Often, a child’s first best friend is a teddy bear or any other stuffed animal. Stores are usually stocked with them. There are even businesses dedicated to customising stuffed animals. While adults find a stuffed toy as cute and soft, there is more potential to them. Kids of all ages enjoy such toys and sometimes even get attached to them for years. Stuffed animals offer plenty of educational benefits.
Whether it is a Peppa Pig or The Bear Bares, here are some of the educational benefits of gifting soft toys to the following age groups –
Babies
Babies love touching the surface of the stuff toys; they feel their bristly whiskers, soft fur, and hard eyes. They sometimes chew or suck these toys as well. So, make sure the early choices are of high-quality and well-washed all the time. Avoid small beads or removable parts. Some babies also love squeaky toys. The fur or hair should be short and not quickly plucked out.
Toddlers
As the kids turn two to three years old, the soft toys online or offline should be durable enough and safe. At this age, toddlers learn empathy with language and names. Different stuffed animals help the young ones learn familiar words such as cats, dogs, bear, and pig. They also know the sounds made by each of them. Some of these get pet names as well and become companions for life.
Emotions get tested of these silent friends such as they get thrown, hugged, hit, and sometimes kissed. Early parenting skills are practised as well. These stuffed toys might have their diaper changed or fed or put to bed or sit on the potty. Once they rehearse these scenarios, toddlers work through these challenges, understand the expectations, and portray observation. They become the child’s first best friend.
Pre-schoolers
By this time, children become more imaginative. These stuffed toys are not only limited to their appearance anymore. A giraffe could become a princess, astronaut, teacher, or just the way it is. They get involved in active play. Kids even begin sharing their feelings with these toys and could conduct elaborate conversations. After an upsetting day, the child comes to the stuffed toy and enacts the day’s event, which helps them deal with their emotions. Like real pets, stuffed toys help children calm down.
School-aged
Once the kid is about five years old, games often reflect the child’s preoccupation with new structures and people in their lives. Soft toys become a whole class of students, the audience for a show, or a gang of pirates. At the same time, kids get firmly attached to them, sleep with them, and possibly create clothes for them.
Older kids
Those who are animal lovers might hope to collect unusual stuffed toys. Finding an exotic anteater becomes a passion. Along with such hobbies, kinds learn to classify animals, natural habitats, and geography. Visiting a local zoo or other countries offers a chance to understand zoology and biography. Some kids also sew stuffed companions for themselves or gifting purpose. This enhances their sewing skills.