Year: 2016

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Teddy Bears Bring Tears this Holiday Season

If you spend any amount of time on social media throughout the past week, you probably saw a lot of heart-warming stories.

One of our favorite “feel good” stories this holiday season involved, you guessed it: a teddy bear.

One story that took the world by storm last week was the story of Mariana and Sarahy Ramos, two little girls that received a teddy bear that brought them to tears minutes after pulling them out of their packaging. Their older sister recorded a video of them receiving the gift and shared it on Twitter, and the post went viral within minutes.  The video now has over 100,000 likes and 69,000 shares.

The Ramos girls lost their grandfather, Florencio Jimenez, last year under tragic. The girls Aunt Andrea purchased the two teddy bears for the girls as their Christmas gifts this year.

Both teddy bears contained an audio message that their aunt had pulled from a video recording of the girls grandfather before he passed.

The audio message inside of the bear was an inside joke that the girls had with their grandfather, following the sound of his laugh.

Their aunt wanted to give them something to remember their grandfather by and a cuddly teddy bear playing the the sound of his voice did the job.

When the young girls opened the gift on Christmas morning, they were immediately brought to tears Warning, you will be too after watching this clip.

The Zoo Factory also offers this feature, where you can record your own message to put inside of your bear of choice with a small recording device.

This is a perfect gift for a loved one for a birthday, a holiday, an anniversary, or just because.

Whether you are a young child saying “I love you” to your grandmother, or a grandmother saying “I love you” to a young child, it will be a priceless keepsake to your loved one.

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Hockey and Teddy Bears are the Perfect Pair

Hockey and Teddy Bears are the Perfect PairHockey is rough, aggressive, competitive, and strenuous sport. Teddy bears are soft warm, cozy, and sweet stuffed animals.

If you tried to list the similarities between hockey and teddy bears, you probably wouldn’t come up with much at all.

However, hockey and teddy bears have been making the perfect pair for decades.

Many minor and junior hockey teams in United States and Canada have made teddy bears a focus of their team during winter months.

Many hockey teams hold a “teddy bear toss” at one of their games during the holiday season.

Minor and junior hockey teams typically select one game where they encourage anyone attending to bring a teddy bear with them to the game. When the hockey game is finished, win or lose, the fans are encouraged to throw all of the teddy bears over the boards and onto the ice. The teddy bears are collected by the players and coaches and given to a good cause.

The teddy bears collected are donated to children at hospitals, local shelters, or charities in honor of the holiday season.

The teddy bear toss tradition has been going since the early nineties and it is still going throughout North America. Teams manage to collect hundreds to thousands of teddy bears during this event.

Below is a video of the Calgary Hitmen, a major junior ice hockey team out of Canada, receiving 17,601 teddy bears after a win at home.

The teddy bears collected during this even were able to be donate to 60 different local charities.

If you’re going to a teddy bear toss sometime soon, make sure you get your teddy bear from The Zoo Factory.

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A Teddy Bear Commercial Has Taken the World By Storm

If you have recently watched television, you have likely seen a commercial with two adorable teddy bears dressed as an elderly couple that are strolling hand in hand through a bustling airport. The teddy bear commercial was recently released and has already taken the world by storm.

Whether you are the one traveling or you are waiting for someone to travel to you, traveling is a huge part of the holiday season.

We all look forward to seeing our loved ones during the holiday season and this commercial uses that feeling to their advantage.

The commercial is titled “Coming Home for Christmas” and was distributed by London’s Heathrow Airport. It was the first Christmas commercial that airport has ever put out and it was certainly successful. The ad was filmed at the airport over the course of three days while the airport was operating.

The commercial, regardless of it being just a minute long, has received over three million views.

It is sweet, warm, and fuzzy, similar to the adorable bears that we follow throughout it.

We watch the bears get off of their airplane, get their passports checked, conquer an escalator together, and struggle reaching their baggage. They are portrayed as a well-dressed older couple, supporting one another in the attempt to travel without issues. The ending is guaranteed to pull on your heart strings.

Check out the commercial below:

Jonathon Coen, the commercial’s director spoke on the commercial saying, “We love the film and hope the bears’ journey through the airport captures that excitement you feel when walking through Heathrow arrivals into the arms of your loved ones at Christmas.”

We think the commercial is adorable and we can see why it has gotten international attention, cute teddy bears usually do.

If you are looking to give a teddy bear as a gift this holiday season, visit The Zoo Factory.

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Open Heart Surgery Patients Get Teddy Bears

If you have recently visited the cardiac unit of a hospital, you have likely seen teddy bears sitting beside patients on their bed and walking hand in hand with surgeons. Many hospitals have rooms full of teddy bears for patients that get cardiac operations, such as open heart surgery.

The patients are given these teddy bears as a part of their recovery process. These bears are extremely firm and relatively heavy, serving a very important purpose. The bears are used as a chest brace for the patients.

After an operation, cardiac patients struggle with severe pain from their stitches. WheOpen Heart Surgery Patients Get Teddy Bears n patients need to cough, sneeze, or laugh, they hug the bear against their chest. Patients struggle after surgery to open the air sacs at the bottom of their lungs which causes frequent and painful coughing spells. Pressing the teddy bear against their chest eases the pain and holds the stitches in place. Patients keep the bear at their side throughout their hospital stay and the bear eventually goes home with the patient, serving as a keepsake for the patient.

The bears do not shed which ensures the cleanliness of the stitches. The bears are also a full-sized teddy bear which allows patients the ability to easily grab a hold of it and find it. It can easily be found when a patient is lying in bed. If the bear falls out of bed, it can be easily grabbed by an arm or a leg. Many hospitals used to use towels or pillows as a brace which were not as effective and not as cute!

These bears also become a companion for the patients. After a week or so in the hospital, patients get lonely, itching to go home to their family. These bears provide some company for patients, but most importantly, help them heal appropriately and comfortably. If someone you know just had a major operation, consider getting their cardiac bear a friend from The Zoo Factory.

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How One Teddy Bear’s Message Made This Grandmother Smile [Video]

When it comes to gifts, there is nothing that you want more than for the one you purchase to bring your loved one joy. And that is exactly what this teddy bear did for Mrs. Walters, a woman who lost her husband to lung cancer 11 years ago.

During their marriage, Walters’ husband had gifted her an adorable teddy bear with a sweet message recorded inside; “You’re the best girl in the world for me.”

Eventually the sound recording broke, which is when her granddaughter began searching for a company that could have it repaired.

Mrs. Walters now suffers from dementia, so her family wasn’t sure how much of a reaction the teddy bear would receive, even when its sound box was fixed. No one could have expected a reaction as joyful as this one when Walters heard her late husband’s voice again for the first time in years.

While our stuffed animals are typically purchased as gifts and party favors for children, a stuffed animal can make an incredible gift for anyone you love, especially when they are purchased with one of our customizable sound boxes.

These ten-second sound recording provide just enough time to tell someone how much you care, or to give them some sweet words of encouragement.

Whether you are looking for the perfect way to tell your partner, “I love you” or want to say, “I miss you” to your grandchildren living far away, a stuffed animal with your voice inside is a wonderful surprise that will be cherished for many years to come.

Shop online with The Zoo Factory to find a cuddly stuffed animal for your love one, and don’t forget to include a recordable sound box with your order for you to record when it arrives!

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Celebrate National Teddy Bear Day With Us!

Can you believe it? National Teddy Bear Day is upon us, and The Zoo Factory team is ready to celebrate!

Join in on the fun this Friday, September 9, 2016 as everyone’s cute and snuggly childhood best friend finally gets the attention they deserve!

Think back. As a child, we all had a snuggly teddy bear we would squeeze tight when we got scared, fell asleep with at night, and that may have even joined us at the dinner table in its own special seat. At the time, your teddy bear was your best friend – by your side every day.

Wouldn’t it be nice to allow your son or daughter to make the same wonderful memories with their very own teddy?

We know that a ton of parents choose to simply pass down teddy bears to their younger children once the older ones seemingly grow out of using them as a security blanket. Before doing this, however, consider a couple of things.

Firstly, many children (though they might not want to admit it) still feel an emotional sense of ownership over their teddy bears even when they get older and depend on them less and less. With so many of their other things quickly becoming hand-me-downs, it’s nice to know that one thing will always remain theirs. On the other side of the coin, a younger child who may be on the receiving end of all things previously-loved may also crave something that is uniquely their own. You may not be able to give them their own room, but their own teddy is a great compromise in our book!

So why not celebrate National Teddy Bear Day with a brand new companion for your son or daughter? We’ll give you an even better excuse: we’re having a weekend flash sale on all teddy bears!

From Friday, September 9 until Sunday, September 11, 2016, enjoy 15% off all teddy bears at The Zoo Factory using the coupon code TEDDY16

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Celebrate National Dog Day with a Stuffed Animal Dog

stuffable dogDogs come with a ton of responsibility for the entire family. And if your young child has been begging you to get a family dog, but you just aren’t quite ready yet, that’s ok! Instead of celebrating National Dog Day with a real dog this year, why not pick out an adorable, stuffable one instead?

Children hold stuffed animals. They hug them and squeeze them tight when they’re scared. They bring them to the park. They take them for car rides. They watch movies and snuggle with them. Children do just about everything with a stuffed animal, as they would with a real pet. With this being said, stuffed animal dogs are excellent ways to help your little one learn the responsibilities of taking care of a real dog.

Real dogs need to eat, go to the bathroom, drink, stay healthy, stay active, be cared for, shown affection, and treated with kindness. These responsibilities might sound easier than your little one thinks, however, caring for a real puppy requires just as much attention as caring for a newborn. Unfortunately, these responsibilities can’t be met by just your little one at such a young age. They need to learn and grow themselves in order to help a dog grow up to be healthy and happy.

If your child is not ready to take on this huge responsibility of caring for another life, or if he or she is allergic to dogs, bring home a stuffed animal to give them the satisfaction of owning a dog in one form or another. You can help your child learn the basics of owning a dog and everything that’s involved including feeding, bathing, walking, and taking the pet outside.

Surprise your little one with a stuffed animal dog, big or small, on National Dog Day August 26th. You can help your son or daughter learn the basics of caring for a real dog through an adorable stuffed animal by using the stuffed animal as an example while you discuss properly feeding, bathing, walking, training and raising a real dog.

We have so many adorable options to choose from, The Zoo Factory is the perfect place to pick up your child’s stuffable pet. Who knows, you might just end up with more than one!

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Storage Solutions for Your Child’s Stuffed Animal Collection

stuffed animalsThere are few things that young children love more than their stuffed animals, and there will come a time in every parent’s life when you start to wonder, “How many stuffed animals is too many?” This question usually comes about when your child no longer has room to sleep in their bed, because the entirety of it is covered in their much loved stuffed friends. And since we at The Zoo Factory are stuffed animal lovers through and through, we know that there is no such thing as too many stuffed animals!

If you are facing an overflow of stuffed animals in your child’s room, but understand that they cannot be parted from any of their fluffy friends, here are a few ideas to help keep your son or daughter’s stuffed animals from taking over the entirety of their bedroom.

Shelving

A great way to keep your child’s stuffed animals organized while adding a touch of style to the walls of his or her bedroom, shelved are an attractive storage solution. The best part of this situation: As your young child grows older then can continue to use these shelves for sports trophies, academic awards, books and trinkets.

Netting

Hung in the corner of the bedroom, netting is an inexpensive storage solution for an overflowing amount of stuffed animals. Just toss your child’s stuffed animal friends into the net when they are done playing to make extra space around their bedroom.

Depending on your child’s age, you may want to put a step stool near the net so they can easily get stuffed animal friends in and out on their own.

Closet Organizer

Available at most general merchandise stores, closet organizers are a handy way to keep stuffed animals out of sight when they are not in use. Hung in your child’s closet or the closet in the playroom, an organizer that reaches to the floor will have more than enough room for all your child’s stuffed animals. We recommend putting their favorite friends neat the bottom so they can grab them on their own when it’s time for their next tea party or adventure.

For more stuffed animal storage solutions, check out this WooHome.com article.

Now that you have plenty of room for your son or daughter’s stuffed animal collection, it’s time to give everyone a bath before putting them in their new home! To ensure your child’s stuffed animals make it through the laundry machine safely, we recommend using the Teddy Needs a Bath Laundry Bag. Currently on sale for just $7.00 here at The Zoo Factory, this bag is made of 100% cotton and is perfect for the washing of all delicate items.

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Party Planning Tips for Your Child’s Next Birthday

birthday partyFrom decorations to food and games, there is much to take into consideration when planning a birthday party for your child. A day that only comes around once a year, this is one that you want your little one to remember for years to come. But how do you make sure that you have everything covered before all your young guests arrive?

For parents looking to plan a bear-y memorable birthday party for their child, The Zoo Factory has put together a detailed checklist of what you need to get ready before party time!

Food

The first thing to decide – even before sending out invitations – is if you are planning to feed your young guests a full meal or if you will just be serving up snacks. Although you may be inclined to serve up some fancy foods, we recommend sticking with kid-friendly staples. Talk to your child about what foods they would like to eat – chances are the other children will have similar food tastes.

Decorations

Regardless of if you are hosting your big birthday bash indoors or out, there decorations are a wonderful way to get everyone excited. Work with your child to pick out balloons and streamers in their favorite colors. You can also pick up birthday-themed plastic tablecloths and paper plates for easy clean up.

Games & Activities

The most exciting part of any child’s birthday party: The games! Work with your child to decide what games, activities and crafts they would like to with their friends, coming up with plenty of ideas to keep them busy throughout the celebration.

One activity that every child will enjoy is making their own stuffed animal! The Zoo Factory offers plenty of different stuffable animal kits for your child and their friends to make. Both 8” and 16” animals are available in sets of three or four; or you can choose each stuffable animal by hand.

Once you place your order, all you will need to get the festivities started is plenty of stuffing!

Stuffable Animal Accessories

Along with offering stuffable animal kits, The Zoo Factory also has accessories for you to customize your furry friends will. Have each child make a wish on a Wishing Star before placing it inside their animal, and send everyone home with a Take Me Home Carry Box for their new best friend.

You can even order a special birthday outfit for the birthday child’s bear to wear. Happy Birthday t-shirts are available in red and blue, and this birthday dress is perfect for a princess-themed party.

Place your Zoo Factory order online or give us a call at 866-993-3325 for assistance choosing the right items for your birthday celebration!

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Activities for a Rainy Summer Day

camp stove

A time for barbecues and pool parties, the month of July is finally here. And for parents of young children, this also means that school vacation has just started! Your children are probably filled with excitement for the weeks of fun ahead of them, as there are endless activities you can do when it’s warm and sunny outside.

But what do you do on a rainy afternoon indoors?

To ensure those rainy summer days don’t drag on too long, we at The Zoo Factory recommend stocking up on board games, craft supplies and stuffable animal kits.

If your little ones love to play with stuffed animals, what activity would they love better than creating their own? Choose from a wide variety of eight inch and 16 inch animals, or pick a party package for your children and all their friends to enjoy making together. Whether they love jungle animals, sea animals or dinosaurs, there is a package they will love!

Once your new stuffed animal friends have been put together (no sewing required!), you can pick out outfits for your animals to wear and take them on their first adventure. Even though you can’t go outside, you can always host an indoor “camping” excursion with your stuffed animals! Just set up a tent in the living room and your children will have hours of fun ahead of them.

The Zoo Factory even offers an awesome set of Coleman supplies, including a camp stove, lantern and cooler with lemonade. Shop with us online or contact us by phone at 866-993-3325 to place your order.

We hope you and your children have a great summer vacation together!