The cuddly toy: the child's best friend

It would seem that a baby needs loving arms of his parents to be fully happy, while from store shelves, traps in the form of mascots, teethers, books, rattles, etc., which seem almost indispensable to future parents, are waiting for us at every step. Is it really so? Of course not. Without denying the need to stimulate the child with new stimuli, it is worth approaching purchases for toddlers with common sense. However, there is a group of toys that have been accompanying almost everyone in childhood for many generations. It is of course cuddly toys for children.

Our child's favorite cuddly toy fulfills a double role. Firstly, it gives the child a sense of security, thanks to which it is easier to calm down or fall asleep, and secondly - it is a great playmate. Below we suggest which cuddly toy for sleeping or playing is worth attention, and why various types of mascots and other toys should not be too much in the child's environment.

What a cuddly toy for a baby? 

The selection of cuddly toys, stuffed animals and other stuffed animals is huge. We can choose freely in sizes, textures, finishes and colors.

Toys for the youngest children should primarily be for them safe. Therefore, when buying cuddly toys for babies, pay attention to:

• chemical safety, i.e. certificates confirming that the materials used do not contain substances that could, for example, irritate the skin and mucous membranes of a child, or cause an allergic reaction;
• type of fabrics, knitwear, plush or fur - in cuddly toys for babies (up to 1 year old), the bristles should be short so that they do not detach even with frequent washing and intensive use, otherwise it may end up in the child's mouth;
• production quality, that is, above all, durability and care of the finish - so that during play no element tears off or falls off, becoming a threat to the toddler, e.g. if swallowed or inserted into the nose or ear. For this reason, you should not choose cuddly toys with an excessive amount of decorations.

When considering which baby cuddly toy will be the best, remember to keep it clean.

Sleeping cuddly toy for babies

A hug with a wrap

An interesting group of cuddly toys for babies are those from the so-called blanket. It is not about a classic blanket, but about a soft, small piece of material to which the head itself is usually attached teddy bear or other animal. The whole thing is small, so you can easily take it for a walk or a trip - it will be useful to cover or cuddle a toddler if necessary. These toys have several functions: some can, for example, "store" the parent's smell when he has to go somewhere, others have knots at the ends to attach a pacifier or teether.

Noise to calm down and sleep

However, there is such a group of cuddly toys for children, which was created just as a soother for babies and at the same time a help for parents. Its task is to soothe the baby's crying. They are teddy bears (or other stuffed animals) with a humming battery module inside. After turning on the device, the baby calms down and falls asleep easier. Just make sure the sound isn't too loud.

Good toys of this type turn off automatically, when the baby falls asleep. The emitted sounds are designed to imitate the noise that the baby heard while in the mother's belly. We wrote more about the impact of noise and humming toys here.

There are various models of this type of cuddly toys for children on the market, also available as an option hangers, e.g. for a trolley. Of course, as many parents as there are opinions about humming bears, it is worth trying to help yourself if you have a rather demanding baby at home, especially since the toy can last for a long time. When the baby grows up, you can remove the humming module and it becomes a classic cuddly toy.

Musical relief

The same applies to cuddly toys, e.g. teddy bears they have music module installed. Most often it is a very calm music, ideally suited to falling asleep, which is designed to soothe the baby. Some of these stuffed animals also have a built-in projector that projects stars etc. shapes onto the ceiling.

Regardless of the type, any cuddly toy for sleeping for babies, especially the youngest ones, must be used with care - it should not be placed in the cot close to the baby's head. Humming or musical toys are often equipped with handles, thanks to which you can hang them at a safe distance.

Cuddly toys to play with

For several years, we have had a lot of children's mascots on the market, in contrasting colors, e.g. black, white and red. Very often they have handles, ears or legs filled with rustling material, so they will work perfectly as fun mascots, but not as a sleep aid.

When it comes to colors, the combination of black and white, as well as large, clear shapes and simple patterns work especially for newborns and younger infants, because until about 2 months of age, the child cannot distinguish other colors and sees not very clearly (blurred contours) .

Cuddly toys at home and on the go

The cuddly toy, which the child will especially like, may become his friend and playmate for the next few years. The child will feel safe with her, both when falling asleep at home and during travel, e.g. to grandma and grandpa - especially if you stay with them overnight. Then it is worth having your favorite bear or rabbit with you.

What cuddly toys for children to choose and how to care for them?

Remember to pay attention to the quality and manufacture of cuddly toys for children - especially if we want them to last longer.

If frequent washing of the cuddly toy at a higher temperature is not an option, we can take care of its cleanliness using steam generators that allow you to refresh and remove unpleasant odors from various types of textiles, maintaining their original appearance.

The cuddly toy: one instead of many

We have mentioned many times in our articles about how overloaded the market for baby products is. Starting from the basic ones - such as hygiene items, cots, prams, through all kinds of accessories, wardrobe items, children's interior design, to ... toys.

The trick is not to succumb to the pressure of constantly buying new things, but to base and use in various ways what we already have. Anyway, with a limited number of toys, the children themselves will come up with different uses for them. Instead of changing over and over again, they will think what else they can do with the one they already have.

Why less is more?

There are many arguments in favor of that do not overdo it with the number of cuddly toys and other toys for your child. Here are a few of them:

• Lots of toys are hard to keep in order. Aesthetic considerations aside, messy toys simply take up space that could be used for play;
• It's easier to find the toys we want to use because they're not piled high;
• With a limited number of toys, children play with one for longer, which helps them learn to concentrate;
• A smaller number makes children learn to respect their possessions more and more willingly share them with siblings or peers;
• Buying timeless toys allows us to take care of the home budget. Let us not give in to fairy-tale heroes, who change very often. Let's talk to the child, spend time with him, thus showing that the teddy bear, which has been with them for a long time, is still a perfect companion to play.

"Armed" with the above tips, we can go on a quest and decide for ourselves which cuddly toy for a baby and an older child will be the best - and maybe even become his favorite.