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Stuffed Animals: Gifts for Young Children

stuffed animals Stuffed animals have been around for ages. Years ago, almost every child had a teddy bear or favorite plush toy, and that stuffed animal became a cherished companion. Stuffed animals are very often a young child’s first friend, and many lessons can be learned from this special relationship.

Children frequently learn how to express their feelings non-verbally to their stuffed animal, and this is so important in the development of openness and an ability to share innermost thoughts and feelings. Children learn the concept of sharing with their stuffed friend, and the concept of caring through their relationship with these furry beings.

Giving a stuffed animal as a gift is a wonderful way to start a young child on the journey of life. But these gifts should be age appropriate and the right size for the child. Every child should be able to hold his stuffed animal to cuddle and communicate with. This can be a child’s first experience of “This is mine”, and communication can be very private.

Often even young children will indicate that they have a favorite animal, and if you are lucky enough to have that information, you should favor buying that animal. Boys will often prefer dogs to cats, and monkeys to teddies. But keep in mind that you also teach the child about that animal by giving it as a gift, so if the child is a bit older, more exotic stuffed animals like giraffes and parrots could be wonderful.

Of course there is nothing more beloved than the teddy bear and you ought not to shy away from buying one just because everyone thinks of him when thinking of a stuffed animal. They are cuddly and loyal companions, and every child responds to a teddy. When buying for a specific child, keep in mind the child’s size and age, colors she responds to, and gender. Some teddies look masculine and some feminine.

Whatever your decision, you can rest assured that a stuffed animal will be welcome by parents and treasured by the child.

 
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History & Interesting Facts about the Teddy Bear

Teddy’s Bear

teddy bear stuffed animal birthda giftMorris Michtom might not have foreseen his invention of stuffed bears becoming a staple for our childhood, but he knew this was a great idea. Placing two bears in his store window, his toy store quickly hosted a plethora of interested customers. Mitchtom requested permission from Theodore Roosevelt to call the bears “Teddy’s bears”, as “Teddy” was Roosevelt’s nickname. It’s rumored that Michtom wanted to remind people of Roosevelt’s compassion, specifically the day he decided shooting an unconscious bear (tied to a tree) was unsportsman like; he put the bear out of misery peacefully. This act gained a lot of love and respect from Americans. Now, any story that starts like that is one worth telling.

The first teddy bear went on sale in 1903, but there’s so much more to this companion than dates and facts. The teddy bear becomes special when we add our own personal experiences in with its own rich history. As the first of two Teddy Bears resides at the National Museum of American History, encourage your child to keep his or her teddy when done with it, and explain why. It may already be family tradition to pass down a Teddy, but if not, you can start now. Whatever bear style you choose, just remember to love it, and the rest will come naturally. When you pass it on to children and grandchildren, their friendship with it will fill you with an amount of love you didn’t even know existed. One of the best parts of becoming a parent is sharing with your kids, the things you loved as a child.

Interesting Teddy Bear Facts

  • The first time bears appeared in the literal sense was in the 1834 tale “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” by Robert Southey.
  • Bear toys existed, though not in stuffed form, and were called Bruins.
  • In 1924, Disney’s Alice and the Three Bears was the first color-animated film about teddy bears!
  • Wendy Boston changed lives in 1954, when she invented a washable teddy bear! Go Wendy! We bet you would have loved Teddy needs a Bath!

 

 

 

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Five Great Ways to Spoil Your Birthday Boy or Girl

By the time your son or daughter is in the tween years, you’re bound to start running out of creative gifts. To continue your reign as “parent of the year”, you’ll have to outdo yourself every year (which can get exhausting).

Gather ideas from Pinterest, meet with friends, or hit up eHow for an array if handmade DIY gift ideas. They’re sentimental, cost effective, and fun to make. Or, you can look at a few ideas that other parents love on forums and online communities

 Go Feral

cat purse gift for young girls birthday party
Animal prints and character purses are hot items with the pre-teen crowd. Opt for something like a stuffed animal purse, or an animal print clothing item.

Let the Customization Begin

Younger kids love to create things, especially when it comes to personalizing their toys, clothes, and living area. Red Envelope has fun, interactive pillows where kids can create characters and dress them, right on the pillow. Our guess is, this gift would take the fight right out of bedtime; it’s play-until-you-fall-asleep fun!

Get fun Props for the Party Theme

Photo Props from Paper Source always make for a silly and exciting time! Look for things that match the theme of the party. For example, if you were doing pirates, this Captain Hat & Beard would make a great party favor for guests to wear around!

Friendship Bracelets

Kids, particularly girls, love to honor and celebrate their friendship with matching bracelets, necklaces or scarves. Consider something like DIY projects where everyone can make two bracelets; be sure to tell everyone to give their item away after the party, to avoid any hurt feelings.

American Girl Dolls and/or Accessories

american girl doll clothing items and knockoff accessoriesA few weeks ago, we went in depth about our new collection of clothes that fit American Girl Dolls and other 18” dolls. These dolls are huge with younger girls, preteens, and girls often keep them as collectables when they outgrow them.If your intended has an American Girl Doll, a unique outfit, sports uniform, or cute sundress would be a wonderful gift.

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Great Ideas for a “Stuff-Your-Own Animal” Birthday Party

Stuff-Your-Own Animal Parties

stuff animal birthday party ideas for kids stuffable animalsAll kids love being creative and personalizing their items, their living space, and even their clothes. To present them with a new toy, that they can create to be their own, is to give “the.best.gift.EVER”.

This is a great party idea for a few other reasons too. Specifically, the kids stay busy. Not to mention, “Stuff-your-own animal” parties are easy to clean up after, and they create a memorable experience for your child and his or her friends.

First, look over our collection of stuffed animals; choose a wide array to give kids a selection. Alternatively, you could choose to go with the same animal, if you want to eliminate the possibility of an argument. When getting the supplies, be sure to grab a few extra in case of mistakes.

Set up stuffing stations for the party, and include anything extra you deem fun. For example, since kids are making their own outfits for these animals, you can include things like rhinestones, sequins, and fabric paint to let them create custom fashions on their new friends.

Work on the animals in the beginning of the party, because then you can create even more fun afterwards. One of the best ideas is to create a manhunt. The guest of honor, or the birthday child, hides his or her animal, and the guests must follow clues to find where it is hidden. This creates exciting, educational fun. The person who finds the animal wins a prize. You can give away a cool accessory as a great gift for the winner.

A great idea for snacks is to bake cookies and decorate them like the various animals you’ve stocked up. If you don’t have a hand for decorating, you can find some here.

Create a pre-determined location to place the animals during cake and ice-cream time, to keep the animals clean. Finalize the party with a fairytale about the animals, highlighting each child’s creation with a role in the story.

We promise, you’ll win parent-of-the-year award!

 
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Best Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids – INFOGRAPHIC

Yes, we said Holiday. Wait! Before you do this:

online holiday shopping for kids toys

Read this:

Okay, we know it’s only September, and we know that feeling of nausea we all get when we hear holiday music in fall. We get it, it’s too early, and we want to hold on to thoughts of summer break, but did you know that most people start their holiday shopping in September? It makes sense if you think about it, there are a lot of reasons to start the holiday shopping as early as possible. The only reason you don’t want to start shopping too early (like May) is that wants and trends change. Moreover, if the anticipation gets the better of you, you may give in and give the gift early.  Fall is the perfect time, because it gives you enough time to shop at your convenience, and it gives you an insight into what’s cool at school this year.

Six Reasons to Start Your Holiday Shopping in September:

“If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done.”― Rita Mae Brown

  • You’ll Save Time – With more time and less people, you’ll be able to shop like it’s any other day of the year (because it is). Avoid long lines, volcanically hot stores, and grumpy people by shopping months ahead of the ‘crazy season’.
  • You’ll Minimize Stress – This ties in with the above points; there’s nothing more frustrating than shopping for fifteen minutes, only to wait in line for forty-five.
  • You’ll Choose Better Gifts – You’ll have a wider selection and more time to decide. This results in better, more thoughtful gifts
  • You’ll Earn Bragging Rights – When someone invites you shopping, you’ll have the rewarding experience of saying “I’m already done!”
  • You’ll Protect your Income – Wouldn’t it be better to spread your holiday budget over four months instead of four weeks?

Okay, so you’re ready to go shopping, but what if you have no idea what is “big” with kids this year? Stuffable animals are always safe!