Cuddly toys as a sleep aid for babies
When babies come into the world, they feel a great need for physical closeness, security and a huge amount of affection and love. At first, their sleep rhythm is completely chaotic.
Gradually you get used to each other and your sleeping habits adapt. From time to time, your little ones may still have trouble falling asleep, which can also cost you sleep.
Generally, sleep problems mainly occur when your babies are hungry or have gas, experience (growth) pains, are teething, find light or noise disturbing, or perceive the room temperature as uncomfortable.
Physical closeness from you as parents usually works wonders then and the little ones can be soothed.
To make falling asleep even more comfortable – for you parents too – sleep aids like cuddly toys and pacifiers are the perfect way to get through the night more relaxed. Cuddly toys can give your infants and toddlers a great deal of provide comfort and security.
Because paired with your parental scents and a cuddly soft silhouette your babies don't feel so alone. Thus they feel less afraid and fall asleep better.
Generally, cuddly toys consist of two main elements, the fabric cover made of synthetic or natural fibers and the filling made of wadding, synthetic fibers or granules. However, the very first cuddly friend that is allowed to get comfortable next to your infants in bed should not be made of plush yet.
Plush tickles too much when chewed on and also carries the risk of swallowing fibers. Rather, you should therefore opt for terry cloth for the first cuddly toy. Generally, in the early stages only a single cuddly toy is recommended in the bed so that your babies can breathe freely and have significantly more freedom of movement.
Popular cuddly toys include all kinds of animal species as well as comic characters or fantasy and mythical creatures. A teddy bear is probably one of the most famous stuffed animals worldwide. In every generation, there are hardly any people who haven't owned a cute cuddly bear.
The very first cuddly friends: sweet pacifier bunnies & cuddly soft baby dolls
Pacifier bunnies
The pacifier bunny is one of the most popular sleep aids in our range. On its ear it carries your baby's pacifier with a snap fastener. Thus the cuddly friend combines two aids that rock your little ones into sweet dreams. The best part: the eternal morning search for the pacifier in the bed is also made easier.
What to look for when buying?
Quality and safety: Cuddly toys should be non-toxic and easy to care for be. The outer fabric as well as the filling usually determine whether the cuddly friends can be cleaned in the washing machine or not.
Filling: The filling should be soft and fluffy be. Plush, nicky fabric and microfiber are best suited for this. In the first months of your infants' lives, however, rougher terry cloth cuddly toys are the better choice, which is why not only a soft feel should be considered here.
Construction: Stuffed animals should be firmly stitched be and able to withstand any strain. Your children will take them on many different journeys from infancy through primary school, which is why they should be as robust as possible.
Washability: It's best if you can wash the cuddly toys easily, so that you can clean them regularly and quickly.
Certification marks and standards: Your cuddly toys should all have a CE marking that shows they comply with the applicable European directives. In addition, an LGA quality seal (indicates processing free of harmful substances) is important, as well as a TÜV seal, which shows that the cuddly toys have been tested on several pedagogical as well as technical levels.
Size: The cuddly toy should match your child's body size, otherwise cuddling will be rather uncomfortable.
The importance of cuddly toys for your babies
If you accustom your babies to cuddly toys already in the first months of life, it is very likely that they will want to have their new favorites with them in later developmental phases and see them as their best friend.Their fabric or plush toy will become their protector in many ways. Cuddly toys interrupt the feeling of being alone, they give your children comfort and security
, which otherwise only mom and dad can provide.They are also their strengthening friends when they become afraid in the dark. If they wake up at night and mom and dad seem too far away, their cuddly friends give them the feeling that nothing is wrong. This is often also due to the smells that your babies associate with them. So, when cuddling, snuggling and playing with the stuffed animals, there is always parental love in the air. Cuddly toys are .
of immeasurable emotional valueThey accompany your babies not only to sleep, they also start the day together with them. The soft friends provide comfort and strength in the most diverse situations. For example, if it's time for a midday nap and your little play mice don't want to calm down yet, their favorite cuddly toys make it easier for them to manage their emotions. If you also explain to your children that a stuffed animal needs a nap too, bedtime becomes easier – after all, they are not alone with it. The so-called transferring of emotions
teaches them playfully to understand different connections.For toddlers, primary school children and often beyond, cuddly toys are worry-eaters and true everyday companions, that together with them process experiences
. Playing with them also teaches your kids social skills. Role-playing and imitating everyday situations they have experienced train them in dealing with others. This makes, for example, the first visit to daycare or primary school much easier for the little ones.
Motor development is also promoted by interacting with stuffed animals. Through the different elements and a mix of firm, soft or even rough components, all senses are stimulated and trained when being felt. Overall, cuddly toys do your children good – they will also certainly bring a smile to your face from time to time.
Cuddly toy variants and other sleep aidsWhether plush elephants, teddy bears or wild little kitties – you can find cuddly toys in a wide variety of designs and colors. In addition there are other sleep aids that come very close to the cuddly companions and can even be used as a great addition for sweet dreams. HABA has here an overview of sleep aids and HABA heroes
compiled. Get inspired, browse our range and find the right companions for your babies.
Sweet cuddly toysLovable pacifier bunnies, cuddle cushions disguised as friendly elephants or maybe a soft puppy – Cuddly toys are available in the form of numerous animal species and figures
Various fabric dolls
Neutrally designed Fabric dolls or classic Play dolls are also popular with children. They give children the feeling that they're talking to a real little friend with whom they can reenact everyday situations and process experiences. HABA has a diverse range in which you're sure to find something.
Hand puppets
With hand and finger puppets, the funniest stories can be told. This way the living room becomes your very own theater, in which you can let your creativity run free. Your children may take on imaginative roles and reinterpret familiar stories entirely. In the HABA range you'll find a wide variety of figures. Let yourself be inspired and choose hand and finger puppets that suit you best.
Pacifiers & Comfort Blankets
You probably know it: You have plenty of pacifiers and yet you still search for them. Pacifier chains and comfort blankets that give pacifiers a home, can help you with that. This puts an end to the endless search and your babies can also reach for their soothing companions more quickly. There's something for every taste in the HABA Shop. Choose the right pacifiers, pacifier chains and comfort blankets – the selection is colorful and huge.
Soft warming animals & cuddly cushions
Warming animals and cuddly cushions are an alternative to the familiar plush toys. They give your children a warm feeling. By resting the head on a soft cuddly cushion, worries and fears can easily be dreamed away. Browse the HABA range and choose between cuddly cushions in many different styles or cute warming animals.
Lights, Mobiles & Music Boxes
In addition to stuffed animals, lights, mobiles and music boxes are also particularly great sleep aids for babies, toddlers and older children. They have a calming effect and quickly lull your kids into a slumber. This way they drift into the land of dreams without worry. HABA offers a diverse range of sleep aids, where you are sure to find the right option for your little dreamers.
How to get your babies used to cuddly toys for falling asleep
Your babies need time in the first months of their lives to gradually get used to a regular day-and-night rhythm to get used to. They learn it entirely anew, so patience is required.
It won't always succeed that your little ones find sleep calmly and relaxed. If you want to use sleep aids such as pacifiers and cuddly toys, you can practice handling them very easily: Goodbye to worries and sorrows.
To help your babies sleep well, you should create a certain feel-good atmosphere. Make sure the crib isn't too crammed and that you first use only one cuddly toy made of terry cloth for settling in use. The ideal bedroom temperature is as important as appropriate sleepwear. In general, you should approach the topic of falling asleep in a relaxed way. Your babies won't be able to fall asleep equally well every day, and so falling asleep with cuddly toys won't work on every single day either.
Practice makes perfect. Create bedtime rituals that give your children the feeling that they can now calmly close their eyes and enter their dream world.
You should also let the cuddly companion be used during the day as well – during play, cuddling, or even naps. Only in this way will it really be accepted as a snuggle friend and comforter.
How many cuddly toys do children need?
As a rule, your children already choose in the first months of life a cuddly toy that is meant to accompany them on their further journey. They see it as their best friend, whom they would not give up for anything or anyone.
However, if their best friend shows first signs of wear after years, it is hard for your kids to understand. To prevent such heartbreak, you should already in the settling-in phase keep at least one or two additional cuddly friends in reserve. Change them regularly so your children also get used to these cuddly friends just in case.
If the favorite cuddly toy is once lost or only missing for a short wash, the crying is less. Of course, your kids will notice that it is no longer the favorite cuddly toy, but nevertheless they cope with a loss more easily, when another familiar cuddly friend is at their side.
Cuddly toys: Best friends up to primary school age
Cuddly toys accompany your children through life for a long time. From infancy to primary school or in some cases even beyond, your children see in plush and fabric toys friends they can tell everything to.
From a psychological point of view it is the first social relationship that children decide to enter themselves – even if you initially placed the cuddly toy beside them only as a sleep aid.
Children discuss worries, fears and plans with their cuddly toys. Even if they don't receive a direct answer, they still provide comfort and strength because they get to know their own self-efficacy. Your kids learn to deal with their emotions and communicate them purposefully. This often makes it easier for them to talk to you about uncomfortable topics when a plush elephant or teddy bear is present.
Your children learn to develop their social behavior with the help of cuddly toys. Their companions are with them everywhere. Class trips, outings as well as daycare and school visits are experienced by your kids together with their cuddly friends. That bonds them.
Cuddly soft companions: the Krümel dolls
Krümel doll
The neutrally designed Krümel cloth doll makes children's hearts beat faster. Whether with long or short hair, glasses or darker skin tone – the Krümel doll is available in various designs for purchase. With matching accessories and clothing, which you can also find at HABA, your children can dress their own doll children as they please and promote their social skills.
How to care for cuddly toys?
So that your kids can enjoy their cuddly toys for as long as possible, care is an important point. Because only in this way can house dust mites, dirt such as food residues or other signs of use, as well as viruses and bacteria be eliminated. Regular cleaning is essential especially with toddlers, as they sometimes put their cuddly toys into their mouths. For care you should pay attention to the labels on your plush toys. If they are suitable for the washing machine, it's best to proceed as follows:
Put the plush toys in a bag and seal it airtight. If you are worried about mites and co., you can put the bag before washing in the freezer for 48 hours, to kill them. After the two days, vacuum the surface well to remove the mites and their droppings.\r
To protect eyes and other sewn-on parts, you should put the plush toys preferably in a laundry net. Afterwards they are then washed in the washing machine at 30 degrees. If you want to kill viruses and bacteria, it is recommended to use a hygiene detergent.\r
Last but not least, let the freshly washed plush toys air dry. Place them not in a tumble dryer, because there they can deform and suffer color loss. Direct sunlight should also be avoided. Therefore place the plush toys to dry preferably on a terry towel and turn them at regular intervals.
If your cuddly toys are not suitable for the washing machine, stains can also be dabbed off with a damp cloth or washed by hand in a mild soapy solution and then rinsed.
