Stuffed animals are a popular gift for children and adults alike. However, it may be challenging to pick the perfect one with endless options to choose from. This can be particularly true when buying stuffed animals for a baby or young child who cannot tell you what they would like. To help make this decision easier, we have compiled a list of the nine best stuffed animals for babies from our site.
Why are stuffed animals good for babies?
In addition to being cute companions, stuffed animals also provide many benefits for child development including:
- Providing comfort. Stuffed animals can help ease stress and anxiety. This is particularly important for infants because everything is new, and things can feel uncertain and scary. Stuffed animals can provide security and reassurance and aid with self-soothing.
- Developing social skills. It is common for children to use stuffed animals in pretend play, such as feeding them or dressing them. This encourages imagination and creativity, which is essential for social and language development.
- Easing loneliness and developing independence. It is common for children to be apprehensive about being left alone. Stuffed animals can make them feel less alone and more comfortable and confident without the presence of parents. Adding a piece of clothing or something that smells like or reminds babies of their loved ones to the stuffed animal can provide an additional layer of comfort and security.
- Making transitions easier. Stuffed animals are familiar and provide comfort and security. This can help make changes and transitions in life less daunting. For example, the transition from a crib to a bed may be easier with the child’s cuddly pal by their side.
Best Stuffed Animals for Babies
Baby Elephant
What better of a companion for a baby than a baby elephant? This stuffy is 12 inches long, with grey fur and pink accents. It is durable, soft, and perfect for cuddling. Click to see our Baby Elephant
Flamingo
This flashy pink flamingo is from the Wild Republic’s Hug’ems collection. As the name suggests, this stuffed animal is perfect for hugging. It is 7 inches long and covered in silky pink fur. It also has a weighted tail with beans made from polished recycled water bottles, so this stuffed animal is both cute and eco-friendly. Click to see our flamingo
Wolf
Our grey wolf stuffed animal is one of the most popular options on the website. It is soft and cuddly, with grey and white fur. Its small size makes it an great option for babies and young children. Click to see our wolf
Cow
Coraline, the cow, is a 7-inch stuffed animal by Tiger Tale toys. In addition to being soft and cuddly, this stuffed animal can introduce children to a common farm animal.
Coraline is a Holstein, a breed of cow known for its black and white coloring and its ability to produce a lot of milk. They originated in the Netherlands and resulted from the breeding of black Batavian cows to white Friesian cows almost 2,000 years ago.
When your kid sits down for their milk and cookies, you can take that time to teach them more about their cuddly friend. Click to see Coraline the Cow
Sea Otter
Owen, the Sea Otter, is a 10-inch stuffed animal by VIAHART Toy Co. He has soft, brown fur. He is also lounging on his back while holding a rock between his paws.
Sea otters are marine mammals that live in the North Pacific Ocean. Otters are very intelligent and one of the few mammals that can use tools, which they use to break open food. They like to swim, dive, and lounge on their backs in the water. Sea otters are a spectacle for children and adults alike, but if you don’t live near the ocean, buying this stuffed animal for your child can be the next best thing. Click to see Owen the Sea Otter
Alpaca
Our alpaca stuffed animal is 12 inches and handmade from alpaca wool from the Highlands of Peru. It is cute, fluffy, and incredibly soft, making it a great cuddly companion for babies, children, and adults. Alpaca wool is also considered hypoallergenic, which means it is unlikely to cause skin irritation. This makes it an excellent option for a baby’s delicate skin. Click to see our Alpaca
Snowdrop Nibble Bunny with Grey Scarf
Snowdrop is a 12-inch stuffed animal by Bunnies By the Bay. The cute but simplistic design will match nicely with almost any nursery layout. It’s also the perfect size for a comforting and cozy bunny hug. Click to see Snowdrop Nibble Bunny with Grey Scarf
Siggy the Sloth
Siggy, the Three-toed Sloth, is a baby stuffed animal by VIAHART Toy Co. He is 12-inches long with soft fluffy, grey fur and brown and white accents.
This stuffed animal is a great way to introduce children to exotic animals that they may not get to see in person. It can also be a great way to participate in imaginative play by having him swing across the living room as he would in the jungle or lounging on the bed like he would on a tree.
Siggy, the sloth, comes from the Amazonian rainforest outside of Manaus in Brazil. A unique feature of sloths like Siggy is that they use their three toes to claw and pull themselves across the jungle. Click to see Siggy the Sloth
Raja the Red Panda
Raja, the Red Panda, is an 18-inch (with the tail) stuffed animal with soft, fluffy, and colorful fur. This stuffed animal is also an excellent way to introduce children to exotic animals not found in their area.
Red Pandas live in the eastern Himalayas of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and the foothills of southwestern China. Raja is a red panda from Bhutan who lives in one of the country’s five protected red panda zones.
Purchasing Raja can also be a great opportunity to teach children about endangered animals and environmental conservation and protection efforts around the world. Click to see Raja the Red Panda