| If you ask a child, stuffed animals are more | | | | tree, on grounds that slaying a bound quarry |
| than cuddly little pillows with arms and | | | | would be unsportsmanlike. Originally named |
| legs. If you ask a child, that's not a | | | | "Teddy's Bear", the animal has been |
| stuffed animal, that's Kimbo the lion, and | | | | immortalized as a stuffed animal and |
| he's allergic to milk, even though he loves | | | | attributed with a variety of personalities |
| ice cream. To an imaginative child, a stuffed | | | | and histories by just as many children (and |
| animal is more than something to cuddle, it's | | | | even several grown up bear collectors). |
| something to love and endear with a unique | | | | |
| personality and create a whole history for, | | | | After a certain age, most children seem to |
| something to go on adventures with. | | | | lose interest in their stuffed animals. The |
| | | | secret we all keep is that these creatures |
| As we've seen, this is a popular theme for | | | | are immensely important to us, and even when |
| stories about children. Of course, there's | | | | your kids become too old to receive stuffed |
| Calvin and Hobbes, about the rambunctious six | | | | animals as gifts, very few young teenagers |
| year old with a pet tiger. On first reading, | | | | would be willing to part with the treasured |
| the premise seems to be that Hobbes is a | | | | friends they kept as small children. Even |
| stuffed tiger, but a real tiger in Calvin's | | | | into adulthood, few people are willing to |
| imagination. To any long time reader, it | | | | completely part with treasured stuffed |
| becomes apparent that this is not the case. | | | | animals. |
| Hobbes is a real tiger, except for when | | | | |
| grownups are seeing him. This is a pretty | | | | Perhaps one thing that makes stuffed animals |
| accurate representation. It's not that | | | | so special is that, unlike action figures and |
| stuffed animals aren't real, it's that nobody | | | | such, which come pre-packaged with their own |
| but their owners can see how real they are. | | | | character and stories, a new stuffed animal |
| | | | is usually anonymous and without a story upon |
| An earlier example is, of course, Winnie the | | | | arrival. It becomes almost an imperative |
| Pooh. Christopher Robin, the only human | | | | responsibility for a child to give their new |
| character we see in A.A. Milne's original | | | | friend an identity. |
| Winnie the Pooh books, has created not only a | | | | |
| personality for each of his treasured stuffed | | | | At the right age, a child will develop a |
| friends, but an entire world for them to | | | | real, honest bond with a stuffed animal. When |
| inhabit, showing how rich a child's | | | | we're grown up, people see this kind of thing |
| imagination can be when creating a dramatis | | | | as eccentric or crazy, but for children, it's |
| personae and a story for their stuffed | | | | a completely healthy way to empower one's |
| animals. | | | | imagination, to learn about human |
| | | | interaction, and to find comfort and |
| It may not have been the original stuffed | | | | friendship where most people see buttons and |
| animal, but the Teddy Bear is probably the | | | | stuffing. |
| one seen as the most iconic (as well as being | | | | |
| Winnie the Pooh's particular breed). As most | | | | au is a leading Australian online toy store. |
| of us know, the Teddy Bear was named for | | | | Visit au for a wide selection of Kids Toys at |
| Theodore Roosevelt, inspired by an incident | | | | discounted prices. To save money on your next |
| wherein Roosevelt had refused to kill a black | | | | purchase, please visit Toys. |
| bear which his hunting party had tied to a | | | | |