Even though they're soft, cute and cuddly, have you ever wondered what stuffed toys are made of? Here's a handy guide to help you choose your little one's toys wisely.  

1) Why Choose Safer Stuffed Toys for Babies and Children?

Most kids have a stuffed animal. You know, the one they carry around everywhere, the one you bring back from where it was left so you don't risk a disturbed sleep? For many kids,  their favorite stuffed animal means more to them than anything in the world  . While these toys are cute, cuddly, and adorable, have you ever wondered what they're made of or filled with?

Kids spend a lot of time cuddling and sleeping with these toys, so it’s a good idea to  get into the habit of checking what they’re made of  before you buy new toys. Your kids could be exposed to some pretty nasty materials, including volatile organic compounds, flame retardants, and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Studies in recent years have found that many common toys could contain potentially harmful levels of lead, phthalates, brominated chemical flame retardants, heavy metals like cadmium, and more. Not so cuddly after all!?

Choosing safe stuffed animals is therefore an important way to protect your baby . A toy that is approved ✅ for your baby's age group and has no removable parts to avoid choking hazards is a good way to start choosing a safer stuffed animal. Also, always supervise your baby when playing with safe stuffed animals. 

2) Inspect the Stuffed Toy

A- The Strings in All Their Length

Make sure toys don't have long strings. Babies are prone to wrapping long strings and ropes around their necks and choking. They can also swallow the string. To avoid these unwanted consequences, carefully examine the stuffed animal you are considering giving to your baby. Check the back of the toy for any pull strings that could make the stuffed animal say something or perform an action.  

B- Removable Parts

Make sure toys don't have removable parts. Removable parts are more common on sturdier plastic toys and action figures. But plush toys often have removable accessories like cups or glasses that can come off with Velcro, for example. Some toys even have special labels or price tags, which can be dangerous for your baby. Cut off these labels and any plastic or string holding them. Be sure to check and remove any removable parts from the toy that could come off or break and pose a choking hazard.  

If pieces of a stuffed animal ever break off,  don't try to repair it . Instead, return the toy to the store and purchase a safer stuffed animal. Don't try to replace it.

C- Batteries and Electricity

Be careful when giving a stuffed animal with batteries. Batteries are a serious choking hazard to babies. If your baby wants a stuffed animal with batteries, make sure the batteries are attached by a panel that must be unscrewed ? to remove them. Do not give your child a stuffed animal with a battery panel that opens with a simple push. While it is unlikely that your baby will be able to open the battery panel, it is not a risk worth taking.   

If your baby's stuffed animal lights up, dances, or engages in another action, it is powered ⚡ by batteries.  You can also identify battery-powered toys by the label on the packaging that says "battery powered."  

Check battery-operated plush toys occasionally for acid leaks . Battery acid leaves a crusty, discolored area inside the battery panel. It may be brown or white in color. Discard leaking batteries, clean the toy's battery panel, and insert new batteries.  

D- The Pointed Horns of Goats

Avoid toys with sharp points, even stuffed or semi-stuffed toys sometimes have sharp points . For example, don't give your child a stuffed goat with plastic horns sticking out of its head. Your baby could get the sharp horn stuck in his eye or hurt himself in a thousand other ways with it, which is obviously to be avoided! 

Even the soft toys in a toy  should be treated with suspicion. So avoid any soft toys that have sharp points? so your child can have fun without danger.

E- Quality above all!

Make sure the toy is of high quality. When inspecting plush toys for safety, gently pull on their seams. If you feel that the toy is poorly sewn, do not buy it. Instead, look for  plush toys that are durable  and do not tear easily. You can also apply gentle pressure to the plush toy to feel if the toy fits you well.

 Poor quality plush toys are not safe for babies?. If they tear and the inside of the plush toy becomes empty, your baby may eat it and choke.  

Choose plush toys that can withstand chewing and other similar abuse that babies often enjoy, especially when teething? are tickling his jaw. Plush Kingdom   ® plush toys  are obviously good quality.

F- As Light as the Wind

Choose lightweight stuffed animals. For example, avoid giving your baby the giant stuffed gorilla you won at the fair. Stuffed animals that are too heavy are not safe for a baby. If a heavy stuffed animal were to fall, it could easily suffocate your baby. Except for really giant stuffed animals, placed on the floor that serves as a secret hut for him? where he likes to play and rest on!  

G- A Question of Age

Safe stuffed toys should have  a label that informs parents of the age  a child should be to use the toy in question or if you bought the stuffed toy online, this should be indicated in the description of the stuffed toy purchased. For example, you may find a stuffed toy that has the label "For children 2 years and older" on the packaging. This means that children under two years old should not play with this stuffed toy. In this case, if your child is under two years old, look for a safer stuffed toy.

H- A Brand New Toy, A Healthy Child

Don’t choose old toys. If an older relative offers to provide you with an older stuffed animal, politely decline the offer . Older stuffed toys may not meet current safety standards, and without the original packaging, you probably have no way of knowing. Plus, since they’re handmade, they’re more likely to tear at the seams. 

3) Choose the Right Materials

A- ...hop, to the Machine

Choose washable materials?. After regular use, your baby's stuffed toys will get very dirty. When choosing safe stuffed toys for your baby, you need to  make sure that you can keep them clean . Check the care label or the back of the box the stuffed toy is packaged in for information about the material it is made of. Avoid buying stuffed toys that cannot be washed.

Unwashable (or unwashed) toys collect germs and bacteria. This presents  a dangerous situation for the baby .  To properly wash a stuffed toy, you can check out our complete guide to cleaning stuffed animals  ✔ .

B- Avoid Toxic Materials

Buy non-toxic plush toys. Since your baby will surely put the plush toy in his mouth and manipulate it endlessly, you need to provide him  with non-toxic plush toys . You can check the manufacturer's box to see what ingredients a particular plush toy contains, but to be safe, you should buy plush toys from a distributor like Plush Kingdom ®  that only offers toys made of safe materials for your baby.

C- Flames and Plushies

Make sure the plush toy is flame resistant. When checking the care label or the box the plush toy comes in, look for confirmation that the toy is “flame resistant” or “fire retardant.” This means that  the toy will not catch fire easily . Plush toys that catch fire easily are not safe for babies. For example, not all Plush Kingdom ® products catch fire easily, although this may not be stated on all plush toy labels.

4) Ensure the Safety of the Baby during Games

A- More than just a glance

Supervise your baby. Babies are very creative. Your baby can find a way to hurt himself or get into mischief with even the safest stuffed toys. That's why it's important to  always supervise your child when playing  with even the safest stuffed toy and never leave him alone in his crib? with a stuffed toy. Don't leave your baby alone, even for a moment, while he's playing.

B- It Smells Clean!

Wash your baby's stuffed toys. Babies love to sneeze and drool on things, including their toys. Safe stuffed toys become gross after regular use. Wash your baby's stuffed toys regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions. Wash any stuffed toys that fall on the floor or are visibly dirty.   

Most stuffed animals come with a care label that provides information on washing and drying. Read the information on the label ? to wash the toy properly. To  properly wash a stuffed toy , you can check out our  complete guide to cleaning stuffed animals with more than 5 different methods , you will definitely find the most suitable method for the situation the stuffed animal is in!

C- A Tidy Room and That’s It

Help your baby safely store stuffed animals. If your baby leaves stuffed animals lying around, they can cause others to trip or fall. Help your baby learn from an early age to recognize where toys belong - once they are no longer being played with.  

For example, when your child is done playing with their stuffed toys, say ?️: “It’s clean-up time. Let’s put our toys away in the toy box.” Place a stuffed toy in the toy box. If your baby can walk, encourage them to do the same.  

D- Ali Baba's Cave

Store stuffed animals in a box without a lid?. If your baby has a toy box with a heavy lid, he might accidentally crush it on his little hands and hurt himself. In order to avoid this misfortune, choose a box without a lid . This will also make safe stuffed animals more accessible to your baby. 

E- It's Bedtime

Do not allow your baby to take a stuffed animal to bed?. Unless your baby is no longer sleeping in his crib, no stuffed animal is safe to use in bed with your baby . Even with a stuffed animal safely in his bed, your baby is at risk of harm. 

Now that you know how to choose a safe stuffed animal for your baby, all you have to do is choose the stuffed animal that will please him? To do this, you can go see:   How to Choose the Perfect Stuffed Animal for your Child?