Did you know that the first cuddly toy was made by Margarete Steiff, a German woman who began producing stuffed animals in 1880, using leftover fabric from her uncle’s factory? Since then, it has become a popular and much sought-after toy for young and old alike, at all times. It is used as a gift, decoration or for therapeutic purposes.
Historically, soft toys and stuffed animal toys were first made in 1902 by two Russians: Rose and Morris Mictchom, who named the Teddy Bear in honor of one of the American presidents who refused to shoot a bear tied up by the organizers during an unsuccessful hunting trip. Since that day, these two objects have become emblematic and whimsical all over the world and for everyone.
What about cuddly toys?
Soft toys are your baby’s first companions until a certain age. These transitional objects play an important role in helping them discover the world around them. They’re toys that will play an important role in every baby’s life, since they’re the ones our children will love from birth.
That’s why choosing them shouldn’t be taken lightly. Of course, you can choose them according to their size, brand, color, or the type of fabric the toy is made of. You can also find out what kind of animal will represent the cuddly toy. To help give children joy and satisfaction, help them adopt these fetish objects. This way, their development remains intact, and they’ll be able to take on greater responsibility in the future.
At what age can we give our children cuddly toys?
The question is on your mind when it comes to pleasing your baby, or making sure you’re doing the right thing. Well, you should know that it’s possible to give a baby a cuddly toy from birth. This object can be given as a birth gift to a baby, but only if you find the right materials. The one that won’t disturb him while he sleeps or when he sleeps in his crib is the most important choice. What’s more, it’s important to find the right location, the right shape and the right fabric to offer him a sweet dream.
From 6 to 8 months, a baby really adopts his first cuddly toy. At this point, he considers it an integral part of his existence. In other words, it’s the one that will stay with him for many years to come, helping him to discover his environment. Between 4 and 12 months, the child chooses his own blanket. He begins to demand color, shape and anything else that will touch his little heart. The child then charges his little accomplice with a whole range of feelings and sensations. This gives it a truly unique character that will be indispensable throughout its life.
At what age can we give cuddly toys to our children?
Plush toys are ideal for children over 2 years of age, although they still have a role to play as comforters. At this age, it’s best to switch to plush toys to avoid becoming dependent on them. Of course, as children get older, they start to take an interest in other things. However, this doesn’t have the same importance as the comforter’s role. It will keep your child company and give him the feeling of not being alone in his crib. It also provides a certain comfort in his life, hence the search for plush toys for children up to adolescence. Of course, even our older children want and need this companion toy in everyday life.
Parents need to understand at what age to offer their children a cuddly toy. They need to take their children’s tastes into account, so that they can adopt it to the best of their ability. This is to ensure that the child’s bond with his or her favourite toys is stronger than with any other toy. For health reasons, it’s also important to check the label and choose the right toy for your child’s age. The type of toy and the figurative aspect play an educational role.
What type of soft toy is right for our children?
There are many types of cuddly toys and soft toys that will make our children happy. But we need to know which ones will make them happy and won’t be a danger to their emotional and physical health.
Soft toys come in many shapes and qualities. They can be flat, light, easily washable and portable. They can also be more practical for our children. Babies can grab them, fold them, roll them and chew on them at will without the risk of swallowing a piece. A newborn comforter should also be easy to grab and light enough to be carried easily by the baby. As its name suggests, it should be soft. As every child is discovering new things, they do so with their own comforter.
Also, for health reasons, soft toys are best made from organic cotton. In this way, they’ll also be good for babies in the feel of this soft fabric. Cotton is unquestionably the most suitable material for babies. It contains no potentially harmful components. It therefore ensures optimum safety for baby, especially for our hyper-sensitive babies with health problems.
Basic criteria for choosing a plush toy
The size of a comforter is crucial: too small and it’s easy to lose and hard to find. Too big, and it will take up too much space wherever our babies drag them. Today, it’s possible and easy to find comforters to suit all tastes. You can also get them in wool, fabric, flat, soft… with characters with big arms and legs. Even if, at first, plush toys don’t replace comforters. But it will become an official part of the child’s life at some point. At a certain age, parents – or your child himself – will want a plush toy instead of a comforter.
So, just like a cuddly toy, you need to know how to choose the right stuffed toy, whether in terms of fabric type, shape or size. But the quality and preference of each child counts for a lot. If a stuffed toy is too big, it will take up all the space in the crib and be a nuisance to your child. If it represents an animal that will frighten your child, he won’t get used to it. However, from a certain age onwards, the bigger it is, the more it will attract your child’s attention and affection. A plush toy should also be soft and hypoallergenic. This way, your child can keep it close to him at all times, without it irritating his fragile skin.
Different ranges to choose from
There’s a whole range of plush toys to choose from. You can choose between classic, bell, colored or luminous, soft, solid or handy, animal or geometric… It’s up to you to find the ideal companion to delight your children.
Whether cuddly toys or stuffed animals, choose plush toys for those that are hypoallergenic and soft to the touch. With a practical design and resistant materials, these toys can withstand washing without losing their softness.
When should I say goodbye to my cuddly toy and adopt a plush one?
When you’re a parent, it’s normal to worry about your child’s well-being. However, when it comes to toys, it’s up to the child to decide for himself whether or not to take his comforter, because :
language will give him new ways of expressing his pain or boredom; he won’t need a blanket to act as an intermediary between himself and othershe’ll feel more confident; and he’ll be able to express himself without hiding behind his blanketsocial development (friends, outdoor activities, special moments with the family, passion…) will mean he’ll need the comfort of his blanket less and will be able to develop more with others.
Toddlers generally give up their comforters between the ages of 3 and 5. However, some children aged 4 or 5 may still be in the habit of using them. This happens during periods of adaptation or stressful situations. For example, a visit to the doctor, a change of educator or a change of group at daycare. In some cases, comforters and cuddly toys help fight the nightmare. Children also use them just to feel accompanied.
What if you turn to plush?
By the age of 6, children are no longer reassured by their blankets. They will always feel the need for a companion, and a plush toy will be appropriate for their age and the environment around them. In this case, it’s important to know how to choose the right stuffed toy to replace a blanket. We mustn’t forget that cuddly toys were very important to children in their learning process. However, at this stage, we must be careful not to rush them. The change must take place gradually and by itself, as taking a comforter away from a child can traumatize him or her.
It can also block the child’s development and adaptation to the plush toy. We sometimes think that it doesn’t really matter, and that one toy will replace another. These toys have helped children to explore the world, to develop taste, imagination and consolation for the first time. But the healthiest thing for the child is to go from cuddly toy to plush toy on his own, with our help.
The benefits of cuddly toys for children
The relationship with these toys varies from one child to the next, as each child is different in the way he or she assigns importance to these toys or places in them.
Specifically with regard to the comforter, children react differently. Some take it with them wherever they go, whatever they do. Others ask for it especially when they go to sleep. Some specifically ask for it at emotional moments, like when they’re grieving. More often, when they’re very happy, or hurting themselves. But above all, they need their cuddly toy when a new environment disrupts their daily routine.
How do children feel about their cuddly toys?
In general, children adopt a cuddly toy as a friend they can’t bear to part with. It’s often thought of as a teddy bear or a piece of cloth that toddlers like to hug, suck on or cuddle. Be careful, it comforts him and helps him in his psychological and relational development.
So, to avoid a sudden change and disruption in the child’s daily routine, provide two identical comforters. In this case, they keep a similar smell and texture without interruption. The comforter is a source of comfort and security for the child, as it establishes a link between the known and the unknown. In other words, from the imaginary to the real world, from the knowledge of new sensations to the approach to others.
How do children view their stuffed animals?
Let’s talk about cuddly toys, which are more than just toys in the eyes of our children. Because even grown-ups at some point in their lives need something cozy and scented. The cuddly toy keeps us company, and is often given as a gift. Well, it’s the same for every child. The cuddly toy becomes his confidant, his comfort, his friend, his second comforter, and it will stay with him for the rest of his life. Until the child no longer feels the need for inanimate companionship.
The cuddly toy becomes your child’s best friend, and it has to meet a number of requirements, such as being soft, fragrant and special. When a child is with a cuddly toy, he’s in his own world, in his own element. This helps them develop emotionally. It also helps them understand the difference between their imaginary world and the real world.
These fetish objects, inseparable from our children, help them to cope:
a stressful social environment: moving house, changing daycare or school, exams, loneliness.fear: nightmares, going to the doctor, parental separation.
How can you help your children part with their cuddly toys?
We all know how important a security blanket is in our children’s lives, but at a certain age, they need to realize that their world doesn’t revolve solely around them and their blanket, and if they want to, they need to replace it with an age-appropriate toy. So how can we best help him to part with his cuddly toy so that it doesn’t create a trauma for him?
Here are a few tips to help your child leave his blanket behind
Avoid taking it away abruptly, i.e. snatching it away because he has to part with it, all in the belief that he’ll grieve faster. On the contrary, the idea is to reassure him that, at his age, his blanket is no longer the one he needs. The more he leaves it behind, the sooner he’ll give up the habit of bringing his comforter with him wherever he goes.
You should still allow him to have his comforter during important changes in his life, such as going back to school, getting hurt, or just when he’s still in the habit of asking for his comforter, in which case you should leave it with him, and as you make him understand that his comforter is no longer essential during these moments, he’ll leave it in a corner.
Other useful tips to help you
At home, set up a special place for your baby’s comforter where he can store it himself, so that it’s always available and accessible. Gradually, he’ll leave it more and more at this place, which he’ll visit to reassure himself or just to have a look at the good old comforter, but without taking it with him, because he’ll see it as a place where his comforter must be now, and where it will always be a sign of remembrance and comfort.You can also gradually encourage your child’s autonomy by spending more time with him doing activities that will help him in his psychic and emotional development, without the comforter being with him. These activities can take the form of outings in the open air, or play activities that will gradually help your child forget his dependence on the toy. And in this case, you’re helping him to forget it, or letting him know that the cuddly toy is in another stage of his life, and that he’s either opening up to others or can afford to have a stuffed toy.