How to choose the right teddy bear

Teddy bears are a go to gift when it comes to birthdays, Christmas or baby shower gifts but with so many teddy bears to choose from how do you pick the right one? We have put together a few pointers to look out for when choosing a teddy bear.

Safety first

A couple of things to consider when it comes to safety is the teddy bear should have a label with a CE mark. The CE mark declares that the teddy bear complies with all of the required health and safety regulations set by the EC. Making sure the teddy doesn't have any parts such as batteries, spearkers or other materials, that could potentially harm babies or children is another important factor. Check to see if the nose and eyes are sewn on rather than glued on to avoid choking hazard for children. It's also worth considering the pile of the bear's fur. Short pile fur is better for children to avoid any loose fur from being pulled out and swallowed, especially if the child tends to chew on the bear.

Is it cuddleable?

Teddy bears are transitional objects that provide emotional comfort and can reduce stress in children. According to the New York University Psychoanyltical Institue transitional objects offer a sense of protection and security to children when they are facing seperation anxiety from their mothers particulary when they start daycare or preschool or when they sleep own room for the first time or a new bed.

For this reason making sure that teddy bear is huggable is an important comforting factor and so therefore making sure the teddy bear is soft enough to squeeze and gentle to hold must be taken into consideration. The Steiff bears for baby meet these requirements and are suitable for children of all ages.

Quality & Durability

For some children a teddy bear is more than just a toy, it is a friend that they grow up with and with this in mind it's important to make sure sure that the bear is sewn to the highest of qaulity ensuring that the bear endure all the tugging, throwing and chewing it will be put through. Another important factor to consider is if it's washable. Buying a bear from a top quality brand such as Charlie Bears, Steiff, Clemens, Hermann or Merrythought may be an expensive purchase but you won't have to worry if it's fit for purpose.

Right Age

Another thing to consider is the age of the child. Most teddy bears come with a label that indicates the age which will help you pick the right teddy bear for your child.