Category: Stuffed Animal Adventures

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Teddy Bear Explores for Science

Stuffed Animals in School

Scientists are always working hard to find new ways to explore the world around us, and recently, a teddy bear got involved and bravely ventured out into the great unknown.

A teddy bear named “Nugget” was launched into the stratosphere by the Museum of the Goldfields in Australia, equipped with a GPS and a camera in the name of science.

The idea of this experiment was to use the teddy bear to study the local region, and for residents to have a better understanding of what’s around them. The faux animal’s findings will be used for educational purposes at the museum, which was established to promote science, math, geography, and other subjects to local patrons.

“Nugget” was strapped to a helium balloon when taking off, and not too long after lift-off, the museum’s staff actually lost track of the teddy bear, as it floated to altitudes of 37 km. After nearly three hours of no contact, the teddy bear was tracked down as it began its descent, having gone some 50 km further astray than previously thought. According to some recent reports, the teddy bear’s landing location had been charted thanks to a recovery mission set up by the museum. What it saw along the way will be anyone’s guess, once the footage is viewed.

We are looking forward to seeing what “Nugget” picked up along his journey, especially for scientific purposes. At The Zoo Factory, we love to see stories like this—where science is being used in a way to educate young minds. And with teddy bears, even better!

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Unplug and Incorporate Imagination into Playtime

child reading to stuffed animal

From the games they play on smart phones and tablets to the shows they watch on Netflix and T.V., children are growing up in a technology centered universe where much of their learning is done in front of a screen. And while laptops and cellphones now play an integral role in our society, we also love the idea of unplugging these devices and just playing! Whether your children decide to put on a play, host a tea party for their stuffed animals or have a family game night, there are so many opportunities to actively learn, building social skills and making memories.

There are so many ways to incorporate more imagination and creativity into your child’s day, so turn off your electronics for a couple of hours and do one of these fun activities together.

Host a Family Game Night

Regardless of what game you play and who the winner is, family game nights are always a ton of fun and offer many different learning opportunities. Board games and card games can teach your children about teamwork, taking turns, thinking ahead and much more. Depending on your child’s age there are even games to help them improve their math, science and reading skills!

Go Outside

There is nothing better than spending a day outside enjoying the fresh air and summer sunshine. Whether you walk to the park, go for a bike ride or host a backyard picnic, there are so many great opportunities for play and learning.

Read a Book

Instead of sitting down in front of the T.V. before bed, pick out a book and spend some time reading with your children. Depending on their age, you can read to them, help them sound out words or let them read to you and a stuffed animal audience. An opportunity to escape into unknown worlds, books are an incredible way to get your child’s imagination flowing.

Spend some time talking about the stories you read, discussing alternate endings, other adventures the characters could go on and acting out your own version of the story with a stuffed animal cast. There are so many ways to expand upon your reading adventures, all of which are wonderful outlets for creativity.

Just Play!

It doesn’t really matter what you and your children do together during your unplugged afternoons, as long as you are having a good time. If your children love playing with stuffed animals when they are away from technology, The Zoo Factory offers a wide array of stuffable creatures that you can make with your children. Dressed up like a superhero, a sports star or a princess, your child’s stuffed animal can accompany them on all of their unplugged adventures, making playtime even more memorable and fun.

Visit us online to find a stuffed friend for your child, and don’t forget to pick up a bath bag while you’re there. Your teddy it after all the adventures they share in this summer!

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How To Have Fun This Summer Vacation

Summer vacation is here! There will be days spent by the pool, and in front of the TV, and hopefully playing outside in the yard. Summertime is a break from the classroom, homework, and any schoolyard drama that is hard to deal with during the year. For a lot of kids, the summer is a great time to recharge, relax, and just worry about having fun for a change.

But even the summer is time spent distracted, forgetting almost everything they’ve learned the year before, you can still keep your kids engaged this summer. Exercise both their bodies and their minds, and those first few weeks back at school in the fall won’t be so bad.

If you’re running out of activities to do that are both interesting and educational for your kids, consider a make-your-own stuffed animal kit from The Zoo Factory.

These projects, which come in all shapes and sizes, from classic teddy bears to cats, and dogs to pillow pets, require no sewing, and can teach your kids about following directions and the value of working on something with your hands. At the end of the process, they’ll have a finished product that they can keep, and when they look at it, they’ll remember that they made it themselves. How cool!

Like we said, the summers can cause a little brain lethargy and, after about a week, it’s hard to come up with interesting, new activities to keep your kids entertained. Try a make-your-own stuffed animal kit from The Zoo Factory to shake things up! The best part is your kids will learn a thing or two throughout the process. For more information about any of the products we offer or to order yours, contact us today!

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Summertime Programs With Stuffed Animals

Attention all summer camp counselors and summer program coordinators!

School will be letting out soon for summer vacation and that means you will be taking over for the teachers and parents and have multiple children to care for. Usually these children will be a wide range of ages and sometimes it can be difficult to find tasks all the children will enjoy doing, along with one that is affordable and fits in with your program budget.

To help get everyone to know each other it may be a fun idea to have them all stuff their own animal in the first week of camp, then all summer long they will have a friend nearby even if their school friends are not in the same program.

To make things easy buy all the animals a plain white t-shirt and use graffiti pens to decorate them. This way each animal can be an individual just like your campers.

These stuffed animals will go on many adventures with your students and the students will always have them. Just think of the times when they grow up and pack away their toys, they may keep the stuffed animal out just as a reminder of what fun the summer of 2015 was for them. Stuffed pets are the best for cuddling for when the students have a scrapped knee and need to get a Band-Aid, they also make a great companion for playing red rover.

The Zoo Factory animals are an extremely affordable option for your program. Start your summer program on the right foot, or even the proverbial furry foot. Contact us for more information today!

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Creative Ways to Store Stuffed Animals

stuffed animals

Stuffed animals, whether they are yours or your children’s, tend to be fruitful and multiply. They are wonderful and warm gifts, and we all grow attached to them. Throwing them out is absolutely unheard of.

So how do you store them?

Do you stick them in a toy trunk or use them as decorations and display them?

Most stuffed animals are colorful and cute, and they make a great addition to your home decor. Burying them in a trunk or toy box doesn’t really give them their due. Especially for children who tend to have a special attachment to each stuffed animal, being able to see them all the time is like a security blanket. There are as many ways to display your stuffed animals as there are people to think of them, and here are a few ideas.

Of course you can always put them on a shelf or dresser top. But in the interest of getting a bit more creative, think a bit outside the box. Get a nice tree branch from your yard. You can paint it to accent the room’s color or leave it natural. Then hang a swing from the branch and display the stuffed animals on that swing.

Think baskets. They can be made of any material that you like, and you can buy them readymade or create your own if you’re that energetic. Hang the baskets from floor to ceiling and put a few stuffed animals in each basket. You might organize them according to species, or color, or put the ones your kids hold most often near the bottom so they are easily accessed.

Ladders are beautiful home accessories, and can hold books, objects or anything you can think of. So why not display stuffed animals on them. You can paint the ladder to compliment the room’s color or paint it your child’s favorite color, and let him or her help you place the animals. You should nail the ladder to the wall to prevent accidents.

Finally there is the catch-all – the hammock! String a hammock anywhere that suits the room and just pile all the stuffed animals in it. It is an adorable way to display them and your child will enjoy seeing them all in one place.

As an important part of your child’s life – or even yours – stuffed animals deserve to be visible to everyone. They add color, shape, and life to any room. So think about displaying them and not shutting them up with other toys. They are special items in your life, have earned your or your child’s love, and even been teachers. Honor them.

 
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Can’t Make a Family Vacation? Send Your Stuffed Animals Instead!

Stuffed Animal Wanderlust

Unagi Travel offers a unique experience for your long-loved companion. Maybe you can’t take the time off work, or maybe a family vacation is just not in your budget this year, whatever the case may be, there’s an intriguingly fun alternative. Send your family’s favorite stuffed animals on vacation and receive stunning photographs of your cherished friends in aesthetically stunning scenes and gorgeous landmarks from all over Japan. Maybe you can’t see the world just yet, but your lifelong best friend can, and you can create lasting photographs that spark emotion and desire.

The program, started by Sonoe Azuma, takes your stuffed animal on an adventurous excursion. You can follow the trip on Facebook to feel as if you’re really there with your companion. Over 200 toys have already traveled around Japan and the United States.

To satisfy your burning wanderlust, it could cost thousands of dollars for an enjoyable stay. Sending your stuffed animal can range from $20-$55 dollars and the trip includes a photo CD of all the sightseeing adventures.

Post by Unagi Travel.

 

Would you send your stuffed animal across the world to venture where you can’t go? Share your thoughts or photos of your stuffed animals traveling in our comments section!

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