Kids and Stuffed Animals Archives - Page 2 of 4

Posted on March 13, 2018May 5, 2020 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

Stuffed Farm Animals the Perfect Easter Basket Stuffers

While the traditional Easter candy and other edible treats make great basket stuffers, a stuffed animal will become a lifelong friend to your children beyond the celebration of a once-a-year holiday.

That’s why we want to encourage you to incorporate some stuffed farm animals into your child’s Easter basket this holiday!

Froggy Favorites Basket

Children that love frogs will adore a frog-themed Easter basket full of treats and gifts centric to their favorite animal. Fill colorful plastic Easter eggs with frog trinkets like shiny necklaces with frog charms, soft green socks, and dangly key chains. Tie the basket together with this adorable plush frog that will have your child hopping around with excitement on Easter morning!

Rainy Day Basket

Spring ushers in rainy days, perfect for splashing around in puddles! Create a rainy day Easter basket full of fun activities perfect for a rainy day, such as arts and crafts, treasured movies, new rain boots, and an umbrella with a silly pattern. Your child will love celebrating “duck weather” with this fluffy yellow duck and a new yellow rain hat.

Gardening Basket

April showers eventually bring May flowers, but you have to plant them first! Gift your little gardener with their very own gardening Easter basket, complete with packets of seeds, shovels, a bright watering can, and some fun gardener’s gloves. Make gardening even more fun with a garden buddy. This precious brown rabbit will easily help make gardening a new favorite pastime for your little one.

Soft and Sleepy Basket

Young kids love soft things to help lull them to sleep, so filling an Easter basket with only the softest treasures is sure to please! Pack a basket with soft, fleece blankets and small fluffy slippers. Throw in some fun soft pajamas, a new bedtime book, and the perfect snuggle buddy lamb for the ultimate bedtime basket!

Get a head start on your Easter shopping and head over to The Zoo Factory and select your child’s new best friend. Shipping is on sale for orders over $50 now through March 31^st!

Posted on January 31, 2018May 5, 2020 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

Hosting a Valentine’s Day Teddy Bear Party

Each year as Valentine’s Day rolls around, we tend to think of the ones that mean the most to us. This includes not only our spouses and romantic others, but our best friends, our teammates, our coworkers, and even our parents. It’s a time to celebrate not only love, but the power of friendship and connection.

Here are some ideas on how you can share the sentiment of Valentine’s day with your friends, coworkers, and children this month.

Singles Night for the Ladies

Many people take the opportunity to center Valentine’s Day around good friends and family instead of romantic partners. The holiday isn’t just for the traditional and mushy candle lit dinner crowd, so make the season your own by hosting a singles party at your home, apartment, or an outside venue for the people who matter. Celebrate everyone’s uniqueness by opting for a more laid-back color palette in your party decor, like tangerine table cloths or turquoise hanging paper lanterns and encourage people to bring a gift to exchange, even if they don’t know each other, like a fun and trendy sloth stuffed animal or a painted wine glass. You never know, you might end up playing match maker by the end of the night!

Teddy Bear Party for Kids

Most children enjoy Valentine’s Day because they get to exchange the ever-famous valentine! A lot of time and creativity goes into the shopping for such a sweet sentiment, which is then distributed to classmates and best friends. A stuffed animal party, however, involves a little more interaction and allows your class or neighborhood to get more hands-on in the gift-making process. Set up bags around your classroom with each child’s name and let them drop goodies, stuffed animals, and hand-made cards into each one! The best gifts are the ones we make ourselves, so let your child’s creativity blossom!

Secret Admirer Gifts for the Office

You can feel the love in the air everywhere during the month of February, including at the office. Some people aren’t always into the gift-giving part of the season, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t brighten someone’s day by leaving them a special surprise at their desk. Is your boss going through a rough patch, or are you wishing to settle a work disagreement you had with a coworker not too long ago? When you give a gift anonymously, it takes the obligation off of the gift receiver and keeps them guessing with delight. Be sure to not leave anyone out, though; it only works if the whole office participates! That way, everybody receives a heartfelt morale boost.

Don’t forget: Beginning February 1^st, you can claim 10% off all party kits and packages when you shop at The Zoo Factory for your Valentine’s Day party stash!

Posted on January 5, 2018May 5, 2020 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

Teddy Bears in the Classroom Help Children

Teddy bears are therapeutic tools that many educators incorporate in their classrooms for a number of beneficial reasons, such as promoting positive interaction and emotional growth during children’s formative years.

Teddy Bears are Transitional Objects

Blankets, teddy bears, and other stuffed animals hold a special place in our hearts from the moment we are born into this world. These objects are self-chosen and given special value only because we choose to give them this significance.

They mark the earliest phases of our development as humans and also help us cope with separation anxiety. A positive example of this is when a parent drops a child off at kindergarten. The child may feel stricken with anxiety and other uncomfortable emotion, and so to cope they will look for an object to hold onto. These objects are often abandoned once the adult picks the child up, but during the day, the object soothes them during their time of discomfort.

Teddy Bears Encourage Healthy Interaction

Teddy bears provide us with a clear understanding of how a child, as they grow, will interact with other people. A child who grows an attachment to a self-chosen object will more than likely be able to express emotion in a healthy way, and show that they can easily connect with others and maintain relationships. This is a necessary life skill that is vital to mental and emotional growth.

Teddy Bears are Non-Disruptive

If you are a teacher or work with younger children, then you realize that most objects of comfort are non-threatening to your lesson plan. Because of their calming effect, teddy bears help children concentrate by providing emotional and sensory support. They make children feel safe in uncertain situations and new environments, and even including an activity involving a stuffed animal or a teddy bear party in your lesson plan could contribute greatly to a healthy psyche.

Surprise your classroom, youth group, or after-school club with a special friend this month at The Zoo Factory!

Posted on December 29, 2017May 5, 2020 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

Unicorns and Dragons, Oh My! Why Kids Love Mystical Creatures

Some of the most popular types of stuffed toys are creatures that we wouldn’t find if we stopped by the zoo or hiked a trail into the forest.

Animals like dragons and unicorns invoke the creative receptors of our imaginations, and that’s why games, stuffed animals, and television shows based on these mystical creatures are currently trending with children.

The Unicorn

The unicorn is a magical creature with a single horn on his head that otherwise resembles a horse. Some say the relationship children have with unicorns is similar to the relationship between mankind and horses; each are different, but understand the other intuitively and can communicate in a special way. Unicorns are adventure-loving creatures that encourage kids to reach for the stars. Unicorns are often the stars of books, TV shows, and movies for the younger audience.

The unicorn craze represents the country’s love of all things magical, glittery and fun, as well as a nod towards the nostalgic. Perhaps we as adults are craving a bit of that childhood magic that the unicorn represented all those years ago. For our kids now, a unicorn toy can bring them joy and a little taste of magic.

The Dragon

Dragons have a bit of a darker connotation, but the interest—or, obsession—is undeniable. While many dragons we might immediately think of are mean or violent creatures, Chinese culture has a different take. Most Chinese dragons that are featured in folklore and history were benevolent creatures, sometimes with divine origins. Despite their frightening appearance, they were creatures of good.

The friendly dragon is a staple of our pop culture; just take a look at the search results that come up when you type in “How to Train your Dragon;” which was one of the top-grossing animated films of 2010.

In many kids’ movies and books, dragons are curious, brave and full of life lessons and good values, even though they’re not real. A plush dragon toy can encourage your child to be fearless in the face of whatever it is that scares them.

What’s life without a little make believe? Here at The Zoo Factory, we think all kids deserve a magical and imaginative childhood; help to create it for them with a mystical plush toy from our factory.

Posted on December 13, 2017May 5, 2020 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

A Heartwarming Story for the Holidays

Everyone loves a feel-good redemption story, especially around the holidays. For one little girl, love conquered all as her teddy bear flew first-class to be reunited with her this past month.

As four year-old Summer was traveling back to Orkney, Scotland through the Edinburgh airport, she mistakenly left behind her favorite pal, a stuffed little bear. Summer did not realize her friend was missing until it was too late; her plane had already taken off, and the little girl was in a panic.

The incident left Summer’s mother Donna heartbroken, but instead of slipping into a hopeless wallow, she became active in the search for her daughter’s best friend. Donna took to social media, hoping someone in one of the many Orkney-based social media groups she posted in would notice her plea.

And someone did. A Login Air stewardess named Kirsty responded to the plea. She called for her co-workers at the airport to search all cabins. It was later discovered that the poor teddy was dropped off in a lost and found. The bear was flown over 200 miles home, and the girl, once reunited with her beloved pal, was beyond ecstatic.

It should be noted that the teddy had a safe and enjoyable return trip home; crew members posed in photographs with the little girl’s best friend in the cockpit, making the flight memorable for both the crew and the airplane’s passengers.

Stories like these are what the holidays are all about, as true civilians rise to the occasion in order to carry out a good deed. If a teddy bear means the world to one little girl, think of how many hearts will be warmed by a charitable donation of teddies! If you’re thinking about donating toys this holiday season, look no further than The Zoo Factory, where your altruism is our gifting pleasure!

Posted on March 24, 2017March 29, 2022 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

Teddy Bears Benefit Children Visiting the Doctor

Does your child typically behave poorly while visiting the doctor? Do they often sob in the waiting room, disregard the toys provided, and cling to you walking towards an examination room?

They aren’t alone. Most children have anxieties and fears about visiting the doctor’s office. The waiting rooms can often feel tense and ominous and although the rooms are often decorated to be appealing to children, the cartoon animals rarely distract them from the instruments on the table.

Whether children are visiting for a routine checkup or are getting a procedure done, lots of kids feel stressed out while at the doctor’s, as many adults do too. However, it is important that your child does not grow up to be afraid of the doctor. Parents must consider how they might be able to change their child’s attitude about doctor, and the University of Nebraska Center College of Nursing has a few ideas.

The college recently partnered with the local zoo to hold a teddy bear check-up day: kids brought their stuffed animals down to the zoo where they were able to help medical professionals give the teddy a check-up. The medical professionals checked the ears, eyes, reflexes, and stomachs of the bears, and the kids were able to watch the exam happen.

Children at the event were encouraged to interact with the medical professionals and communicate any health issues their teddies may have been having lately such as upset stomachs and ear aches.

The event was designed to make children more comfortable with the prospect of a physical examination by a non-parent: in a comfortable environment, at the zoo, they take on the role of caretaker so that they can become familiar with the process of having a check-up.

Hoping to create a teddy bear that the child in your life will love? Head over to the Zoo Factory.

Posted on January 30, 2017 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

The Importance of Teddy Bears to Police Officers

When most adults think of police officers, we think of strong, brave men and women who spend their days and nights protecting us and maintaining the law.

And in the eyes of our children police officers are the individuals that can provide you with help in any situation.

Whether a child gets separated from their mother at the park or is in the back seat of their parent’s minivan during a fender bender, it is almost always a police officer who is there to console them and make sure they are ok.

In situations like these, the tools that brave officer uses are rather different than the ones they carry on a day-to-day basis, with one of the most important ones being a teddy bear.

According to Brunswick Police Captain Angela Smith, “When a child is caught up in a tragic situation, a teddy bear can distract and calm them,” which is why the Brunswick Police Department and so many others across the country keep teddy bears and other stuffed animal on hand to help comfort children in the midst of frightening situations.

This January, the Brunswick Police Department was lucky enough to receive the generous gift of 250 teddy bears; each packed neatly in its own gift bag.

Donated by local resident Doris Carter and the insurance firm she represents, this gift will go far in helping both local children and officers.

We at The Zoo Factory are incredibly touched by this sweet story, and thankful for all the brave men and women driving through their town with a teddy bear tucked in the trunk of their police car, ready for a child in need!

Posted on December 30, 2016 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

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.

Posted on August 22, 2016 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

Celebrate National Dog Day with a Stuffed Animal Dog

Dogs 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 26^th. 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!

Posted on July 25, 2016March 1, 2023 by ZooFactory — Leave a comment

Storage Solutions for Your Child’s Stuffed Animal Collection

There 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.