Many of us will remember as children having the odd soft toy around be it a teddy bear or bunny or suchlike. Today\'s children though are much more sophisticated and have a huge array of toys and devices at their disposal. What then makes this perennial traditional toy a firm favourite in the face of such stiff competition? Soft toys are not just toys in the eye of the giver or the receiver. It is a sign of affection that makes even the hardest heart flutter. How many adults receive a soft toy on Valentine\'s Day, a birthday or special occasion? Many for sure and all keep those little toys near as a kind of reminder that someone, somewhere is thinking of them.
And today\'s soft toy is far removed from the ones back in the past. Some are very sophisticated indeed and the fillings and fabrics used are definitely 21st century. Hypo-allergenic, washable, \'green\' etc., you name it and there is bound to be a soft toy made in exactly what you want. Take the bean-bag style of soft toy. Literally a bag made in any shape, e.g. lion, snowman, rabbit, frog etc., that kids and adults alike like to scrunch around in their fingers. Then there are the wipe clean soft toys made out of vinyl fabrics that are great for smaller children who tend to dribble a bit or the babies who are teething and put just about everything in their mouths.
Some of the traditional style soft toys, like rag dolls for instance, have been brought up to date with removable clothes. The body of the doll can be anything from a traditional girl rag doll to a floppy eared dog. All the clothes have different fastenings allowing the child to learn while it plays. Of course there will always be new innovations and they blast onto the TV screens every year from about July onwards - who said Christmas comes around earlier every year? - and children and parents alike are inundated with choice. But think twice about what you want your child to play with.
With traditional toys, especially soft toys, you know that your child will be tempted to use its imagination and make up story lines. The toy will bring comfort if the child is worried about something. It can be cuddled in bed giving the child a sense of security, and if it\'s loved enough the toy can become part of the family being passed down from generation to generation with a myriad of stories about fond memories. On the other hand, of course, you could opt for techno toys that everyone seems to be crazy about. Unfortunately, most of the computer style games tend to have an element of violence about them. They also encourage a kind of self imposed exile on the child because they can\'t talk while they are concentrating on killing the next enemy.
The techno toy is here to stay, obviously, but make a little room for the traditional toy so the child can enjoy the best of both worlds.
Gary Clay is an expert on \r traditional toys and manages stylish kids store Monkeyshine the home of quality soft toys in the UK
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