they’ve witnessed or participated in with their stuffed animals. That’s why some toddlers and young children carry their dolls and stuffed animals around like babies and why they mimic the coos that parents often do if there is a younger sibling at home.
Sometimes young ones will scold a stuffed animal or doll as if it were a living thing if the child remembers being scolded or told “no” about something. The latter type of mimicking behavior should not be alarming unless accompanied by other negative behaviors or if it is the only type of dramatic play the child tends to participate in.
Otherwise, watching a child act out real life scenes with a stuffed animal can be a great way to see how they are developing and how their minds are expanding. It is the first step towards gaining more in-depth play and learning how to form thoughts and relationships.
So, the next time you see a little one sitting down for tea with a stuffed animal or solving a crime with a beloved plush friend, take a moment to listen in; you’ll discover that there is a lot more going on!
There are plenty of stuffed animal drives throughout the country, but there not be a better one than this. The Calgary Hitman of the Western Hockey League, sponsors an annual act that’s been part of their history for the past 18 seasons. It’s called the Teddy Bear Toss.
Back in December, hosting the Kootenay Ice, the Hitmen’s first goal would yield a shower of teddy bears like it did every year. But every year it always seems to come as a surprise to the players.
When the first goal of the game was scored by Hitmen winger Pavlo Padakin, the crowd went nuts, throwing a total of 21,453 stuffed bears onto the ice. Rather than just shrills and cheers, the fans started rifling their plush friends that encased the players in rainbows of soft colors.
Padakin didn’t expect the experience, which was his first, to be so overwhelming. As quoted in the Calgary Herald, Padakin said “I didn’t think it was like this…..not emotional.”
With 16,912 fans in attendance and over 21,000 stuffed bears coloring the ice, you can only imagine the excitement from all who were there to see. Hitmen player Greg Chase reflected on the atmosphere by stating, “The nerves are flying at the start of the game — everyone wants to score that goal. We wanted to score in front of our fans and let those teddy bears come down.” (Calgary Herald).
Aside from the thrill of tossing a teddy onto the ice, imagine how the recipients felt? The Teddy Bear Toss has been a charity mission to bring smiles to those staying at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Since the tradition began 18 years ago, the Hitmen team has donated an astounding 213,000 bears.
You’ll find there to be quite a few stuffed animal drives across the country, but this one is certainly unique. For minor league teams, this idea is great for drawing and building a community of fans. But furthermore, it’s not only a great marketing tool, it benefits children too. If your organization wants to sponsor an event to brighten someone else’s day, browse through our many collections of cuddly stuffed animals today.
Molding your little one into a sports fan takes some work, especially when it comes to cheering for a specific team. Families don their children in clothing of their favorite teams, and even take them to a game when they’re young to get them prepared for a life of being a fan for the rest of their lives.
Another way to get the little one prepared is to get them a stuffed animal to hold on to that resembles a teams mascot or nickname.You have to be creative and imaginative, since these aren’t official sports stuffed animals, but the psychological factors in having your child hold on to something that represents your team could pay off in the long run.
Think of it like this, if your children’s favorite stuffed animal is an Eagle, maybe he’ll want to become a Philadelphia Eagles fan! Or if you want your child to grow up being an Eagles fan, get him an Eagle stuffed animal.
So with the NFL Draft taking place this weekend, lets go through The Zoo Factory’s stuffed animals you can give to your children to mold them into an NFL fan!
Denver Broncos — One of the most storied franchises in the entire league that also boasts possibly the best quarterback to ever live in Peyton Manning, this horse replicates that of the Broncos logo, which is a horse.
Philadelphia Eagles — If your son or daughter’s favorite bird is an Eagle, chances are they could very well grow up to be an Eagles fan. The Philadelphia Eagles have never won a Super Bowl, but maybe your little fan’s spirit can push them over the top.
Jacksonville Jaguars — This cool looking stuffed animal could represent your children’s love for the Jaguars. The Jaguars haven’t been the best team in the league of late, but with a new ownership, your little one could be the first one on the bandwagon.
Cincinnati Bengals — What kid wouldn’t want to grow up a Bengals fan when dragging this guy around town. If you name him “Cinci,” your child may be well on his way to becoming a big time Bengals fan.
Detroit Lions — Not only does a lion represent the king of the jungle, it could show your children’s love for the Detroit Lions. Couldn’t you see your child squeezing this sports stuffed animal when the Lions are making a last minute attempt to win the game? Or could that be you?!
Buffalo Bills — Just like this cute and lovable stuffed animal, the Buffalo Bills are one of the more lovable teams in the NFL. They’re sometimes lovable for the wrong reasons, because they tend to lose more games than they win, but their fans are passionate and love their fans through thick and thin. Just a warning, you might need to hold this tight during close games!
Miami Dolphins — This is a great gift for any young Dolphins fan. This stuffed animal not only looks exactly like Miami’s logo, but it’s cute like the Dolphins new logo too.
Chicago Bears — This big bad Bear could represent your child’s love for the Chicago Bears. The Bears are known for having a punishing defense, and there’s not a better way in representing that than having this bear in your arms. If you want your child growing up to root for one of the oldest and most storied franchises in the NFL, this loveable sports stuffed animal is for you!
Remember, these stuffed animals are not licensed NFL products, nor are they officially affiliated with any team, but with a little creativeness these stuffed animals could easily represent the love for their favorite team — and it doesn’t even have to be a football team. Browse our collection and see what stuffable animal could be the one to mold your child into a big sports fan today!
Everyone has that special stuffed animal that’s made it through the years. Whether you’re new to the stuffed animal game, or a seasoned veteran, the new trend of being able to create, customize and personalize your own stuffed animal is very exciting. With stuffed animals often being a sign of comfort, going the extra mile and physically creating your closest friend can be a fulfilling and stress relieving activity for people of all ages.
For decades, the standard has been either receiving this special friend as a gift, or purchasing one from a store. While the bonds with these animals are always strong, sometimes it isn’t exactly what you wanted. With minor issues, such as size, texture, color or even breed of animal, these slight flaws often took some getting used to before a bond could be formed. New advances in the stuffed animal industry have made it possible to create and customize the vision that was always in your head. The steps are pretty easy; you pick the breed of your animal and stuff it yourself. The animal is brought to life in your hands and is easily customizable. Shirts, pants, shoes, dresses, sunglasses, and bracelets are just a few of the many options available to really personalize your newest creation.
To really pack that extra punch, most animals will come with accessories birth certificate to be filled out by the creator, making the experience more than just stuffing an animal but also a personal journey to the perfect best friend. Other stuffed animal accessories like sound chips, or stuffed animal outfits also add an element to your animal, giving it a voice that can come pre-recorded or be recorded by yourself. Creating a stuffed animal has taken the love for stuffed animals to a new level.
You can choose from pre-recorded sound chips or one where you can record your own voice or even your baby’s heartbeat.
Choose from over 20 pre-recorded sounds, from a barking dog, an elephant, a mooing cow, a pig, kitty, or even the happy birthday and Old McDonald had a Farm song.
Even better, buy a customizable sound clip so your own message can be played over and over by your little loved one.
We prefer it if you didn’t record “Clean your room!” But something fun like a nickname, or even your own customizable saying that makes your loved one laugh non-stop.
The heartbeat one is great for babies or even puppies learning to live without their moms for the first time. That is as long as the puppy doesn’t use it as a toy!
These fun sound clips are incredibly reasonably priced too. The pre-recorded clips are just $2.50 and the customizable ones are $8.50
At The Zoo Factory, make your stuffable animal custom inside and out!
What kid doesn’t want to be surrounded by friends, family and a few stuffed animal kits waiting to be stuffed at a party? We know that sounds really fun and that’s why the Zoo Factory offers party kits for birthdays and other social kid-friendly events!
Each kit comes with either an 8-inch or 15-inch unstuffed animal, as well as a wishing star, a birth certificate for the newly created stuffed animal and a T-shirt. Stuffing is sold separately so you can buy as much, or as little as needed.
When you have a do-it-yourself stuffed animal party, guests will be thrilled to make their own gifts and leave with something they created. It’s a real confidence booster for children because they know that the stuffed animal was something that they made. From choosing the animal, to stuffing, decorating and costuming, kids like the idea of being in charge of every step. And because there is no sewing involved, creating your own plush animal or doll has never been easier!
Children who make their own have a sense of pride in their work. The animal becomes more than just stuffing when it’s filled with love and care! That’s the beauty of stuffing your own; the bond can last forever!
So, if your child loves stuffed animals, consider hosting a stuff-you-own themed party and invite lots of friends to participate in the fun. And pick up some party extras such as stuffing, crayons and fabric paints to decorate the T-shirt and costumes.
Encourage your guests to visit our website to learn about all the different ways to accessorize a stuffable animal or plush doll. From sunglasses and shoes, to shirts, dresses and pants, the possibilities are endless. And of course, visitors to the site will also find neat accessories like play blankets, tents and toys. The sky is the limit when you choose a Zoo Factory stuffable animal or plush doll!
Pleasent T. Rowland, a retired teacher and writer, founded the Pleasant company in 1986. Operating out of Middleton, Wisconsin, the company produced three dolls, each from a different era of American history. American girl dolls open up the imagination, filling a child’s eyes with wonder, and the doll comes with an educational benefit as well.
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