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How to Teach Your Child to Make Their Bed

young girl making her bed

Everyone loves sleeping in a carefully made bed. We adults often make our beds in the morning so we can savor going to bed at night. Not only that, but it also helps keep our rooms neat and tidy. However, our children don’t think the same way. Teaching our kids to make their beds, then, can be easier said than done. But it’s not impossible.

Walk them through it

When you first made your bed, you probably didn’t know what you were doing. The same is true for our own kids. They won’t know how to make their beds at first, or how to make it easy to make their beds. That’s where we come in. Walk them through how to make their beds the first several times they do it. Then, gradually allow them to do it more and more on their own until they have it down.

Make it a habit

Your child is more likely to make their bed if it becomes a habit. To do this, we recommend using habit stacking. Habit stacking involves doing a new habit immediately after an already established habit. For example, you could have your child make their bed everyday after they brush their teeth.

Make it fun

Let’s face it, kids don’t like to do chores. However, they’ll be more likely to do them if a little bit of fun was involved. When you’re first teaching your kids, have some fun with them! Joke around or try to make it a competition to see how fast they can make their bed. You could also get their stuffed animals involved by neatly placing their favorite ones on their newly made bed.

Do you have your own tricks for teaching your child how to make the bed? Share them in the comments section below!

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How to Help Your Child with Back-to-School Anxiety

Happy schoolchildren studing and answer questions in classroom during a lesson at primary school

Few kids want to go back to school, but some may even be anxious about the idea of it. Back-to-school anxiety is completely normal. Nevertheless, it’s never fun to go through, for the child or for the parents. Here, we list some ways you can help your child deal with their back-to-school anxiety.

Remind them (and yourself) that this is common

When kids start feeling anxious about going back to school, it can be easy for them to think that they’re the only ones who feel this way. But this kind of thinking can make them feel isolated, increasing their existing anxiety. It’s important to remind your kids (and yourselves) that back-to-school anxiety is completely normal and that there’s nothing wrong with feeling nervous.

Take a day to walk them around the school or classroom

Kids become especially nervous if they’re starting a new school or simply changing classrooms. The fear of the unknown sets in, and it makes it all the easier for their minds to create catastrophic situations. To help dispel these fears, take a day during the summer to introduce them to their new school or classroom. Walk them around and show them the different rooms they’ll be taking classes in. Just make sure you get the school’s permission before you do this!

Problem solve

Ask your child why they’re so nervous about going back to school. Once you have their reasons, you can figure out ways to resolve those worries. For instance, if they’re worried that they won’t have friends in their classes, ask around to see which kids are in your child’s classes. If they’re concerned about their workload, show them that they have already handled tough workloads in the past.

Provide comfort

At the end of the day, your child may just need a hug or a comforting presence near them as they gear up for school. Try to support them as much as you can. You can even keep them entertained with some of their favorite activities to take their minds off of school.

Stuffed animals can be a great way to comfort your child when they’re nervous. Here at The Zoo Factory, we have many stuffable animals for you to choose from. Look through our online inventory today to get started!

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The Importance of Washing Stuffed Animals Regularly

Above top view adorable slumber little girl embrace stuffed toy dog sleeping in comfortable bed with white fresh linens, closed eyes kid resting having daytime nap refreshment, bedtime ritual concept

A stuffed animal is a child’s best friend. They go for car rides, play in the backyard, and travel to every corner of your child’s imagination with them. With all of this adventure, they are bound to get a bit dirty on their travels, which is why it is so important to wash your stuffed animals on a regular basis.

Why Should You Wash Stuffed Animals?

If your child has any allergies, regular washing of their stuffed animals will help to prevent flare ups. Dust mites can collect on stuffed animals, potentially causing eczema and asthma attacks. Besides when your stuffed animals get dirty, it is also important to wash them after your child is sick, or if there is a case of head lice found at their school.

When Should a Stuffed Animal Be Washed?

Any parent will tell you that trying to get a stuffed animal away from a child is a difficult task, especially if it is a favorite one. Nevertheless, it’s still important to wash them every now and then. You should try to wash your little one’s stuffed animal friends when you notice that they are soiled, have food or other grime on them. We recommend getting this task done during the day, so your child can still go to bed with Teddy in their arms at night.

How Should You Wash a Stuffed Animal?

A common misconception about washing stuffed animals is that they will be destroyed in the washing machine. However, you can put a stuffed animal in the washing machine with no problem at all. Just make sure you put the washing machine on its gentlest cycle to prevent any buttons from falling off.

You can also follow our guide here on how to wash your stuffed animal in a washing machine or by hand. And if you have further questions, the pros at The Zoo Factory are always here to help!