Playtime is an indispensable part of every childhood, and the best stuffed animals that children play with have many benefits: from the development of motor skills, feelings, observations, stimulating the development of social skills, to the development of imagination, empathy, improvisation, intelligence and constructiveness.
We all had our favorite childhood plush buddy or a baby doll. They were no ordinary toys but the BEST friends we had. Often it was difficult for us to choose just one stuffed toy to have with us. Toys should be tailored to children’s needs but also inspire them.
So here are 15 handmade stuffed toys that we recommend for children.
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PRODUCT | AGE | |
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3 months+ | Check Price on Amazon |
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3-6 years | Check Price on Amazon |
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3-15 years | Check Price on Amazon |
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3-6 years | Check Price on Amazon |
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3-15 years | Check Price on Amazon |
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3-15 years | Check Price on Amazon |
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3 months-15 years | Check Price on Amazon |
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3-15 years | Check Price on Amazon |
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3 years+ | Check Price on Amazon |
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3 years+ | Check Price on Amazon |
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12 months+ | Check Price on Amazon |
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5 months-8 years | Check Price on Amazon |
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12 months+ | Check Price on Amazon |
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3 years+ | Check Price on Amazon |
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3-15 years | Check Price on Amazon |
This popular toy comes in 7 sizes, from 5 to 50 inches, making this toy perfect for boys and girls of all ages. How your baby grows the Bashful Bunny grows with him/her. This is a great companion if your child’s feeling alone.
It is meant for spot clean only and that means that you do not need to dry clean, wet clean or hand wash any stains or visible spots. It will be enough to just do it by hand so the toy will be ready for your child to play with it again. Bashful Beige Bunny has a soft high-quality fur and floppy long ears which means it’s perfect for cuddling and soothing a child. This makes it especially suitable for infants.
Benefits:
What child wouldn’t love a giant wildlife animal as a friend? This realistic plush tiger made of soft durable fabric is handcrafted with care and is 67 inches high, 20 inches wide and 14 inches long. This Siberian tiger will keep your child and its bed safe from nightmares and monsters, and it will spark curiosity to learn more about nature and animals.
It is perfect for riding it in battle, for hugs and cuddles, and for keeping it as a pet. Its features are lifelike and having a pet tiger might inspire a child to be brave and bold. Your child’s creativity and a sense of its adventure will surely grow with this kind of a pet!
Benefits:
A lifelike penguin may be just the right bird for your youngest. This realistic toy can stand on its own and is made of polyester. The penguin is 23.5 inches high, 17 inches wide, and 9.8 inches long making it the most impressive bird your kid will ever pay with.
Because of its size, it has high-quality construction and because it is meant for children of any age, the stuffing and material are soft. This chubby penguin is not just great for hugs; he will keep your child safe during various adventures, and will be a great centerpiece of any toy collection. Help your child get a better grasp of geography through interesting them in the world of penguins.
Benefits:
Are you looking for a realistically made magic unicorn? Celestia has hair perfect for combing, making braids and putting on colorful hairpins. She has a bean filled body that is bagged double just for safety which makes it perfect for princesses and daredevils. This unicorn has the size that is just right for long hugs and sleepovers or it can be used as a pillow while reading books or imagining stories form Celestia’s faraway land.
The surface is washable with soap and water, and the material is carefully chosen so it is comfortable in contact with skin. The size of this toy is 25 inches long, 11.5 inches wide and 5.9 inches high, measured from her nose to her hooves.
Benefits:
Collectible toys can be a great source of fun, especially when there is a veil of mystery around them. The great advantage of this toy is that it is carefully packaged in a burrito blanket so part of the fun and surprise is the unpacking of this mysterious stuffed animal. It is made with great care not only in the design of layout and material selection but also in the unique storyline for each one of them.
Along with the toy comes a pet collector card that will tell you its name, species, birthday and even its favorite quote. These 12 mystery stuffed animals for babies and toddlers are made to feel like they are alive which will spark a feeling of companionship and compassion.
Benefits:
It comes in 5 sizes, from 7 to 31 inches so you can easily choose the right one for your child. The size is important so the toy won’t be easily misplaced or too big for a kid to carry. Its colors and design make it a toy for girls and boys, and if your kids ever wanted a dog, now is the perfect time to give them one.
Because it was made for all ages, the fabric is luxurious and non-toxic, and its without shedding. This is a great toy to sleep with or even take outside because it is easily cleaned. The bottom of the toy is filled with beans making it more interesting to touch. Jellycat puppy is a great replacement for teddy bears.
Benefits:
If you are looking for a toy made of soft but durable material, this Burrow Rabbit might be it. The fabric is quite comfortable on the skin so it can soothe a child quickly, especially if your kid sleeps alone. The toy has a washable surface and is made of extra soft plush. Bunny is handcrafted, its size is 9 inches high, 10 inches long, and 6 inches wide. Its floppy long ears make this toy extra cute and easy to hold onto it, and it can even sit straight up.
The features of Burrow Bunny are designed to inspire interaction and imagination, and special softness is there to provide solace for children who want to be hugged in an instant of distress.
Benefits:
Big toys are quite a hit amongst kids. You must remember how exciting is seeing a fluffy toy take half of your visual space. A Giraffe that is over 4 feet tall is quite a majestic toy. Its lifelike details and realistic markings are amazing to see. The whole construction is made with a lot of care – sturdy legs are wire-framed, and its neck is made for snuggling. The whole fabric is created from soft and durable polyester that is easy to clean.
Its size and real-life looks will surely encourage a child’s interaction and imagination. This is not just a great toy, it can also serve as an inspiring decor for any nursery or playroom.
Benefits:
Siggy is a very special baby sloth. He lives in Madagascar and likes to hang from trees with his special made three toes. It is made of acrylic and polyester fabric, and its huggable body is filled with polypropylene plush making it even more lovable. Children can give him as many hugs as they want.
His claws are sharp because he uses them to hold onto branches. He likes to go outside on adventures in nature and explore every tree he sees, and if he ever gets dirty you can wash him with a little bit of soap in cold water. Leave him outside where he likes to spend the most time and he will quickly become dry.
Benefits:
Every kid has a stage when they are crazy for dinosaurs, but toys like this are not always made for all age groups. Sharp plastic tail tips, as well as removable parts, can be a problem for young children. For such small researchers, Plush Dinosaurs are a great gift. Their size makes it easy to pack and they are perfect for pack and play cribs.
The package comes with 8 dinosaurs 5 to 6 inches long, so every kid gets his entire Dino collection right away. If your kids have misplaced one, no worries, there are plenty to go around. All the toys are made of washable durable material. Each dinosaur is of a special type and color so that younger children can easily distinguish and recognize them. These toys are made of various colors.
Benefits:
Give your kids the perfect pet dog dressed in your kids’ favorite costume (available ones are a unicorn, mermaid, frog, bumblebee, monsteroo, and a dragon). Its surface is easy to wash, the material is quite huggable, and it is a nice gift for infants, toddlers and adults. This toy is suitable for teaching your kids about brotherhood and sisterhood as well as friendship through gifting them the whole series over an extended time period.
In this way, your children will through pretend play develop social skills and get a better understanding of the various relationships created between each individual in their family. The hugs that this doggie provides are just the right amount of cuteness and will make every child happy.
Benefits:
The unicorn is a creature of stories and legends with a spiral horn on its forehead and glows in its eyes. Bring magic to bedtime stories and give your child a sequin unicorn created for relaxation. On its back is a sequence material that is reversible, giving your kid ever-changing rainbows of fun while she pets her toy.
This, combined with its weighted body, gives Sparkles the Unicorn its powers of calming and soothing any child through repetitive tactile and sensory play. Personalize your rainbow unicorn with various sticker designs and give it not only food, but glasses, and other accessories too. This toy will help your child advance her nurturing skills and compassion through the care for her friend.
Benefits:
Another one of the great exotic friends we present to you is this elephant – it comes in two colors, standard grey, and pink with a bow near its ear. The size of the toy is approximately 9 inches long, and 8.5 inches wide when sitting down.
This toy is ideal for infants and toddlers, not only because of its size and softness, but also because of the features of the material (high-quality polyester) that does not shed. This toy is suitable for gentle cycle machine wash and low tumble dry. The elephant is made in a way that no matter how small or soft your child’s grip is, it will be able to play with it.
Benefits:
Do your kids have a fascination for farm animals, cowboys, horses? Because this 11 inches tall Farm House set has everything – four different colored and 5 inches tall horses that can stand on their own, a stable with windows and doors for them to live in, and bales of hay so they can be fed. There is even a 6 inch tall farmer so your child can play pretend more realistic and take care of the horses.
These stuffed animals for kids are all stuffed and soft, made of washable materials, so no harm can come to your child no matter how young it is. The Farm House even comes with a handle on top and zippered doors so this set can be easily carried anywhere.
Benefits:
If your child has a fascination for Seaworld, this realistic giant dolphin may just be the perfect gift! This lifelike mammal with its 4 feet length is perfect for any adventure your child decides to take on. With its elegant markings and quite soft fabric, it is not just cuddly; it is made to last for a long time no matter how often your child plays with it.
Its unique bright eyes and joyful expression can cheer up anyone. This dolphin is a perfect friend not just for hugs, its size is ideal for snugs and your child’s fascination with its oversized friend will not wear off anytime soon. The possibilities of interactive games are infinite and it will surely provide active play.
Benefits:
A plush toy represents a step into a child’s independence. They are often of vital importance when separating a child from its parents, whether it is starting to go to kindergarten or just being taken to a family member for babysitting. They represent someone close, someone, with whom the child is connected in a very special way.
Plush, light toys of vibrant colors are of particular psychological importance because they are warm and soft, which soothes the baby because it resembles the mother’s skin. Most plush toys have the function of a so-called transitional nature, because they provide security and reduce their anxiety, especially at bedtime. These cute stuffed animals are given special importance when growing up (children sleep with them, later carry them on trips, etc.).
A toy that is perfect for your child would be one that is both easy to carry around and be built in such a way that the child can embrace it with no problems. The material should be completely secure, and in the case that the toy has fur, it should not be shredding. Remember your favorite toy when you were little? You probably thought of it as the most perfect toy in the world.
If you’re following Funtastic Toy then you already know that we review a lot of toys! If you’re interested in other Leapfrog stuffed animals that are not on the list, check out our reviews for My Pal Violet and My Pal Scout.
Toys play an important role in the life of every kid. They are not only for fun; their main purpose is to help your child develop various skills and abilities. At an early age, babies start looking at different baby stuffed animals, and then slowly begin grabbing and waving them around. When they are three months old, they actively grasp them, bang them on other objects and frequently put them in their mouths. Babies begin to consciously use toys to play around with when they are six months old. Small, soft plush toys should be introduced slowly to help differentiate the child’s sense of touch as well as basic emotions around their second month of life.
When choosing toys, the criteria we used were the following:
These toys have always been kid’s favorites. They can be of any size and shape, making them great for children of various ages. They can also occupy a special place in a child’s heart. Can you remember your oldest toy? The one that when you think about it even today makes you feel special? There is a big chance that it was a plush toy.
Usually, they are the same. The main difference can be the material from which they are created. When people mention stuffed toys, they usually refer to toys stuffed with cotton. On the other hand, plush toys are usually filled with some kind of fabric, like polyester. Both kinds of toys have some outer “fur” that makes them smooth and pleasant to the touch and gives them that cute look.
Plush toys, however, occupy a special place in children’s lives. These are toys that cannot harm the child and they are often tied to them. In addition to their symbolic meaning, plush toys can be used by parents as an educational tool. It is with the help of the child’s favorite stuffed toy that language and social skills are developed. For example, when a child is talking to a teddy bear or some other stuffed toy, he or she unconsciously encourages the development of his or her language skills. It communicates with the toy, speaks on its behalf and conducts a dialogue with it.
Catherine is a writer from Canada who simply loves toys, collectibles and superhero figurines. Writing is her passion, but she also loves reading, enjoying her “me time” and finding new ways to improve her work and ways to entertain the readers.
About us:
Funtastic Toys was born out of love and necessity with the aim to provide parents with the best resources on toys and parenting. We are parents too, so we know that bringing up your kids requires commitment, patience and often creativity and that’s what Funtastic is all about.