Growing up I had lots of toys, not so much Barbie dolls because I much preferred soft plush toys to them. But now despite being all grown up, I still find myself having a soft spot for a cute and cuddly plush and I always find it on my top list of favourite gift picks for babies, toddlers and little girls. And I they are on my list for a better reason than just being plain adorable. You see personally I feel a soft toys does much for the development of a child. It gives the child/baby a sense of comfort, a sense of belonging and it encourages the child’s mental development through imagination – you really only can dare to imagine when you feel safe.
But you know as important as the toys are for taking on such a significant role in a child’s life, it also means that it will always be at a very close proximity to them and what was meant to be their best friend could actually carry some potential life threats to your precious tots. I’m talking about the silent killers like the chemicals contained in the cotton stuffings or the toxic substances embedded in the tiny molecules of the dye used to color the toy bright and cheery. Facing facts, kids put everything in their mouths…so as if inhaling or touching the toxic particles wasn’t bad enough, kids are actually ingesting them.
Which is you need to take much care/consideration into selecting not just a cute stuffed toy but an organic one that is safe to be expose a young child’s immune system to. But that’s really one just the first step in making sure your child is safe. Like I said before, kids will put everything in their mouth and if indeed the toy becomes their best buddy, they will take it everywhere with them and just like the clothes they wear, you’ll have to work hard to keep the toy clean.
There really is no sense in fussing about buying an organic toy for your child if you intend for the after care of it to go back under the exposure to conventional harsh chemicals routine. And just to highlight an often overlooked fact, soft toys, especially organic made ones are delicates. Wash them the wrong way and all the soft and fluff goes poof! Hardly the outcome you’d want.
So what’s the best choice. Well firstly I’d admit keeping the toy clean is important but most of the time it isn’t in dire need of a spin in the washer. Usually the use of a damp cloth with a diluted solution of your organic laundry detergent to wipe down the toy is suffice, but if it’s really soiled then it’s best you hand wash the toys rather than pop them in a spin. And if you are extra concerned about the condition of the toys because your child has allergies and asthma then you may want freeze the soft toys overnight to kill dust-mites and other allergy causing bugs before giving it a wash in the morning. And finally nothing kills germs better than good old sunshine!
