Coronavirus Archives - The Zoo Factory

Posted on February 1, 2021January 29, 2021 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

How to Encourage Your Child to Wear a Mask

As adults, we understand how important it is to wear a mask. Our kids, however, might need more convincing. If you’re struggling to get your child to wear their mask, then read over these helpful tips:

Explain why they need to wear one

Simply telling your child to wear a mask isn’t enough. You need to explain why they should wear one first. As you’re doing so, it’s important that you don’t scare your child. Instead, focus on the positives of wearing a mask, such as how they can help protect ourselves or family members.

Get the right mask

Even if a child understands the importance of wearing a mask, they may not wear one if they don’t like the mask they have. To further encourage them, get a mask that’s comfortable and easy for them to wear. Additionally, consider getting one that is stylish, or has their favorite color, sports team, or character on it.

Be a role model

Children do what their parents do; they also don’t do what their parents don’t do. If you’re not wearing your mask, then don’t expect your child to wear theirs. Be a good role model by always wearing your mask whenever appropriate.

Give masks to their toys or stuffed animals

You can be a role model to your kids, but so can their toys or stuffed animals. Having their favorite stuffed animal wearing a mask will further encourage your child to wear their own mask. Plus, getting a mask for their stuffed animals is easier than you think. The Zoo Factory carries face masks that fit our stuffable animals, as well as other stuffed animals your child may already have.

Read through our blog for more tips on how to protect your kids during the coronavirus pandemic.

Posted on August 6, 2020July 30, 2020 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Helping Your Child Return to School After COVID-19

School districts around the country are taking steps to safely return kids back to school. Some schools are bringing kids back completely, others are doing a hybrid model, and there are a few that are opting for completely digital learning. While schools are doing everything that they can to keep your children safe, there are some things that you, as a parent, can do as well to better prepare your child for the new school year.

Talk to them

Older kids likely understand the risks that are involved and the precautions they need to take when going back to school. Younger kids, meanwhile, may struggle to understand why they need to wear a mask or why they’re not going to school five days a week. Before the school year starts, take some time to sit down and talk with your child about why this new year will be different and how important it is for them to practice good social distancing.

Check their temperature each morning

One of the first signs of COVID-19 is a high temperature. Catching it early will help ensure that your child doesn’t spread the disease to other children and families. Check their temperature every morning to determine whether or not they should go to school. If their temperature is ever higher than 100.4 degrees, then they should stay home.

Get them a mask and hand sanitizer

It is more than likely that your school district will require children to wear masks. Even if they are not required, it is still a good idea to wear them. Be sure you have at least two masks for your child, as chances are, they’ll lose their first one eventually. You should also equip them with some hand sanitizer to further limit disease spread.

If you can, avoid the bus

Buses can be a prime spot for the coronavirus to spread. If you can manage it, try and drive your kid to school yourself, or have them carpool with a trusted friend. If the bus is your only option, then make sure your kid wears their mask and stays six feet away from other kids at all times.

These are stressful times for both parents and kids. That’s why we at The Zoo Factory want to do everything we can to make things easier on families. Our stuffable animals can be a great source of comfort to kids, and our blog is an excellent resource for parents. Have further questions? Then don’t hesitate to reach out today!

Posted on June 12, 2020June 9, 2020 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Korean Baseball Is Replacing Their Fans With Stuffed Animals

The coronavirus is limiting how many people can gather in one place at one time, and no industry is more impacted by social distancing than professional sports. The MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL are all planning for fan-less games this season, but what exactly will that look like? Other leagues across the world are providing a clue.

In a recent game between the Hanwha Eagles and the NC Dinos, the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) replaced their human fans with stuffed animals, filling the stands with Pikachus, Spongebobs, teddy bears, and more.

This isn’t the first possible solution to fan-less games that the KBO has come up with. In the beginning of the season, they used everything from freestanding 2D cutouts to dressed up mannequins. They even created crowd noises to react to plays out on the field. None of these solutions, however, really stuck with the players or the fans watching at home on their television screens.

The KBO quickly found a better alternative. On June 3, the game between the Hanwha Eagles and the NC Dinos was supervised by an adorable and cuddly crowd of stuffed animals. All of the stuffed animals were sent in by Hanwha Eagles fans, and, once human fans are allowed back into the stadiums, they will be donated to the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation.

So, if the MLB is still wondering what they should do with their empty stadiums, why not look to Korea for some ideas?

Here at The Zoo Factory, we know our stuffable animals would love to spend a day at the ballpark. If you’re looking for a stuffed animal for your child, then look through our website to get started!

Posted on April 20, 2020May 5, 2020 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

The Value of Transitional Objects During the Coronavirus Outbreak

We all grew up with that favorite blanket or teddy bear. We’d sleep with it, eat with it, and drive around in the car with it. These transitional objects were a great source of joy and comfort to us in our early years, but in the time of coronavirus, they have become increasingly important both to our children.

What are transitional objects?

Transitional objects, also known as comfort objects, are a doll, stuffed animal, blanket, or other type of object that provides psychological comfort to a child. They’re typically that security blanket or teddy bear that your child will not let go of, no matter how hard you try. They’re called transitional objects because they help children transition from being completely dependent on their parents (typically their mother) to becoming more independent.

Transitional objects and coronavirus

So why, exactly, are transitional objects useful during the coronavirus outbreak? Simply put, they help to ease anxiety, both during normal times and during times of crisis. Explains Dr. Daniel Lewin: “Children have less capacity in some cases to express their fears than adults. Transitional objects are wonderful ways for children to express them.”

The coronavirus outbreak has caused a lot of uncertainty, and as a result, a lot of anxiety. Even if our children don’t completely understand what is happening, they can pick up on the anxiety and stress of their parents. Transitional objects, however, can provide comfort to children while also helping them work through their own emotions about this crisis.

Here at The Zoo Factory, our selection of stuffable animals can be a great source of comfort to children during these stressful times. Take a look through our inventory or contact us with any questions or concerns.

Posted on April 13, 2020May 5, 2020 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

How ‘Bear Hunts’ Are Distracting Kids Amidst the Coronavirus Outbreak

Take a walk around the neighborhood and what do you see? Empty streets, shuttered businesses, and cars lining their driveways. However, if you take a closer look, you may see something sitting by a window: a teddy bear.

From the United States to France to Japan, individuals are placing teddy bears in their windows or in their yards as part of a worldwide ‘bear hunt’ for kids.

Essentially a social distancing form of a scavenger hunt, the game is meant to distract kids from the current stresses of the coronavirus pandemic. Unable to go to school or play games with their friends, most kids can only go out for walks or drives around the neighborhood with their families. So, individuals have started placing teddy bears in their windows, on their porches, or in their parked cars to encourage kids to get out of the house and see how many teddy bears they can find.

In Monmouth, Maine, one parent told her local TV station that the teddy bear hunts help distract her kids from the current crisis: “For about an hour we didn’t think about anything else that was happening in the world. It was just about the bears. The kids sat in the back seat. My daughter kept a tally. We kept looking, and it was only that, and I had completely forgotten what was going on until we pulled back into the yard.”

If you’d like to participate, it’s as simple as grabbing a stuffed animal (teddy bear or otherwise) and placing it somewhere in your house or yard where it’s visible from the street. You can put it in your window, or you can get more creative like this family who had their teddy bears doing activities out in the yard.

Don’t have any stuffed animals to place in your windows? The Zoo Factory has you covered. We have a wide range of stuffable animals, including teddy bears, for you to choose from. Take a look through our inventory or contact us with any questions!