Month: February 2023

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Tips for Organizing Your Baby’s Belongings

Children's knitted clothes on hanger. Denim jacket, jumper, hat, shoes. Children's room, nursery

When you first bring your baby home, life will be more than a little chaotic. But as things start settling down, you can begin to bring some organization to your baby’s belongings. Organizing your baby’s items will not only keep things neat and tidy, but it will also help you quickly find the items you need when time is of the essence.

Keep bottles in a dry, well-ventilated area

Baby bottles should always be properly washed and stored, as they can easily attract mold or bad smells. The best to prevent this is to keep them in a dry, well-ventilated area such as a lazy susan or a bin on the counter. If you use the bottles frequently enough, you could also simply keep them on the drying rack until their next use.

Have a baby wardrobe

For your baby’s clothes, a wardrobe is a necessity. Use dividers inside each drawer to ensure things don’t get too messy. To save space, you can also hang some clothes in the closet, especially for items you use frequently. This will prevent you from having to dig through the wardrobe just to find a particular item.

Keep toys in a bin

Don’t leave your baby’s toys just lying around. You could step on them and break them. Instead, keep their toys, stuffed animals, and other knick-knacks in a bin in their room. Anytime you take a toy or stuffed animal out, remember to put it back in the bin again.

As you’re organizing your baby’s belongings, you may find you need more toys and stuffed animals for them to play with as they get older! Here at The Zoo Factory, we have plenty of options. Look through our website to get started!

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5 Tips for Getting Your Children to Unplug from Screens

boy and girl playing on tablet

Every time you look over, it seems like your kid is burying their faces into another screen. Whether it be their cellphone, computer, video game, what-have-you, their entire lives seemed to be consumed by technology. This can be a serious problem, as several studies have proven that too much time staring at screens can have an adverse effect on our children’s health. So, if you find your child spends too much of their time with their computers, then here are some ways to get them to unplug:

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Set some rules

First thing’s first—if you want your child to stop using screens, you’ll need to establish some ground rules. Namely, make sure there’s a time limit on how many hours they can spend in front of a screen. You should also consider taking screens out of the bedroom or putting your phones away when dinnertime comes around.

Set an example

Our children learn from our actions, so if you spend most of your time staring at your cellphone too, your child is hardly going to change their habits. Instead, try and set a good example by following those house screen rules just as your child has to.

Read

The more time your child spends staring at a book instead of a screen is time well-spent. The benefits of reading are endless, and a good book will ensure that your child doesn’t get bored and wander back to their electronics again.

Pick up a hobby or sport

A new hobby or sport is just the thing to get your kid active and engaged with the world. If you’re not sure where to start, try experimenting with different activities until your kid finds something that they enjoy.

Play some games

A lot of the time, when children are using electronics, they’re usually playing games. So, if you want to encourage them to step away from their video game for a bit, try to provide other sources of entertainment. Buy them a new set of toys or a new stuffed animal that they can use to play with their family members and friends.

Getting your child a new stuffed animal to play with is a great way to encourage them to put down their electronics for a little while. So, if you’re looking for a stuffable animal to give your child, then take a look at our selection here at The Zoo Factory.

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Why Hugs Are So Importance for Kids

mother and daughter hugging one another

Do you remember what it feels like to receive a great big hug from someone you love? We’re going to guess it felt pretty great! Hugs are a wonderful way to show people we love them, but the sad truth is, we don’t nearly hug each other enough. This is especially true for our children. Hugging our kids more can foster love, connection, and other positive emotions.

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The Importance of Hugging Our Children

Hugs are a simple yet powerful act. It’s a sign of affection and warmth, two things that we humans thrive off of. We all know how great it is to receive a hug, and our kids are no different. Regularly hugging our children can bring many benefits, including the following:

  • Co-regulation: This is a scientific term for when our body “syncs up” to another’s. It’s why when a stressed child is hugged by a calm and loving adult, they also calm down.
  • Connection: Hugs provide a sense of love and connection with other people. As social animals, humans need to feel loved and connected.
  • Calm: Hugs cause a release of oxytocin in the brain. Oxytocin suppresses cortisol, the stress hormone. As such, hugging someone can boost their mood and promote a sense of calm.

How Often Should You Hug Them?

So, you know that hugging your child is important, but does that mean you should be squeezing them close every hour of every day? Not quite.

There is no magic number to how many hugs you should give your child. Instead, it depends on you, your child, and your child’s comfort level with physical affection (more on this below). Just do what feels natural.

What to Do If a Child Doesn’t Like Hugs

Not everyone enjoys physical affection, and there’s nothing wrong with that! If your child doesn’t like hugs, don’t try to force it. Instead, find other ways to show your affection, such as verbal praises or high fives.

You could also consider giving your child a stuffable animal to hug if this feels more comfortable to them. Here at The Zoo Factory, we have plenty of lovable stuffed animals for you to choose from. Look through our website to get started!