If your little ones got some Christmas cash to spend on something they'll love, consider one of these top 10 stuffed toys of the year.
Curly Q Cuties makes THE cutest, coolest made-to-order monsters. They can be boy monsters, girly monsters, even silly monsters. They're all cute and custom to your child's liking. Part of the fun is sitting down with your little one and picking out the design, from body type, eyes, mouth, colors and more. It's so cool. Plus it's made in the USA and really soft.
Say bye-bye to regular old teddy bears and meet the line of cool Teddes. Tedde's Tiki bear is so cool, as are their other unique bears. He's handmade in New York City too.
The Smart-e-Cat by Intellitoys is not your average stuffed toy. It plays songs, tells stories and plays games. Just connect it to the computer and pick out the programs you want the toy to play in English or Spanish and have fun. It works with both Macs and PCs. Also available the Smart-e-Bear and Smart-e-Dog. All versions upgrade as your child grows up. Recommended for kids two and up. This one just won the NAPPA Gold award and was listed as part of Dr. Toy's Best 10 Technology Toys too.
Foundlings by Peace Toys are made with USA grown pesticide free unbleached cotton inside and out. The eyes are embroidered so there’s no danger of chocking hazards either. These are very friendly looking and especially great for young babies. They come in bunnies, bears, whales, elephants, puppies and turtles. My one year old particularly enjoys snuggling with her Foundling elephant.
Bring the classic children's book Peter Rabbit to life in an earth-friendly way with the Peter Rabbit Naturally Better. This line of bunnies are all made from certified organic cotton, eco-friendly materials and are Phthalate free. They come in recyclable, reusable, PVC free packaging and are produced in socially responsible factories. Plus they're really huggable!
When you're getting ready to welcome baby number two or three or more into the world, parents often stress over making the adjustment easier for their other child(ren). One thing you want toddlers and older children to understand is why mommy needs to breastfeed the new little baby and why it is happening. An easy way to do that is with the help of a toy, like the nursing animal toys by Manhattan Toy. They make Nursing Nina the cat, Nursing Nana the dog and Nursing Nuna the pig.
Dolly's Cupcakes Tea & Me is perfect for girly girls of all ages (though recommended for kids three and up). The soft, stuffed toy tea pot, cups, saucers and foods are handmade in the USA. These are very nice quality toys and much better than the plastic and metal sets on the market.
This hand knitted cat & monkey set from Elegant Roots is sure to delight and you can feel good about buying it. They're handmade by women artisans in Kenya, employed under fair trade principles and made from sustainable earth-friendly materials. Like all of the products at Elegant Roots, you can find out very specific details about their construction on the website before you buy them. They also come very nicely wrapped. My girls split a set of these and they've been carting them around the house since I gave it to them. The long floppy arms and legs make them extra fun.
Soothing Sounds Lullaby Puppy by Russ is sound activated. When baby cries he turns on and plays soothing lullabies as it twinkles soft multi-colored lights. It comes with a Velcro strip to attach it to a crib rail too. Plus he’s really soft and friendly.
WALL-E and EVE plush toys are a must have for the little ones who love the Disney-Pixar movie WALL-E, which has been named movie of the year by Time magazine, is up for a Golden Globe and is also #1 on my top 10 movies for kids of 2008. My daughters (15 months old and almost 3 years old) got these for Christmas and they are favorites for sure. They like to hold them while they watch the movie as well as play with them throughout the day.
