Key Points
- It is recommended that a stuffed toy shouldn’t be put in the cot with your baby until over the age of 12 months to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- All toys need to be an appropriate size to avoid suffocation and the baby climbing on and potentially hurting themselves
Are you wondering when you can put stuffed animals and other soft toys in a cot? To some degree, every parent loves to spoil their child with gifts like new clothes or stuffed animal toys. Clothing is easy because it’s a basic necessity, but toys can be more difficult. Introducing your baby to new toys while unsupervised can be dangerous. Let’s look at when you can put new, safe stuffed animal toys in your baby’s cot.
In This Article
- Newborn Babies Should Not Have Any Toys In The Cot
- When Can You Put Toys In Your Baby’s Cot?
- When Is It Safe To Give My Baby Toys In The Cot?
- How To Choose Age-Appropriate Cot Toys For My Baby?
- Should I Allow My Baby To Play With Soft Toys?
- When Can Babies Start Sleeping With Stuffed Toys?
- What Should I Put In My Baby’s Cot?
- What Should I Give My Baby Instead Of Soft Toys?
Newborn Babies Should Not Have Any Toys In The Cot
The safest way for your baby to sleep is by following the ABCs of sleep – Alone, on their Back, in their Cot. Newborns should not have anything in the cot while sleeping as it can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Toys can obstruct breathing, create entrapment hazards, and potentially lead to fatal incidents.
It is incredibly important to remember that experts advise against putting anything in the cot with your baby. This includes bumpers, pillows, and toys. Some parents like to encourage their babies to sleep with a stuffed animal to create an attachment, but you should always supervise this and take the toy out of the cot once your baby is asleep.
When Can You Put Toys In Your Baby’s Cot?
While giving your child soft or stuffed animal toys may present some benefits, it is suggested not to allow your baby to have toys in the cot if they are under twelve months old. According to Red Nose Australia, stuffed toys can increase the risk of SIDS due to the possibility of them rolling onto it or pulling it over their face in their sleep.
Red Nose Australia suggests that you can put a toy in the cot between 7 and 10 months of age, but you should always remove it once your child falls asleep.
When Is It Safe To Give My Baby Toys In The Cot?
In the first six months of your baby’s life, their muscles are not strong enough to lift themselves or particular objects. This is why many pediatricians advise parents not to put anything in their cot that could create a dangerous situation for young babies.
This includes putting soft toys and other items in your baby’s crib. According to the Lullaby Trust, soft toys, cot and crib bumpers, pillows, blankets, and other delicate items increase the risk of SIDS. Often, infants roll or grab these items and pull them over their faces, causing them to block their airways, which can lead to suffocation.
While your baby is still unable to move themselves or items at will, you should try to avoid placing anything unnecessary in their cot. Ensure that the cot meets the correct safety standards, that the sheets are tight, and that nothing can be pulled over their faces.
Some babies do, however, develop faster than others. When your child can move around freely and confidently pick up items, you can consider giving them soft toys. Generally, after twelve months is regarded as the safest age to introduce your baby to soft materials and stuffed toys.
How To Choose Age-Appropriate Cot Toys For My Baby?
Below we have detailed how to choose appropriate toys for your baby, depending on their age:
Between 0 And 7 Months
Red Nose Australia advises against putting toys in the cot before seven months of age. Ensure that no toys are being added to the cot if your child is not being directly supervised, as this can increase the risk of SIDS.
We recommend choosing a toy with a velcro strap if you’re going to introduce one into the cot (under supervision). This will prevent the toy from getting too close to your baby’s face, which could lead to suffocation. Make sure the velcro is strong enough to keep the toy secure to the cot.
Toys can be used as a sleep aid at this age, and you can create beneficial sleep associations with one. It’s a good idea to choose a soft lovey as their first toy, and sleep with it in your bed for a few nights before giving it to your child. This will make it smell like you, which gives your baby comfort throughout the night.
When introducing it to the cot, give it to your baby to sleep with and watch it at all times. Once they’re asleep, carefully remove the toy and place it away from the cot. The more you allow your baby to fall asleep with the toy, the stronger their sleep association will become.
Between 7 And 18 Months
Children between the ages of seven and 18 months are more aware of toys and can move them more freely. Some parents choose to introduce a cot toy now, as their baby can use the toy more effectively as they’re falling asleep. You might decide to use a toy with a lullaby sound box, as your baby can trigger it to help them get to sleep.
We would recommend still using a toy with a velcro strap that can be attached to the cot so it cannot cover your baby’s face. Red Nose Australia recommends that you take the toy out of the cot once your baby is asleep, so if you choose one that makes noises, make sure the sensor isn’t too sensitive!
18 Months And Beyond
Once your child hits this milestone, they’ll be much more aware of their toys. You can let them help pick one out for them! Make sure that the toy doesn’t have anything that could become a choking hazard, such as plastic eyes or noses. Breathable fabrics are best, such as cotton and bamboo.
Some parents choose to allow their children to keep their toys in the cot all night after 18 months. Make sure that the toy is safe and lightweight if you decide to do this. Big and bulky toys can be used as a step to climb out of the cot, so a small lovey might be the best option for 18 months of age.
Should I Allow My Baby To Play With Soft Toys?
Stuffed animal toys greatly influence a child’s cognitive and emotional development. So yes, you should allow your baby to play with stuffed animal toys while awake and with you watching them. The problem arises when the item you give them threatens their lives.
That is why we suggest not allowing babies under twelve months to be left alone with soft toys or to sleep with them in the cot. After seven to twelve months, giving your child a soft toy as a comfort item can be incredibly beneficial.
Babies become aware of when their parents aren’t with them between eight and ten months. According to Healthy Children, having a soft item with them can help them feel more comfortable and provide them with connection and companionship, reducing their separation anxiety. This will help them go to sleep easier when it’s bedtime. However, parents should be mindful of the size of any soft toys offered to older babies. Large toys pose the most significant risk of SIDS. Until twelve months of age, it is a good idea to remove the soft toy once the baby falls asleep for additional safety.
You can introduce your child to a blanket at twelve months. You will need to gauge whether they can sleep with it or not. It would be best not to use either item if they struggle to move themselves around freely.
When Can Babies Start Sleeping With Stuffed Toys?
Most experienced parents will tell you they are okay with letting their children sleep with a stuffed toy or blanket after they can freely move around or sit up. Being able to control their movements better indicates when you can start spoiling your little ones with toys and letting them sleep with them.
Babies generally build the strength to move confidently at around one year old. Some parents introduce their babies to soft toys and allow them to form an attachment to them at eight to nine months. But, after a year, allowing them to start sleeping with those stuffed toys would be considered safe.
Even though your child can move around during the day, remember that this can be different while they sleep. Some children might not be able to move themselves out of a dangerous situation when they’re in deep sleep, which is why allowing them to sleep with a stuffed animal is not deemed advisable until they’re over 12 months of age.
What Should I Put In My Baby’s Cot?
Start by offering soft toys to your baby during awake hours while you observe. It will still serve the same purpose: to give your baby an item to build a connection with that can help them feel comfortable and safe. SIDS is still a very real risk and is possible until childhood, but this risk decreases after twelve months.
Pillows are fine for toddlers one and up who can control their movements. They can provide comfort and help your child sleep or relax when feeling irritable. Infants don’t have a practical need for pillows, though. Their heads are not very large, so they don’t need as much support for their necks as adults do. Pillows also increase an infant’s risk of SIDS. Read more of the Lullaby Trust’s guide to SIDS here.
Blankets offer the same comfort function as pillows but can also keep a toddler warm. This adds just that extra touch of comfort for your little one. With a blanket, you might find that your toddler will only sleep well when covered with it. Adults who grew up with a blanket often require the same comfort of a blanket to fall asleep.
Out of the cot, a stuffed toy or animal is also great to keep your baby feeling comfortable. It gives them something to cling to and cuddle. Children connect to the toy as they age by giving it a name and developing an identity. This is great for their imagination.
When choosing the right stuffed animal or toy for your baby, size matters. Giant stuffed animals are inappropriate for your baby because of the increased risk of suffocation.
What Should I Give My Baby Instead Of Soft Toys?
There are other ways to get your baby to sleep comfortably without you. Creating a consistent routine for your baby at bedtime is one way of getting them to fall asleep quickly when the time comes. To do this, you can get them used to certain practices before their bedtime.
Doing things like bathing them, telling them a story, or singing to them are great ways of teaching them that bedtime will follow.
Eventually, you can teach your baby to self-soothe themselves to sleep. The first step is to make them feel drowsy around the time they should be going to sleep. Hopefully, the bedtime routine you have implemented sorts this one out. Then, you can use something they are familiar with that calms them, like a pacifier. Pacifiers are also considered the safest item for your baby to self-soothe. Avoid attaching the pacifier to your baby as a necklace, as this can pose an asphyxiation risk.
Final Thoughts On When Can You Put Toys In The Cot
Knowing the safety concerns about giving a toy or soft objects to a baby for sleeping. Giving it to them at the right time can provide comfort, but too soon could be fatal. Many believe giving your baby stuffed animals to sleep with is safe when they can confidently control their movements. This can be anywhere between eight months and a year. To be safe, however, it’s best to wait to allow sleeping with a stuffed animal, toy, or blanket until after one year.