Reasons Kids Love Stuffed Animals

5 Reasons Why Kids Love Stuffed Animals

Every parent knows that a stuffed animal is the best gift they can buy for their child. The parents see how much joy stuffed toys bring to their children and, if they had them when they were growing up, they remember their own happiness and excitement. But what is it about cute plush animals that make them children’s best friends?

There are five reasons for that:

1. They always have smiles on their faces.

   No matter how many times the toy is left alone in the dark or dropped to the floor, it is always smiling. This heartwarming smile is a constant reminder for the child that the world is a happy place, even though sad things can happen from time to time. In addition, the stuffed animal never judges the child and, with a happy impression on its face, shows that everything is going to be alright.

2. They are the best huggers.

   Everyone needs a warm hug every once in a while to feel better on a bad day. A teddy bear will not try to escape to gasp for air or to run away to answer a phone call or turn off the oven, and there simply is nothing better than such a long-lasting and squishy hug. Other toys will not mind a hug as well, but a toy robot and a Barbie doll simply do not feel the same.

3. They are like a baby the child can take care of.

   With his parents constantly telling him what to do, the child feels amazing being able to play the adult with a stuffed animal. Stuffed animals are small and light, and, for a child, there simply is nothing more exciting than having a “baby” that has the face of a puppy or the alligator tail. In addition, scientific research proves that this kind of imaginative play is very important for the child’s social and mental development.

4. They never break. Or, at least, they last a lot longer than any other toys.

   There is no screen that can crack, no small parts that can get lost, no battery that can run out. A stuffed animal can fall on the floor or on the ground a thousand times but nothing crucial will happen to it. Even if it happens to rip, there is nothing that a needle, some thread, and some extra fluff will not be able to fix. A child can take this toy everywhere, even on a car ride or a plane flight, and it still will be almost good as new.

5. They are easy to clean up.

   This is probably the main reason why parents love to buy stuffed animals for their children. When the child is done playing with a stuffed toy, he can easily pick it up by himself; this is not the case with building blocks, for example, that will be left on the floor for tired parents to pick up. And if the stuffed animal becomes dirty, a quick run through a washing machine will be enough to keep it clean for a few weeks.