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4 Tips for Spring Cleaning with Kids

4 Tips for Spring Cleaning with Kids

Spring isn’t just the time to trade out your sweaters for your t-shirts; it’s also a chance to clean out your home. Spring cleaning can seem overwhelming when you’re doing it just for yourself, but even more so when you have your kids involved. They may not want to get rid of that toy truck (even though they haven’t touched it in a year), or they may not want to help out at all. That’s why we’ve put together these spring cleaning tips for parents: 

Start small 

Don’t think that you can clean out your house all in one day. Instead, start small. Tackle one room each day and make your child’s task simple (such as separating the toys that they do want from the toys that they don’t want by placing them into buckets).  

Give your child’s toys a good home 

Your kids may resist giving up any of their toys, even if they haven’t touched a majority of those toys in months. To avoid this, find organizations where you could donate the toys to. This will emphasize that the toys are going to a good home to children in need instead of the garbage bin. 

Find some storage space 

There may be some items that you and your child will want to keep but may not have room for. Things such as artwork, their first blankie, or other types of sentimental items can be stored away in bins so that you can still hang onto them, but they’re not taking up as much space.  

Make it fun 

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a tiring chore, it can be fun if you set your mind to it. Put on some music, or make it a competition to see how many toys you and your child can find and donate in a day. You can also encourage them by giving them a prize at the end of it, such as ice cream, a trip to the zoo, or even a new toy. Tell them that if they get rid of their old toys, they’ll have more room for new ones.  

If you’ve cleaned out your house and find that you have a little bit more room, then a stuffable animal from The Zoo Factory can be a great reward. Look through our website to get started! 

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Can Toddlers Learn from Screens?

toddler lying on floor staring at tablet screen

Many of us have sat our toddlers down in front of a TV or a tablet, hoping they’ll learn something as we go about doing chores and finishing tasks. But is this actually an effective way to teach our kids? A new study from Vanderbilt University suggests not.

About the Study

Researchers at Vanderbilt University conducted a study in October 2021 to determine if toddlers can learn from screens. In order to do so, they had toddlers take frequent selfies with their family and then look through those photos on the parents’ smartphones. They also had the toddlers look through photos that would help them find a hidden toy in the room.

The researchers hoped this would teach the children that digital photos can represent reality. However, the opposite occurred. The toddlers struggled to realize that the digital photos represented a real situation and could help them find the hidden toy.

Simply put, toddlers don’t understand that digital media can represent reality.

So how do toddlers learn?

Of course, this doesn’t mean that screens are useless. Digital games can teach your child skills such as problem-solving, and educate them on certain subjects such as history or math. However, these benefits are most often seen with older children. Toddlers, meanwhile, find more success learning from face-to-face interactions.

Screen-time balance

Should you ban your toddler from ever looking at screens? Absolutely not. Toddlers can still have fun watching videos and playing games. However, if you want to help educate them, then finding a good screen-time balance is key. Make sure your toddler doesn’t spend all day in front of a screen. Instead, spend some one-on-one time with your toddler chatting, playing, reading, and more. Free play is especially beneficial for kids to learn and let off some steam.

Stuffed animals can be a great play companion that can also help you teach your toddler some lessons too! Look through our website here at The Zoo Factory to find the perfect stuffed animal friend for your child.

8″ Kelly Green T-Shirt

Solid color t-shirt – Our basic solid color T-Shirt will fit any 8 inch stuffable build your own bear, animal, doll or webkinz. You can use this shirt to compliment just about any outfit.

Measurements for 8″ T-Shirt:
~ 3.25″ from neck to bottom
~ 6″ wide
~ 5.5″ armpit to armpit
~ Neck opening 3″

Made of a 50/50 poly/cotton blend – Perfect to decorate with colorful fabric markers.

Fits 8″ Stuffed Animal
Perfect to decorate with colorful fabric markers.

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Buying the Best Stuffed Animals for Any Age

Stuffed animals become well loved and treasured family members to a child. Even many adults still have their favorite stuffed teddy or kitty from their youth, and often these animals are passed down from one generation to another as beloved heirlooms. But all stuffed animals are not appropriate for all ages and there are a few things to take into consideration before gifting one of these childhood joys.

Ages 0-2

Very young children between the ages of 0-2 years of age require stuffed toys that have nothing that can be accidentally swallowed. This means no lights, noise makers, or clothing. The animal should be small enough to be comfortably held by the child, and brightly colored for attention and interest. The hair should be short so that it can’t be chewed and swallowed, and it should also be washable.

Ages 3-12

For children ages 3 and up, look for some of the child’s favorite animals. Never get a stuffed toy that the child might be scared of. You should buy a stuffed animal that has some longevity, as this will likely be the toy that sticks with your child through most of their childhood. Also, keep in mind what kind of storage is available in the home where the child lives. Very large stuffed animals are unique and fun, but most children like to be able to easily hold and often sleep with the animal.

Ages 12+

Even adult’s love stuffed animals. Buying a dear friend a replacement for a beloved stuffed animal that has been lost or is in an irreparable state can be a very thoughtful thing to do. Not to mention that stuffed animals can help us relax and sleep better at night.

If you’re looking for a stuffed animal for your child, friend, or even yourself, then take a look at our selection here at The Zoo Factory. With plenty of animals to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect stuffed animal for your needs.

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Theme Ideas for a Stuffed Animal Birthday Party

cake with animals on it for child's birthday party

When you’re planning a stuffed animal-themed party, you have a few options for your setting. Some parents opt for one animal choice, to avoid fighting over specific animals, while others prefer offering an array of options to the kids. If you wanted to go for a particular theme, then you could choose a few options that relate to it. Alternatively, if you want to keep it generic, you could offer a wide variety of animal styles.

Farm Animal Theme

If you have a myriad of animals, you can go with an overall farm animal theme. This is probably the easier option, as it gives you more options for party favors, snacks, and games. Go with the color red, it’s often associated with barns. Give the setting a farm feel with cornstalks and hay bales.

Zoo Animal Theme

Another theme you can use if you want to have multiple types of stuffed animals are zoo animals. If your kids love exotic animals, this is definitely the way to go.

One Animal Theme

If you want to go the other way, and keep everything the same, choose an animal that you can work with.  For example, if you offer one choice, opt for a bear. Your child could have almost any theme decorations, and a stuffed bear section would make sense; it is versatile.

Dinosaur Theme

Does your child love the prehistoric era? Then go with a dinosaur theme! This is a nice compromise between having various stuffed animals or having just one. Kids will all get a dinosaur, but they’ll still be able to pick out their favorite one.

Once you’ve picked out the perfect theme for your stuffed animal birthday parties, it’s time to get the stuffed animals! At The Zoo Factory, we offer many party packs for you to choose from that are sure to delight guests of all ages!

16″ Halloween Bear

Halloween Bear is a 16 inch is a do it yourself stuffable animal kit requiring NO SEWING! The closure on the back is Velcro. This is a great activity for birthday parties, a family fun activity or school fundraiser.

The Zoo Factory kits DO NOT come with stuffing. You may choose to add it to your order OR purchase it on your own from a craft store. Each 16″ animal will need 7-8 ounces of stuffing depending on how soft or firm you want your stuffable animal to be.

Your child will enjoy creating their very own stuffed animal and making a memory that will last forever. Don’t forget to pick out a special outfit, sound chip for your stuffable animal.

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Outfits: The Ultimate Accessory for Playtime

denim shortsWhen people think of the month of October, one of the things they also think of is Halloween. Of course, this will make us think of candy, but this is also a great time to dress up!

Everyone loves getting to pretend that they are someone else. Whether the costume is a pirate, or an animal, or a superhero, or even a fairy princess, Halloween is a time to play pretend and have loads of fun. But you know who else really loves to dress up? Your stuffable animals!

And this isn’t just during the month of October. The Zoo Factory has outfits that fit both the larger and smaller stuffed animals, and they work for any occasion!

For those casual days when it’s time to down with some playtime fun, we have options like denim shorts, plain colored T-shirts, frilly dressand even some pajamas too! These articles of clothing will allow your best friend to feel comfortable while playing with you!

And for those days where they need to look a little spiffier, we have dressier options as well! From frilly dresses to sequined shirts to tutus, we have everything that you and your stuffable animal could ever need for a fun night out on the town.

October as we mentioned before is a great time to dress up, there are just so many possibilities! Just like you, your stuffable animals have a personality all their own, and wouldn’t it be nice to have outfits that expressed that for them as well?
 
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16″ Sea Life Four Pack
* Includes Stuffing *

Sea Life Four Pack 16 inch do it yourself stuffable animal kit requires NO SEWING! The closure on the back of each animal is velcro, and it is easy to do and hidden once closed. A great activity for a birthday party, a special family time activity or school fundraisers.

Our Kit comes with the following:

~ 4 Sea Life Creatures
~ 4 Bags of Stuffing
~ 4 Wishing Stars
~ 4 Birth Certificates

Your child will enjoy creating their very own stuffed animal and making a memory that will last forever. Don’t forget to pick out a special outfit, sound chip for your stuffable ocean animal’s.

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How to Make Learning Fun at Home

How to Make Learning Fun at Home

We don’t have to sit our kids in front of a blackboard all day, every day, to make them learn something. Learning can be fun, both in the classroom and out. To further encourage our children’s love of learning, try some of these tips to make learning fun at home:

Encourage their interests

We mostly associate learning with books or the classroom, but children can learn from almost anything they do. Sports can teach them cooperation and coordination, while art can encourage creativity and fine motor skills. If your child expresses a special interest in something, then invest in that interest. You never know what lessons they might pick up.

Play games

Playtime may seem like silly games, but they actually have concrete benefits. Pretend play, for instance, can enhance critical thinking skills, social skills, and language skills. Even video games (something many parents complain about) can have an impact, improving coordination, memory, problem-solving skills, and more.

Put on some tunes

When you were taught the ABCs, did you also learn the song? If so, there was a reason for it. Music has plenty of cognitive and emotional benefits, and those benefits are ten-fold if a child learns an instrument. Put another way, you learned the ABC song because the music would help you memorize the actual ABCs.

Turn on the TV

We don’t want our kids spending all day in front of the television, but TV shows and movies can be educational. Even if they’re not specifically an educational show, kids can still glean some information from their favorite show or movie.

Are you looking for the perfect stuffed animal for your child to play with? Then look through our website today to get started!

8″ Plaid Tiding Four Pack
* Includes Stuffing *

Plaid Tiding Four Party Pack –  8 inch do it yourself stuffable animal kit requires NO SEWING! The closure on the back of each animal is velcro, and is easy to do and hidden once closed. A great activity for a birthday party, a special family time activity or school fundraisers.

Our Kit comes with the following:

~ 4 Plaid Tiding Pack
~ 4 Bags of Stuffing
~ 4 Wishing Stars
~ 4 Birth Certificates

Your child will enjoy creating their very own stuffed animal and making a memory that will last forever. Don’t forget to pick out a special outfit, sound chip for your stuffable animal friends.