Soft toys

A soft and cuddly companion for your little one

 From cuddling up with your kid for a goodnight’s sleep to chasing the monsters under the bed away, teddy bears have a lot to do - our soft toys range takes this responsibility seriously. The DJUNGELSKOG takes playtime a step further into being educational. We’ve created these toys to look like orangutans, panda bears, lions, and other animals from endangered species - an easy way to educate your child about wildlife and the environment. You can choose other cuddly friends for your kids too. There is the grey elephant JÄTTESTOR, the bright blue shark BLÅHAJ, and the fluffy mommy and baby koala SÖTAST. The eyes of these creatures are embroidered on, so you don’t have to worry about your child accidentally removing any plastic parts. And if your little one is more of the sporty kind, we have soft toys like the skateboard-shaped LATTJO or football-shaped SPARKA to interest them.

Cleaning stuffed toys

Stuffed toys get dragged around by children through all their day’s activities. Unwashed stuffed toys are an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms and can cause allergies and health problems. Organisms such as dust mites that like dirty and damp surfaces thrive on stuffed toys. Dusty and dirty stuffed toys can trigger allergies and asthma attacks. It is better to buy quality soft toys that can be washed regularly for children. 

Stuffed toys should be cared for exactly as per the manufacturer’s instructions. If there are electrical parts in the toy, it cannot be washed. Do not wash the toy with other laundry as the friction may spoil it. Stuffed toys are best washed in mesh bags on a gentle cycle. Air drying is usually better than heated drying unless specified by the manufacturer. Delicate toys are better hand washed than machine washed. Squeeze the toy and avoid wringing to get the water out. The stuffed toy’s fur will need to be fluffed up by gentle brushing as it dries. 

Cleaning non-washable soft toys

Older soft toys may not be washable. If you are handy with a needle and thread, you can open the toy up and remove the stuffing. Check the fabric for colour fastness. If it is colourfast, wash the outer cover and restuff with a washable stuffing. Seam the opened lining up carefully. Surface cleaning may help the toy look good but not kill all the germs in them. Some people have good results with freezing soft toys for 12 hours to kill germs. Others use an upholstery brush and gently and carefully vacuum clean non-washable soft toys with a handheld vacuum. 

Washing frequency

A stuffed toy should be cleaned at least once a month and more often if it is excessively soiled or dirty. Soft toys should be cleaned regularly even if they are not visibly dirty. You should check the toy for any loose parts, tears and torn parts. Fix or repair them properly for safety reasons. 

The right age for soft toys

Soft toys are generally unsuitable for small infants to sleep with up to at least a year old. Toddlers usually enjoy stuffed toys and like to cuddle with them. Soft toys enhance their sensory skills and are also sources of comfort. Children ‘take care of’ and talk to their soft toys which teaches them nurturing skills and improves their communication. Older children sometimes outgrow soft toys while others enjoy them right into adulthood. 

Storing soft toys

As children grow, they are gifted soft toys or collect more of them. After a day of play, soft toys get strewn around the home. Storage for stuffed toys that can be accessed by your little one will teach them to put their precious toys away after play. Solutions for soft toy storage are:

• Woven baskets, canvas baskets and cloth baskets look attractive and are handy to conceal stuffed toys. You can hang these baskets on the wall for an older child. 
• Plastic tubs are a great way to organise and store soft toys. 
• Shoe organisers are very handy for holding smaller soft toys. 
• A toy hammock is also a great way to store a large number of stuffed toys. If you have a spare chair with arms, you could put all the stuffed toys in the chair. 

We even have a collection of arts & crafts and children’s books to keep your little ones inspired.