Posted on February 26, 2015 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Creative Ways to Store Stuffed Animals

Stuffed animals, whether they are yours or your children’s, tend to be fruitful and multiply. They are wonderful and warm gifts, and we all grow attached to them. Throwing them out is absolutely unheard of.

So how do you store them?

Do you stick them in a toy trunk or use them as decorations and display them?

Most stuffed animals are colorful and cute, and they make a great addition to your home decor. Burying them in a trunk or toy box doesn’t really give them their due. Especially for children who tend to have a special attachment to each stuffed animal, being able to see them all the time is like a security blanket. There are as many ways to display your stuffed animals as there are people to think of them, and here are a few ideas.

Of course you can always put them on a shelf or dresser top. But in the interest of getting a bit more creative, think a bit outside the box. Get a nice tree branch from your yard. You can paint it to accent the room’s color or leave it natural. Then hang a swing from the branch and display the stuffed animals on that swing.

Think baskets. They can be made of any material that you like, and you can buy them readymade or create your own if you’re that energetic. Hang the baskets from floor to ceiling and put a few stuffed animals in each basket. You might organize them according to species, or color, or put the ones your kids hold most often near the bottom so they are easily accessed.

Ladders are beautiful home accessories, and can hold books, objects or anything you can think of. So why not display stuffed animals on them. You can paint the ladder to compliment the room’s color or paint it your child’s favorite color, and let him or her help you place the animals. You should nail the ladder to the wall to prevent accidents.

Finally there is the catch-all – the hammock! String a hammock anywhere that suits the room and just pile all the stuffed animals in it. It is an adorable way to display them and your child will enjoy seeing them all in one place.

As an important part of your child’s life – or even yours – stuffed animals deserve to be visible to everyone. They add color, shape, and life to any room. So think about displaying them and not shutting them up with other toys. They are special items in your life, have earned your or your child’s love, and even been teachers. Honor them.

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Posted on January 2, 2015 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

New: AromaBearapy for your Stuffable Animals!

During the holiday time you smell the cookies cooking and it brings back those memories of making them with your mom as a child. Or in the summer time the first time you cut the grass and it brings back memories of having a teddy bear picnic in your yard. These are all memories based around scents. Imagine the possibilities you have to create scent memories with your children.

AromaBearapy scent chips can be placed into your Zoo Factory animal to give off the scent of your choice. Currently there are 8 scents to choose from, including buttered popcorn and cupcake!

If you are unsure of what scent you would like to choose or if this is a surprise for your child, think about where this gift will be given to them. If you are planning on giving this a party of a birthday party package, you may want to think about getting cupcake flavored scent. They will remember all the fun times they have with finds create zoo factory animals every time they smell a cupcake scent.

Giving the bear as a gift? You may want to use Chocolate Mint or Strawberry. These two scents are very popular and can be used for any occasion. AromaBearapy scent chips are a great addition to any stuffed animal and can take a regular stuffed animal to the next level. It may even make your child choose a brand new favorite toy!

We only have 5 senses and with toys it is difficult to engage multiple senses. With AromaBearapy scent chips you are engaging the sense of smell, touch and sight. Other toys only engage touch and sight. These new scent chips can help your child grow more than you could imagine.

Have any questions about this new product? Give The Zoo Factory a call!

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Posted on December 19, 2014 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Stuffed Animals: Gifts for Young Children

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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Posted on October 3, 2014 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Outfits: The Ultimate Accessory for Playtime

When people think of the month of October, one of the things they also think of is Halloween. Of course, this will make us think of candy, but this is also a great time to dress up!

Everyone loves getting to pretend that they are someone else. Whether the costume is a pirate, or an animal, or a superhero, or even a fairy princess, Halloween is a time to play pretend and have loads of fun. But you know who else really loves to dress up? Your stuffable animals!

And this isn’t just during the month of October. The Zoo Factory has outfits that fit both the larger and smaller stuffed animals, and they work for any occasion!

For those casual days when it’s time to down with some playtime fun, we have options like denim shorts, plain colored T-shirts, and even some pajamas too! These articles of clothing will allow your best friend to feel comfortable while playing with you!

And for those days where they need to look a little spiffier, we have dressier options as well! From frilly dresses to sequined shirts to tutus, we have everything that you and your stuffable animal could ever need for a fun night out on the town.

October as we mentioned before is a great time to dress up, there are just so many possibilities! Just like you, your stuffable animals have a personality all their own, and wouldn’t it be nice to have outfits that expressed that for them as well?

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Posted on September 23, 2014 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Tips for Stuffing Your Stuffable Animals

We all know how fun it can be to assemble our animals and truly make them our own. You can personalize them, dress them up, and they make you feel like a million bucks!

But, your stuffed animal deserves to look and feel just as good. There are many things you can do to make sure that your stuffable animal will look awesome, and a lot of it has to do with how you stuff it. Here are some awesome tips on making sure you stuff your animal in a way that will make it look great!

There are going to be some sections of your animal that are going to be harder to reach with the stuffing. Use the eraser side of a pencil to help you with the hard to reach places like ears and feet. Make sure you get to these crevices first, because it will be much easier. Then you can concentrate on the larger areas, like the tummy!

Make sure you use the right amount of stuffing for your animal. If you don’t, then it can come out looking either too full or could come out misshaped. If you’re not sure, put in smaller amounts of stuffing at a time, and it will be easier to judge just how much more your future friend will need!

If you have concerns that the stuffing may look a little lumpy, tear it apart before putting it into your stuffable animal. This will make it smoother and easier to maneuver.

Once you have stuffed your animal, play around with it a bit to make sure the stuffing is even throughout the toy. Most of us love massages, so why wouldn’t they?

Have you discovered any tricks to stuffing your stuffable animals? Share them in the comments below!

If you still have some questions, feel free to contact The Zoo Factory today!

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Posted on August 6, 2014 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

What You Want to Be When You Grow Up

Children are known for having their great imaginations and playing pretend. Adults would always ask, what do you want to be when you’re older? What do you want to do when you grow up?

Here are some of the most popular answers:

Astronaut: many kids of going into space. There is nothing cooler to kids than rocket ships, aliens, and stars. Children are meant to explore and see what’s out there!

Dancers: girls especially will dream of being dancers and showing their moves on stage- whether that’s through ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz, or other styles.

Athletes: Who wouldn’t like to have a job doing something they already like to do? Playing sports is one dream of many children and is a goal to reach for that is actually fun!

Vets: The best way to spend the day is with animals, right? Many children want to help animals that are hurt and make the world a better place for their furry friends.

Pilot: How cool would it be to be able to fly a plane?! Everyone would look like ants from up there! But seriously, kids love the idea of being able to fly and go somewhere new and exciting.

Doctor: Some kids have big hearts and want to make others feel better and possibly even give them surgery. We won’t tell them about the medical school they have to go through first.

Military: From a young age, children might get the urge to serve their country and fight for freedom.

No matter what they decide they want to be, as parents and family the best thing that we can do for them is encourage them to live their dreams and work toward their goal. Giving them a stuffable animal with a special outfit is a great way to do just that.

Check out the site to learn more!

Posted on July 7, 2014 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Make Your Animal Friends Talk!

Although we all know that stuffed animals are the best things in the world anyway, there is one thing that could make them even better… don’t you remember being a kid and wishing more than anything that your stuffed animal would come to life? Wishing they could talk?

A great way to make your kids’ dreams come true is to give them the gift of a talking stuffed animal. Though that may sound far-fetched, we can make that happen. We sell sound chips that can be put inside an already existing toy or that can be purchased along with our darling stuffable animals.

Whether your son or daughter wants their buddy to be able to talk like them or like the animal they are, we know that our sound chips will give your child a whole new realm for play. What a great surprise a talking friend will make!

If the selection of sound chips that we have doesn’t suit the voice of your child’s toy, we have 10 and 20 second recordable sound chips that you can customize yourself so you can really make your child’s dream come true.

Another really sweet idea is to record your baby’s heartbeat so that they will have an extra special connection to their stuffed animal as they grow. We hope that you will tell us all about that adventures that your kid and his/her buddy goes on!

Need some inspiration? Check out this video of some talking animals- they are sure to make you laugh!

Posted on February 10, 2014 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Unique, Whimsical, and Personalized Sorority Gifts

Sororities create long-lasting friendships and global communities. Sorority sisters connect from colleges to Universities, town to town, and across the States. Pledges never forget their time as new members, and forever remember the gifts and mementos exchanged during the pledging process. Special gifts that are given to the sorority by a new chapter member, or received by the pledge from their new chapter, are keepsakes for a lifetime; and personalized gifts mean that much more to those who receive them.

Personalized gifts can be fun and whimsical, be specific to one person, or uniquely represent a whole organization. Here are a few creative and personal gift ideas that pledges can give to their new sorority chapters, or that sorority chapter presidents can offer to successful new members.

Stuffed Animals with Personalized T-shirts

Stuffed animals are loved by just about everyone, even “big girls” living the college life. How many times have we seen our dorm mates with their favorite stuffed animals, or even carried our own life-long stuffed animal friends to school with us. Many dorm rooms are decorated with stuffed animals that were once childhood buddies. Customizing a stuffed animal with personalized t-shirts with the sorority chapter name on it, is a creative and unique gift for pledges to offer to the sorority as a new chapter member. That cute furry little mascot will always be connected to that pledge, and remembered by all.

Jewelry and Teddy Bear Bling

Teddy bears are always welcomed gifts; from beauty queens to class presidents, even superstar college jocks, can be caught with their favorite one. Whether big and fluffy or small and cute, teddy bears make wonderful sorority gifts. But teddy bears with their own jewelry, accessories, and bling, are even cooler. It would be great fun for each local campus member to own identical teddy bears with matching jewelry accessories. Upon entering your dorm room, everyone will see that you are a part of a great Greek chapter tradition, by seeing your personalized sorority teddy bear on your pillow. Whimsical matching ladybug or pink flamingo necklaces for all of the local pledges, also makes a great gift.

Personalized Talking Stuffed Animals

With easy to order “record your own voice” kits, you can have a sorority craft party, making personalized stuffed animal gifts, while recording a special “thank you” from new chapter members, or a “welcome to our chapter” message for successful pledges. Wouldn’t it be fun to re-create those old childhood craft making parties, with an adult flair. Sorority sisters can order pizza, watch the latest chick flick, while creating stuffed animals for everyone. With sentimental recorded messages in them, these unique gifts will remind everyone of that significant time in their lives, for years to come.

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Posted on January 20, 2014 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

Prevent Bullying in Classrooms with Stuffable Animals

Teachers of today face a new task on top of their traditional teaching chores. In addition to activities, field trips and lesson plans, teachers now need to work in ways to prevent bullying in their classrooms. Many people think that there’s little you can do about bullies, but that’s actually very far from true. It could be difficult if a child doesn’t learn consequences at home, but it can be done. A great way to combat bullying is to bring children together in a project, like a stuffable animal party.

Here’s what you do….

First, remember that this isn’t a birthday party, so you’re not dealing with a group of kids that are friends. Some are the “in” kids, while others are the outcasts; your goal is to leave no outcasts, and nobody feeling bad at the end of it.

Then, choose one stuffed animal, because there could be fighting over the lion or the pig; just eliminate that problem before it’s even an issue.

Now, observe. Don’t let the kids know this is a bullying assignment. Some of the worst bullies are the kinds that pay attention to supervision and act innocent. Pretend to be engrossed in a book while the kids stuff their animals. Observe who breaks off into groups, and notice the instigators. Also, look for the kids who say rude things and poke fun at the others.

Finally, when the kids have all of their animals together, have a concluding discussion. At this time, use the kids’ animals to act out some of the behaviors you’ve noticed. After that, grab two students, who had nothing to do with the bullying and ask them to act out different skits. When kids see their peers being mistreated it strikes something in them. They see one of their friends being mistreated, and they become less likely to do it to others. One of the best examples of this can be seen on Jimmy Kimmel’s show. He often has celebrities come on the show, to read aloud, some of the things people say and tweet about them online. Albeit comical, you can actually see how people’s feelings get hurt with just a few words.

Some bullies are mean people, and some are misunderstood kids but they all have something in common, they don’t realize how much they hurt the other person. Find a way to stop bullying in your classroom, in whatever way that works best for you. All you have to do is find a way to show the bullies how damaging their behavior is and they are likely to cease the rude behavior.

Some of today’s kindest doctors, public figures, and scientists are yesterday’s bullies, reformed. Bullies aren’t villains; they just need a little guidance from teachers who inspire them.

Posted on December 4, 2013 by The Zoo Factory — Leave a comment

The Zoo Party: A Fun Recap from a Fun Mom

Today’s guest post is brought to you by fun-loving, mom-of-the-year, Dana! Dana is always throwing great parties for her daughter, and she decided to share her awesome Zoo Party Recap with us! Share your thoughts with us in the comment’s section below!

I tend to go a little overboard for birthday parties for my daughter. When I say “little” I mean every thing MUST match the theme that I started preparing the day after her last birthday.
This year’s theme was “The Zoo”. I was on top of these preparations like a boy scout looking to get the next merit badge. Don’t doubt it, this was the checklist:

Venue – Local zoo party room booked well over a month in advance.

Zoo Cake – Another thing ordered well in advance with matching zoo theme.

Invitations and Thank You cards – Monkeys included for a “wild time”

Food – Fruit and Veggie trays made to look like a forest with lion and tiger. (The zoo provided pizza with the party automatically, which was a nice bonus.)

Plates and Cutlery – Animal face plates with color matching plastic ware.

Face painter – My Happy Face Painter turned the children into little animals!

Activity for kids / party favors – A menagerie of animals from The Zoo Factory.

The children in the party ranged from 3-11. The highlight of the party for everyone was stuffing The Zoo Factory animals. The younger children had to have their parents help with the stuffing but that made the activity even more fun for them. I was worried that a couple of older kids in the party might not enjoy the party favors as much but that wasn’t the case. They had just as much fun stuffing and playing with them as the younger kids.

In the end due to my obsessive planning everything turned out perfectly. I even received a compliment from one of the parents that I should become an event planner because everything was so wonderful.
In case you are wondering next year theme will be “Bubbles at the Science museum”.