When we talk about recycling stuffed animals, we immediately think of our children’s comforters. Today, we are going to help you do what is necessary to avoid throwing these toys directly into the trash. Sometimes we are concerned that our children have too many soft toys in their possession. Then, sooner or later, they will decide to part with them.
That’s why we offer you these ideas to help you recycle or reuse these toys. In this case, you will know what to do with the old stuffed animals and find original tricks that may inspire you. All this so that these old toys don’t clutter you up or to give a second life to the used stuffed animals that your children cherish so much.
Forget your worries about those little cuddly toys. Get ready to get the best ideas for recycling stuffed animals. Ideas that don’t require a lot of time or money. They will help you in the future, and even now. We advise you to recycle lint, because at first glance, you think you won’t know what to do. However, there are several initiatives that may help you get rid of old stuffed animals.
Why recycle stuffed animals?
To keep childhood memories intact
This is a very good question that every parent asks all the time. Sometimes, even if the stuffed animals are worn out, our children don’t want to get rid of them and insist on keeping them. Now you know how not to throw them away. The stuffed animals are our children’s best friends or favorite toys of our children. It would be too hard for them to forget them so easily. These little toys hold a great memory for our children. So, these little companies are like memory boxes that should be preserved as much as possible.
A new typical decoration
Also, your children do not play with the toys anymore as they grow up. They may love them and just want to keep them. The ideas we offer will give these toys a second life. These toys that have given so much to them. And they will give even more as decoration or if you recycle them. In this way, the torn stuffed animals will still bring a smile to other children.
Let’s protect the environment
Recycling stuffed animals is very important, not only for our children, but for everyone. It is an action that helps protect the environment, but it can also develop your creativity. The ideas for reusing stuffed animals that we are going to suggest will help you imagine what you can do at home. If you are looking for the right way to reuse your children’s stuffed animals. Maybe by seeing these ideas, you can get inspired. You can also apply the tips with old stuffed animals and share them with other parents who care about their children.
When to recycle stuffed animals?
When there are too many stuffed animals in your child’s room
Recycling stuffed animals should be done at a time when you think: there are too many! When we give our children stuffed animals, we don’t realize how many there are. But we do notice those cute little toys piling up in their room. At this point, we want to find a solution so that we don’t throw the stuffed animals in the garbage. A lot of parents think, just throw them away and forget about them. Now you can do something else with them.
Cuddly toys should be recycled when they are worn out
When stuffed animals change color or become dull, it’s time to find another reason to live. In other words, when you are afraid to take them from your children and avoid a crisis and screaming. We offer you some ideas that will put them in the sight of your children. It consists in making the stuffed animals again adorable. For our children, it may be that even in a dirty state, it is his favorite comforter. All the stuffed animal recycling ideas that we are going to mention below will help you not to break their little hearts.
Your child is not old enough for stuffed animals
When our children grow up, most of them don’t want a stuffed animal at their disposal anymore. But still, these toys have been their lifelong companions. That is, they contain a part of them. So, it’s time to take care of those used stuffed animals so they can be reused. This enhancement will help keep the most beautiful moments of life frozen in memory in your children’s room. Maybe they’ll even get nostalgic and want to do the same for all their torn stuffed animals. You’ll have killed one stone with one stroke: making your children happy, while tidying up your home.
The different methods of recycling
Here are the different methods that will help you recycle stuffed animals. Methods that vary according to your disposition in the preparation or the condition of the lint itself. That’s why these methods will offer you the best ways to keep a good memory of these stuffed animals. They also allow you to give a second chance to your children’s used toys.
Plush photo frame
This method is very famous in social networks through an artist who found a beautiful inspiration. If you have a stuffed toy that your children no longer want, here is one of the methods to reuse this stuffed toy.
First of all, the stuffed animal has to be clean of course. So clean it first. And when it is all clean and dry, you will need the following tools:
- A strong glue for plastic or textile. First, you need to test a small area on the lint. This is useful for the chemical reaction of the fabric to the glue.
- A photo frame without the need for glass. Whether it is medium, large, or small will depend on the size of the lint.
- A cardboard folder or colored cardboard for the bottom of the frame. So it should be the same size as the chosen photo frame.
- Small decorative accessories like glitter, buttons, beads. Be careful if you have young children. By the way, the decorations should not come off easily and your children can put them in their mouths.
When you have everything you need, you can get into action. You’ll glue the stuffed animal to the cardboard, giving it a place where it catches the eye. Just like creating, when you look at an art painting, but you use a plush toy. You can add small accessories according to your taste or that of your children. When you are both satisfied with your teamwork, you will get a nice picture frame.
Recycle stuffed animals into a plush picture
Reuse has the same principle as making the plush picture frame. But in this second method, you do it if the lint is no longer salvageable. In other words, when the plush has a hole in it or if a part of its body cannot be restored. Here is all you need to give your child a nice souvenir:
- A picture frame, again depending on the size of the plush.
- Color for the fabric or the house. You’ll get a nicer look if you use colors that match the plush.
- And the plush to recycle of course
Here’s what you can do to put a smile on your child’s face. With this idea, you can relieve your children of their sadness and sorrow. This method requires a good approach if you do it in front of your child. But if you do it as a surprise, you just have to do it well.
You need to take the stuffed animal and make sure that there is no stain or small debris in the way of the front of it. You will need the body of the plush and the top side. So, after cleaning it well, choose the color of your choice and try to spread it well on the face of the plush. Gently place the plush on the photo frame you have chosen. After the paint is dry, you can put the glass back on the frame.
The process is similar to painting a mural. You will do the same for the plush. If you did it right, you will have the face of the plush on the frame well colored. In addition, you can offer a soft and comforting face print as a souvenir for your child.
Plush Key Chain
This method of reusing plush can be done if the plush is small in size. You only need to find a keychain ring at the hardware store and find the right place to hole and put it. This is so that you don’t destroy the plush or the ring doesn’t fit. You can use this method if your child has several stuffed animals. You must then :
- Take the stuffed animal and choose where you are going to put the hole.
- Put the ring on the hole and voilà!
The stuffed animal can be hung up in your child’s room. It can be used as a decoration in the room: on the window, on the door, where he can see. In addition, you can also use the key ring for his schoolbag. In this last case, your child can take it everywhere he goes.
Give your stuffed animals as gifts
Reusing a stuffed animal is like giving a second life to an object. It also helps to make other children happy. Since recycling avoids excessive industrial production, giving a stuffed animal as a gift is part of the recycling process.
There are associations that accept to take stuffed animals as gifts for needy children. In this method, you can teach your child the notion of sharing and his or her little worn-out companion can make other children happy.
In this case, you have to find the right association near you. You can ask on websites or ask churches that sometimes work with these associations. You just need to know the conditions: when and where they take your donation? With this, you have done your good deed for the day.
When you propose this solution, your child must agree with you 100%. Otherwise, it would be very difficult and embarrassing for you to get back items that you have donated. Therefore, you must be able to talk to your child and make him understand that he will not be able to take back his stuffed animals.
Stuffed chair
This technique to recycle stuffed animals is made for you who know how to sew. If you don’t, you can ask someone for help or send him to a tailor. First, you and your child must choose the stuffed animals to be sewn together. The purpose of this technique is to join several stuffed animals together to form a large cushion.
It is important to note that the stuffed animals will not get in the way when you sit on them. Since as its name indicates: plush chair, you or your children will use it often. So, choose plush without accessories. After that, you need to measure the chair or footstool where you are going to put the plushies. Arrange its presentation as well as possible and to form a cushion well.
When you do this little manual work, make sure you are quiet. Of course, if you lose the thread of the seam, you will have trouble finding it. So you need to be alone and have time. Like this, you can do it in one go. After great effort on your part, you will get a nice reusable plush pillow. In addition, you can combine all the colors or choose solid colors. In this case, you will have decorated your child’s room like a great designer. This will bring happiness to your child or his friends who will visit him.
Cuddly toys as headboards
This last way of recycling stuffed animals can please both young and old. By the way, you will have made your stuffed animal a decoration that will bring back beautiful memories. For this method, you will need :
- The lint you want to recycle, preferably small or medium.
- A wooden or plastic support, like for making a wall. This last tool is optional.
- Textile glue if you are going to use the backing.
What we are going to do with the plush is to remove the body and use only the head. For your children, this seems inappropriate and cruel. So, in this case, you should do it when he is away or in order to surprise them. For toddlers, even as a surprise, it could be traumatic.
Indeed, you will take the stuffed animal and remove the body. You need to have a good chisel to not make too much irreparable damage. Then, you will sew the hole left by the removed body. Then, put glue if you are going to use the stand and glue it on. You will use this decoration as a headboard or behind the door of a room. You can also use it even at the front as a decoration that will amaze the front entered in its small domain. If you do not use the support, you can use colored strings.
Conclusion on how to recycle stuffed animals
To conclude, to recycle stuffed animals, you need to know how to talk to your child. You also need to spend time and deploy the desire to do recycling. If you don’t, you’ll have a hard time doing the process. Of course, the stuffed animal will undergo some modifications to proceed to a reuse and make your child happy again.
Doing plush recycling can give air to your child’s room. Your task is only to sort out the old stuffed animals and give them more space for other activities. As our children get older, you need to let them know that stuffed animals will no longer be their only friends. Plus, it gives you more time to spend with your children. In this case, you can do one of these methods with them.So, we hope that through these methods to recycle stuffed animals, you will get new ideas. But also, you can make excess stuffed animals at home in decoration. You can also find gift ideas for your children’s friends. Don’t forget then that recycling a cuddly toy or a stuffed animal is to give a second life to the toy. Indeed, make the excess toys is a new thing or those that are old a new toy. Of course, this does not clutter your child’s room.