Many kids enjoy playing with stuffed animals, and others use stuffed animals to decorate their beds and bedroom shelves. Stuffed animals make fantastic toys if kids love to pretend, but sometimes stuffed animals are ignored, and they take up much needed space while serving very little purpose.
You can turn your kid’s stuffed animals into useful things that won’t be ignored. The following ideas and tips will help you turn old stuffed animals into fun new things. The number of creative uses and things you can make with old stuffed animals are only limited by your imagination.
Salvage Parts
Before throwing away a stuffed animal that has seen better days, consider the parts you can salvage and use for other things such as craft projects. Remove the eyes, stuffing, buttons, embroidered patches, and anything else you can reclaim and use. Store the parts in containers, and consider making a new stuffed animal or things from salvaged pieces.
Doorstops
Stuffed animals make very cute doorstops, especially when they tie into the theme of a room. Choose a medium to large plush pet, and get ready to transform and use it for a decoration to prop open a door anywhere in your home.
Find a seam under or along the back of a plush toy, and use a seam ripper to carefully break open the stitches. Remove some of the stuffing, insert something heavy such as a heavy stone or part of a brick, and stitch it back up with clear or matching thread.
Set your new doorstop in front of a door that refuses to stay open. It’s a great way to put a plush animal to use that might otherwise end up retired.
Do you or your child have small stuffed things you no longer want or need? Turn old plush toys into musical greetings to include with gifts or to give alone to friends and loved ones.
To make a musical greeting from a plush toy you’ll need a seam ripper, clear or matching thread, a sewing needle, and a musical button. You can find musical buttons at online craft or retail stores, and they’re available with many different tunes ranging from love songs to lullabies. Choose a musical button most appropriate for the occasion.
Using a seam ripper, carefully rip away the stitches on an ear, foot, or paw. Insert the musical button, and stitch it back together with clear or colored coordinating thread. Place a sticker over the part labeled with the words press here. With the press of a button, the recipient will hear a special tune.
Pajama Bag
Does your child like to attend slumber parties or spend the night with friends or relatives? Use a large stuffed animal to make a fun pajama bag. It will be fun to stuff pajamas and other things in the bag to take it along for a special sleepover.
To make a pajama bag you’ll need a seam ripper, a plush animal with a large body, ½ inch wide matching Velcro strips, color coordinating or clear thread, scissors, and a sewing needle. You’ll also need a wide satin ribbon to make a handle for the bag.
Begin by opening the back of a large stuffed toy. Use a seam ripper to carefully break through the stitches. Once the back is completely open from top to bottom, remove the stuffing from the body. If necessary, whipstitch the edges of the material, and sew on the Velcro strips by hand.
Finish the pajama bag by tying a wide satin ribbon around the neck of the stuffed animal. Attach it loosely so it can serve as a handle for carrying this fun and creative bag along with necessary things to and from overnight excursions.
