If you have any questions we would love to hear from you - please feel free to contact us leave a comment below.
Our next gigantic animal in the limelight is the beautiful and soulful whale!
We all dream of seeing a whale in the wild - jumping out of the water playfully. In reality they are usually naturally shy creatures which unless you are really looking or on a specific whale spotting trip you don't get to see them. If you have been lucky enough to ever see one in the wild then you will appreciate just how big whales are and how exciting it is to witness one in it's own habitat.
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Our next gigantic animal in the limelight is the beautiful and soulful whale!
We all dream of seeing a whale in the wild - jumping out of the water playfully. In reality they are usually naturally shy creatures which means unless you are really searching or on a specific whale watching trip you don't get to see them. If you have been lucky enough to ever see one in the wild then you will appreciate just how big whales are and how exciting it is to witness one in it's own habitat.
There are so many different types of whales and and so much we can learn about them. Here are our top 10 whale facts:
1. There are 2 main types of whale - baleen whales and toothed whales. Baleen whales have fibrous plates in their mouths which help to filter their food. Examples of these are humpback, minke and grey whales. Toothed whales have - you guessed it...teeth which help them chew up larger food such as fish and squid. Examples of toothed whales are killer, pilot and sperm whales.
2. Did you know that a killer whale or 'orca' is actually a Dolphin? They are the largest of the Dolphin species but are still tiny compared to most other larger whales.
Photo credit: wolfganglucht
3. Humpback whales can go without food for over 6 months at a time! They rely off their fat reserves (or blubber) during this time and then migrate to the Antarctic to stock up on krill.
4. Whales can bubble net feed. Bubble net feeding is where whales work together by blowing bubbles around their prey. Their prey won't go through the bubbles which means they are trapped ready for the whales to eat them.
5. The Antarctic blue whale is the largest animal on the plant can can measure up to 30 meters long and can weigh 200 tons (around 33 elephants!)
Photo credit: janeb13
6. TEAR JERKER ALERT! The blue whale has been in decline for a long time and there are now less than 3000 Antarctic blue whales remaining in the world compared to over 225,000 before they started to go into decline.
7. The creepy looking Narwharl's tusk is actually an overgrown tooth! It usually only forms in males and they use it for for foraging for food and fighting.
8. Gray whales swim around 10,000 miles a year whilst they travel between Mexico and their feeding area in the artic seas. They live around 40 years and in that time cover the distance of going to the moon and back!
9. Humpback whales are the best singers of the whale world! Males sing songs that can last up to 30 minutes and they repeat them for hours at a time during the breeding season. They change their songs each new breeding season! How could the ladies resist?
Photo credit: ArtTower
10. HAPPY FACT ALERT! Some whales can live for more than 200 years! The bowhead whales can live 200 years and killer whales can live for more than 100 years too!
We hope you enjoyed our 10 whale facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature whale of their own you can buy our whale bath toy and teether.
]]>Our next animal in the limelight is the elegant seahorse!
Not only is the seahorse very pretty they are also very quirky and behave very differently to other types of fish. For a start they are really poor swimmers! They are the slowest moving of all types of fish because they only have a tiny fin in the middle of their backs to move forwards with. They move at a snails pace of around 1.5m per minute.
]]>Our next animal in the limelight is the elegant seahorse!
Not only are seahorses very pretty they are also very quirky and behave differently to other types of fish. For a start they are really poor swimmers! They are the slowest moving of all types of fish because they only have a tiny fin in the middle of their back to move forwards with. They move at a snails pace of around 1.5m per minute.
What else can we learn about these strange but intriguing sea creatures?
1. The latin name for seahorse is 'Hippocampus' which translates to Horse Caterpillar. You can really see that when you look at a photo of one - apart from their prominent snout they look rather like a spiny caterpillar.
2. There are over 45 different types of seahorse and they range in size from 1.3cm to 35cm long.
3. Rather like their larger 4 legged hairy cousins - seahorses have excellent eyesight. Their eyes are set on the sides of their head which means they can look to the front and back at the same time. This is particularly useful as they use their eyesight to find food.
4. Talking of food - seahorses suck their food up through their snout like a vacuum. They eat small crustaceans like shrimp and eat a staggering 30-50 times a day! Because they can't swim fast to catch prey they camouflage themselves staying very still until food swims past and then they suck it up before swallowing it whole!
5. When a male and a female seahorse mate they have a very elaborate display where they change colour and often circle around objects. This can last hours and they can bond in this way for months at a time.
6. The seahorse is the only creature where the male carries the babies (called fry). The female still produces the eggs but then transfers them to male who fertilises them and carriers them in his pouch which is called a brood pouch. He does this from anything between 2-4 weeks and giving birth can take as long as 12 hours!
7. A seahorse body has a skeleton like humans which is fused together with a flesh like covering. They don't have scales like other fish.
8. Tear jerker alert - seahorses are under threat for a couple of reasons: The Chinese medicine trade and they are also sadly sold as souvenirs along with shells and starfish. Historically humans have killed them faster than they can reproduce but there is now more protection in place for them to prevent this.
9. The main predators of the seahorse are crabs and other types of larger fish however they are not the easiest to eat and digest due to their bony skeleton! They are therefore not very appetising to many predators!
10. Seahorses have very strong tails and are able to anchor themselves with them. Not only do they wrap them to vegetation so they can rest they also wrap themselves to their mates so they don't loose each other! They have also been known to hitch hike with their tails by attaching themselves to moving things to enable them to move a bit quicker.
We hope you enjoyed our 10 seahorse facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature sea horse of their own you can buy our Seahorse bath toy and rattle.
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This blogs animal in the limelight is the stripy zebra! Lets face it - Zebras just look like stripy horses which is exactly what they are! They are part of the Equidae...
]]>This blogs animal in the limelight is the stripy zebra!
Lets face it - zebras look just like stripy horses which is exactly what they are! They are part of the Equidae family which is the horse family including horses, donkeys and zebras.
Did you know they make rugs (jackets) for horses that are zebra patterned - so if you spot what looks like a zebra in a field it may in fact be a horse in disguise!
What else can we learn about these monotone beauties?
1. Zebras are vegan! They are known as herbivores and only eat plants and tend to spend most of their day grazing.
2. A zebras stripes are like a humans fingerprint - it is unique to them and no two zebras have the same stripes.
Photo credit: Kalahari
3. Whilst you wouldn't consider black and white stripes as good camouflage it works well for a zebra. Their main predators are lions which are colour blind so if the zebras bunch together it confuses a lion as they could think their stripes are grass.
Photo credit: AjayLalu
4. Zebras have amazing eyesight and are some of the few mammals that can actually see colour. The only colour they can't see is orange.
5. Zebras like to stick together and are very sociable. A group of zebras is usually known as a herd but they also sometimes called a dazzle - they are quite dazzling after all!
6. When a mummy zebra gives birth she keeps the baby zebra (foal) away from other zebras for a few days until they can recognise her scent, voice and appearance. A baby zebra can stand up as quickly as 6 minutes after being born and can run within 40 minutes. That's so they can escape from predators quickly if they need to.
Photo credit: RoDobby
7. When zebras get faced with a predator they form a semi-circle and will bite and kick to protect themselves or other family members. They have an incredibly strong kick which can kill a lion.
8. Zebras have amazing hearing and their ears allow them to hear in almost any direction. They are also able to communicate their mood to other zebras with their ears.
Photo credit: Mary40
9. Zebras have hooves as feet which is essentially 1 toe which has evolved over thousands of years! With those 4 toes they are able to run at 40 mph. Not only are they fast runners they are great climbers too! Mountain zebras use their pointed hooves to climb mountains to find food.
10. Imagine being able to sleep standing up...well zebras do. Their ability to sleep standing up means if they get ambushed by a predator they can run away very quickly to escape.
We hope you enjoyed our 10 zebra facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature zebra of their own you can buy our Zebra bath toy here.
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Octopuses really are fascinating creatures - they look like they belong in old fashioned deep water thriller films - think 20,000 leagues under the sea...
]]>This blogs animal in the limelight is the many armed octopus!
Octopuses really are fascinating creatures - they look like they belong in old fashioned deep water thriller films - think 20,000 leagues under the sea.
The truth is, whilst Octopuses generally stay well clear of humans, they can be dangerous but usually not deadly. There is in fact only one type of octopus that is known to have deadly venom to humans and that's the blue ringed octopus - stay well clear of them!
What else can we learn about these strange but intriguing sea creatures?
1. Octopuses live in sea rocks and corals and are very territorial. They live alone and do not like anybody in their space!
2. Whilst on the subject of homes - octopuses build their own homes out of rocks using their super powerful arms and suckers. They can even build a door which they can pull closed when they are home to keep other creatures out.
3. Octopuses really don't want to be seen or caught. They shoot ink like fluid from their body which makes water murky so they can't been seen. They can also change colour to blend with their surroundings and can even leave an arm behind if it gets trapped in something - it just grows back!
4. They really are incredible at hiding from predators. Not only can they hide themselves as above but they can also imitate other sea animals like sea snakes and crabs to scare off predators!
Photo credit: Arhnue
5. We have only mentioned octopus arms - they do in fact have legs! 6 of their 8 limbs act as arms whereas the remaining 2 function more like legs which help them walk and push off the sea bed when swimming.
Photo credit: Erik Tanghe
6. Octopuses are seriously brainy...they in fact have 9 brains! 1 central brain and 8 smaller brans that control one limb each. They therefore have amazing problem solving abilities and long term memories.
7. Whilst on the subject of organs - an octopus has 3 hearts! 2 of them work solely to move blood between their gills and the other keeps blood circulating to the organs. Strangely, the heart which pumps blood to the organs stops when they swim which explains why they spend most of their time crawling which is less exhausting.
8. Ever heard of a giant octopus? They live in the pacific and measure 5 meters long and can weigh up to 50kg!
9. Octopuses are extremely doting mothers. They lay approximately 20,000 eggs and spend all their time protecting them. They are so devoted in fact that they forget to eat and die of starvation.
We hope you enjoyed our 10 octopus facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature zebra of their own you can buy our Octopus bath toy.
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This weeks animal in the spotlight is the gigantic elephant!
Even though elephants are our largest land mammals they don't seem scary often living very closely with humans.
Remember - an elephant never forgets! There have been accounts of elephants remembering humans and other animals after being separated for over 10 years! Now that's impressive.
What else can we learn about these gentle giants?
1. There are 2 types of elephants - African and Asian. To tell the difference between them you just need to take a look at their ears. African elephants ears are much bigger and are the shape of Africa!
2. An elephants gestation period is 22 months - that's nearly 2 years! It's no wonder that baby elephants weigh approximately 95kg (heavier than average human adult) if they have been growing for that long in their mummy's bellies!
3. Elephants have the most incredible sense of smell - they can smell water from 12 miles away. The same cannot be said for their eyesight which is pretty poor in comparison.
4. An elephant drinks 210 litres of water a day. To put that into perspective - humans drink between 2.5 to 3.5 litres a day!
Photo credit: Luxstorm
5. Elephants tend to eat for up to 16 hours a day but only 2-3 hours sleeping. Sounds like they have great lives!
6. An elephants trunk is extremely dexterous - they can tell the difference between sizes, shapes and the temperatures of objects they feel with them. In fact they have 40,000 muscles in their trunk alone compared to a humans 639 in total.
7. Ever wondered why elephants like so many mud baths? Well it's because they have very sensitive skin and the mud helps to protect it.
Photo credit: Kikatani
8. Amazingly elephants can swim - they even use their trunks as a snorkel when doing deep river crossings which is super clever!
9.**Sad fact alert** Around 100 elephants are killed every single day for their tusks which are made of ivory. That's 36500 elephants a year which is so very sad.
Photo credit: Gapyearescape
10. On a lighter note - An elephants average lifespan in 70 years which is really long compared to most mammals.
We hope you enjoyed our 10 elephant facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature elephant of their own you can buy our elephant bath toy or our elephant teether.
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This weeks animal in the limelight is the snappy crocodile! Most people think of scary and sneaky water beasts with massive mouths full of sharp teeth ....
]]>This weeks animal in the limelight is the snappy crocodile!
Most people think of scary and sneaky water beasts with massive mouths full of sharp teeth when imagining a crocodile - and they are right to be scared.....they have the strongest bite of any animal in the world which is 10 times stronger than the bite of a great white shark!
With that in mind perhaps we should learn more about these powerful creatures in case we ever stumble across one in the wild.
1. Crocodiles can be found in many different countries - in fact, you can find them in 5 of the 7 major continents. The only continents they are not native to is Antartica and Europe.
2. Although a crocodile has an amazingly powerful bite down it has surprisingly weak opening muscles - so much so their jaw can usually be held shut by a rubber band or bare hands.
3. How can you tell apart a crocodile from an alligator? A crocodile has all it's teeth exposed when it's jaw is shut whereas an alligators are hidden. Crocodiles also have a v shaped snout where as an alligators is more u shaped.
4. The biggest crocodile that was every found alive measured 6.17m and weighed 1075kg. Crocodiles are generally larger and stronger than alligators.
5. To keep cool crocodiles keep their mouthes open which is similar to dogs panting. They do not sweat like humans. They often sleep with their mouths open too so don't be alarmed if you see one like this - it may not be showing aggression, it may just be having a snooze!
6. Crocodiles can stay underwater for up to 1 hour being semi-amphibious animals. And although people often think they can run quickly they are actually much faster swimmers.
7. Crocodiles swimming speeds can reach up to 22mph. They use their tails to propel themselves and their feet act like rudders for steering.
8. Ever heard of the term crocodile tears? Well it's true - crocodiles do cry when eating but it's nothing to do with emotion - it's to do with the noises they make when they eat.
9. Crocodiles are excellent hunters and generally stalk their prey before an ambush. They are capable of killing and eating much larger animals than themselves including elephants, hippos, zebra, sharks and big cats.
10. Bigger crocodiles can last a year between meals if they have to. They can store their food and lengthen it out having an amazing metabolism.
We hope you enjoyed our 10 crocodile facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature crocodile of their own you can buy our crocodile comforter/teether or our crocodile bath toy/rattle.
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We are continuing with the safari theme with the next star of our animal knowledge series - The Hippo! Hippos are the 3rd largest living land mammal...
]]>We are continuing with the safari theme with the next star of our animal knowledge series - the Hippo!
A child once said to us - a hippo is like a fat donkey that lives in water! They weren't far wrong as the name 'hippopotamus' comes from the greek word for 'water horse'. The hippo isn't actually closely related to a horse though - it has closer connections to pigs, whales and dolphins!
What else can we learn about these interesting creatures?
1. Hippos are the 3rd largest living land mammal. Elephants are the largest and then white rhinos. Hippos can grow up to 5 meters long and can weigh up to 4500kg. They are big beasties!
2. You can find hippos in Africa and they are classed as amphibians as they spend up to 16 hours per day in water.
Photo Credit: minka2507
3. A group of hippos is known as a school or a bloat. Hippos love to spend time around each other and you can see as many as 200 of them all together at once. That sounds like a very noisy gathering!
4. Although hippos spend such a lot of time under water they can't actually swim! They tend to push themselves off whatever is under the water and can spend up to 5 minutes under the water before needing to surface for air.
5. Hippos are very aggressive and need to be treated with respect. They use their extremely large teeth and tusks to see off any predators including humans. It is estimated that hippos kill as many as 500 people a year in Africa and they are considered to be one of the deadliest land mammals. Forget tigers and lions - it's the hippos you need to watch out for!
Photo Credit: ArtTower
6. Ever played the game hungry hippos? Well hippos eat an incredible amount - around 35kg of grass each night as it turns out! Hippos can however survive for up to 3 weeks if there isn't much to eat as they can store it in their stomachs.
7. It takes 8 months for a female hippo to grow a baby hippo. A baby hippo is a called a calf. They have ability to close their noses and ears whilst swimming to keep water out.
Photo Credit: Christel Sagniez
8. Hippos have a long life span and can live for around 40 years in the wild
9. Although the skin of a hippo looks incredibly tough it's actually really prone to getting sunburnt. This is why they spend so much time underwater.
10. Toilet talk....hippos are very territorial and use their tails to fling their own poo to mark their territory. Open mouths, loud groans and charging are signs they are defending their territory.
We hope you enjoyed our 10 hippo facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature hippo of their own you can buy our hippo teether here or our hippo bath toy/rattle here.
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The first in our animal knowledge series was the giraffe so we thought it was only fitting to do the next one on the mighty lion – who happen to be the main predators of the giraffe.
The lion is known as the king of the jungle….hang on wait a minute – lions don’t live in jungles! Their primary habitats are grasslands, scrubland and rocky hills – certainly not jungles! Why king of the jungle then? Well it’s because the word jungle derives from the Hindi word jangle which translates to forest or wasteland where lions do live!
Are there any other lion myths we can uncover in our Lion fun facts? Read on to discover more…
Photo credit: Anthony Evert
3. Lions are heavy….males can weigh up to 30 stone and females 20 stone. They use this heavy weight and power along with their teeth and claws to be fantastic predators.
4. A lion is from the same family as our feline pets at home - our cats!Photo credit: Samantha Hurley
Photo Credit: Matthew Henry
6. Lions like a big meal – they can eat up to 40kg of food in a single meal! They do this because they only feed every 3-4 days so need to stock up when they can!
7. The female lions are the primary hunters and generally hunt at night due to having excellent night vision giving them the advantage over their prey. The male lions protect the pride whilst the females are away.
8. Lions are highly adaptable – they have to be due to living in very dry areas like deserts. In these dry places if can difficult to find water so they can also get water from plants such as melons.
Photo credit: Avelino Calvar Martinez
9. Lions are top sprinters- they can run as fast 50mph however this is only for short periods as they lack stamina.
10. Lions are the laziest of the big cats spending up to 20 hours of the day sleeping and resting – it’s a lions life eh!
We hope you enjoyed our 10 lion facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature lion of their own you can buy our lion comforter and teether toy here or our lion bath/rattle toy here.
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Here at Tikiri we want our toys to not only be toys but also be educational for children (and adults!) too.
The reason we make the toys as animals is because they are such an important part of our world and we want children to grow up understanding this. By teaching children about animals and how different and special they all are will hopefully ensure they all grow up with a natural empathy and caring attitude. By learning to care for animals they learn skills they can easily transfer to human relationships too.
Over the coming months we will therefore be providing fun facts for each of our animals in our safari, ocean buddies and farm collections to help children learn whilst they play.
First on our list is the fabulous Giraffe with the oh so long neck! So, what can we tell you about Giraffes?
Photo Credit: Scott Murdoch
Photo Credit: Mrinal Parashar
Photo Credit: Willem Span
Photo Credit: nicholas souroujon
We hope you enjoyed our 10 fun Giraffe facts – keep an eye out for our next animal in the limelight in the next few weeks.
If your child would like their own miniature giraffe of their own you can buy our Giraffe bath toy here, our Giraffe teething ring here or our Giraffe Comforter here.
]]>We have had a truly amazing year of award winning, which given the circumstances, we are very humbled by. We thought this would be a great time to stand back and reflect on each triumph in order.
In 2020 we were absolutely delighted to win the Best Ethical Gift category for our Ocean Buddies Collection.
The Ocean Bubbies collection is made up of a variety of super cute sea creatures including a turtle, sea hose, crab, octopus, dolphin and a whale. They can all be used as bath toys, a rattle and as a teether all in one. One of their best features (along with all our other rubber toys) is that they have no holes in them which means water doesn’t get trapped inside which can eventually lead to mould growth.
Following this triumph Tikiri then wen't on to win a Mom's Choice Award in February this year for our Aria soft doll and our Midnight Dragon teething toy.
To top off an already amazing 12 months we continued with our successes in gaining GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) accreditation. This is a really big deal for us as we are the first ever natural rubber toy company to win this award.
GOLS is essentially the organic certification for latex which is the type of rubber we use in all our bath and teething toys. It is the equivalent to the more well known GOT's (global organic textile standard) certifications for fabrics.
When we thought it couldn't get any better we managed to scoop a Hot Diggity Awards for our gorgeous Lilith the Lama toy. The Hot Diggity panelists only award the best of the best with an award and it signifies innovation, quality, entertainment and/or educational value and a commitment to excellence.
Our toys are all handmade from sustainable natural organic rubber and are 100% plastic free. We put a strong emphasis on only selling non plastic toys to avoid harming the environment and we also make sure that our rubber is sourced in an environmentally friendly way by making sure our rubber trees remain in good health following latex extraction.
Other ways we work as an eco friendly company is by using bio degradable materials that are free from heavy metals, PVC, petroleum and phthalates. We use non toxic dyes and pigments that are perfectly safe for babies to chew. We also do our bit for plastic reduction and take part in beach cleans and environmental education.
Alongside our Ocean Buddies we also have several other collections of toys including farm animals, safari animals and our very popular magical dragons and unicorns. All of these can be used as 3 in 1 teethers, rattles and bath toys.
The reason Tikiri like to enter awards such as the Gift of the Year Awards, GOLS & the Moms Choice Awards is we like to demonstrate why our products are so good objectively. Every company can blow their own trumpet and say their own products are good but the best way to show this in a non biased way is to put all our toys and manufacturing methods to the test to really prove how much we care.
If you have any questions we would love to hear from you - please feel free to contact us leave a comment below.
]]>Potty Training is one of those stages in a childs development which can be easy peasy or really quite frustrating! Unlike walking and talking which can be a great source of competition between parents, potty training is one of those things not often discussed openly.
Here's where we come in - luckily there are many ways which parents can facilitate and help children to become potty trained quickly and stress free for them and their child and most of it is actually easily achieved using a common sense approach.
Photo courtesy of @maiacha_
Most parents choose to start potty training when their child is aged between 2 - 2.5 years old but it's not one of those things you can or should force a child to do. We could go into the depths of psychological behaviour therapy but that's probably one for another blog (or two!). Instead read our tips below to see how you can make it all go smoothly.
Photo courtesy of @little.moustache
1. Make sure your child is ready - Don't rush it and start doing it before you child is ready and can understand what is asked of them - this will lead to failure and it probably becoming a bit of an ordeal. The signs that your child is ready is if they can identify when they are wet or had a bowel movement and they are able to keep their nappy clean for more than a few hours at a time.
2. Children will naturally shadow parents behaviour- Ever had that shocking moment where your child repeats something they shouldn't because it's something you have said or done in front of them? It is natural for a child to use their parents as role models and repeat and mimic their actions. If a child witnesses you going to the toilet and thinks that's normal they will no doubt want to mimic what you are doing. Try not to be too prudish about it and let them see what you are doing. Every-time you go to the toilet you can put them on the potty at the same time.
3. Start potty training with a regular routine - Don't start to potty train if you are due to move house or don't have a regular house hold routine in place. A child needs to feel secure and comfortable in their surroundings to do this successfully and not have any worry about it.
4. Use Positive Reinforcement (not negative) - Praise your child when they go to the toilet where they should and make it all into a positive experience. DO NOT use negative reinforcement and scold them if they have an accident - you will make it a very stressful experience all round by doing that. It's ok to be firm and ask your child to tell you when they need the toilet but make sure you praise them when they have done it right.
5. Do regular toilet breaks - If you take your child to the toilet regularly then they are much less likely to have an accident. Make sure it's the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do before night to avoid night time accidents. When you go to the loo take your child with you and sit them on the potty.
6. Have toilet breaks after mealtimes - Food will often lead to children wanting a bowel movement so don't leave it too long after a meal to go to the toilet.
7. Use clothes that are easy to remove - The quicker clothes are to remove to go to the toilet the less likely it is they will have an accident. Avoid tights, lots buttons or zips to make this easier.
8. Use training pants - Training pants can be a good intermediate step between nappies and grown up pants! They don't hold as much water so it's easier for children to feel when they are wet and gets them used to the feeling of wearing pants.
9. Put a potty next to the bed - Make sure your child has a potty next to the bed at night to avoid night time accidents. Children often have night time fears and may not want to go to the bathroom if it's dark and quiet and will feel a lot more settled doing it in their room. Make sure you praise them if they have used it overnight.
10. Use a step and seat trainer - Make sure when your child starts to use the toilet instead of the potty (which they may want to do if mimicking you) they can get onto it easily by giving them a step. You can also get seat trainers which have handles and are softer which might make the experience easier for them too.
We hope our article is helpful and your little one gets the hang of it easily. If you want even more tips on potty training then Pampers have a great article here.
Have you any potty training tips of your own? If so we would love to hear from you - please feel free to leave a comment below.
]]>Do you have children aged between 0 - 10 years old and love to take stunning photographs of your baby? If it's a yes to both then you might like to become a Tikiri Brand Ambassador and help us grow our brand even more.
We are on the hunt for parents who would love to showcase our products with their babies and children using beautiful photographs and/or videos.
1. This is a global ambassador reach out so it doesn't matter wherever in the world you are!
2. Applications close for the first phase at midnight on 18th April 2021
3. Ambassador social media accounts must be public
4. The term of engagement is 6 months
5. We will contact you (most likely DM you on instagram) by 30th April 2021 if you have been successful
6. We may not be able to respond to everyone so if you haven't heard from us by 30th April 2021 then you were unfortunately not successful at this time
7. Some products may not be available in your regional area
Good luck everyone and we can’t wait to hear from you!
If you would like to find out any more information or perhaps would like to share your website details we would love to hear from you - please contact us here.
]]>Hippo Bath Toy & Rattle - Photo thanks to @melkbosmom
Getting you baby to sleep at night and through the night can be a real stress for parents. Let's face it - lack of sleep is enough to make the happiest of people a little tired and grumpy.
The good news is there are lots of ways you can help avoid bed time tantrums and 3am wake up calls. We have collated 10 top tips to help your baby sleep at night based on ours and our customers experiences and also expert knowledge from baby care specialists.
1. Follow a consistent routine avoiding too much excitement just before bed - If your baby gets overly excited just before they go to sleep they are very unlikely to get drowsy easily. Also we know as adults our natural body clock tells us when we usually go to bed as we get tired at a certain time. Babies work in the same way and adopt a routine really well.
2. Make bedtime a positive time that babies look forward to. Often you hear the term 'bed time' used in a negative way such as when a baby/child has been naughty. If you make it something they look forward to e.g. it comes with their favourite toy or bedtime story then it will be much easier! Our customers have found that many of their babies sleep well with their favourite toy from one of our cute animal collections.
Sheep Bath Toy and Rattle - Photo thanks to @inside_out_toys_uk
3. Keep afternoon naps consistent which will avoid over tiredness and maintains a routine. Some parents have woken up their baby too early which actually rises their stress hormones which can wake them up in their next nap according to Heather Turgeon - author of The Happy Sleeper.
4. Get your baby to bed early - Getting your baby to bed early can mean a longer sleeping pattern - it sounds counter intuitive doesn't it? It has actually been found that babies who go to sleep earlier often sleep for longer.
Cotton Candy Baby Teether - Photo thanks to @mapetiteolive
5. Use an auto-wake up light - if you have a toddler who is an early riser try using black out blinds and an auto wake-up light that comes on when you want them to wake up. This won't necessarily work with babies when they are feeding and get hungry but can be useful with toddlers who go longer between feeds.
6. Don't rely on soothing methods - Soothing methods such as cuddling, rocking, patting etc can get addictive. If you always do this then your baby will rely on it every single time and get hooked when in fact they can get to sleep without them.
7. Avoid too many gadgets - electronics or anything overly stimulating just before bedtime can cause over stimulation. It goes without saying that an overly stimulated baby will lead to difficulties switching off as it does with adults.
8. Give a last feed whilst your baby is drowsy - If you can give them a last feed later on when they are drowsy they likely to go straight back to sleep and should reduce the number of times they need to feed through the night (depending on their age).
9. Make your baby feel secure and loved before bed - An insecure baby is likely to be an unsettled one. This not only can be through your love but also it's ok for them to sleep with their favourite toy so they don't feel totally alone. If they wake up in the night they still have their cuddly friend alongside them.
Meiya Lovey & Teether - Photo thanks to @meiyaandalvinpolska
10. Do some baby stretches - Take a look at these 4 stretches which you can do with your baby to help them fall asleep from Parents.com.
We hope these tips help your baby sleep at night. If you have any questions please do contact us or feel free to leave a comment below - we would love to hear from you.
]]>Written by Zsofia from GoyGoy
As a first-time mom, I was surprised to find out that this little boy of mine needed so many accessories. I wasn’t even 4 months pregnant and the spare room was already filled to the brim with baby stuff: Baby monitor, newborn pillow, nest, white noise machine, crib, a cute little mobile, a soothing vibrating chair, a pram, pram gloves and coffee cup holder…the list is endless!
If the truth be told - I did use many of these items, however most of them where left unscratched and some of them didn’t make it out of the packaging. As the months passed by, my baby was growing and by the time I could catch up, the number of things that either we didn’t use or no longer fit were taking over my loft.
My little boy never liked that chair, he wasn’t a fan of white noise; the lovely, cute elephants circling on top of his crib where distracting and made nap time even harder. So many items with so much use still left in them and a lot of things ended up in storage still brand new.
My first thought was, “What a waste of money!” However, I began to grow more conscious of the issues we are facing today and I realised that the problems where much bigger than a waste of money and storage space.
Around this time my attitudes began to change, and my world view shifted. I became more focused on the why, how, and where whenever purchasing new products. “Why do I need this? How was it made? Where is it coming from?” The information out there is overwhelming to say the least. I used to spend my evenings before bed doing research into this and found myself so muddled up with all the contradictory information and advice online that I didn’t know which was the right path. A lot of this misinformation was coming from my personal social media channels. It’s unreal how many posts are out there - the way adverts find you, connect the dots and push until you click buy it now.
I made the decision to unfollow all social media accounts that didn’t inspire me to be/do better. I cleaned it all up, unfollowed big brands, celebrities, and mindless influencers. “Cross fit? Sorry, that’s not me. Amazing self-holding levitating breast pump? I can’t afford you anyway so why keep looking at you. You just had a baby, and your stomach is already trimmed? You are not making me happy, Bye bye!”
Then the search started for new accounts to follow. Accounts that inspire me to change or adapt to new ways of doings things for a better tomorrow. Small local businesses, entrepreneurs, real mums, parents that shared their real-life struggles and made the best lemonade out there. My feed is now my safe place where I don’t feel guilt or judgment, where I get ideas and challenge myself to form new habits. After all, the future will be the world that will host my son’s life.
I saw this quote once and it really stuck with me, “If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem”, it’s hard to hear, but it’s the truth. Turning my face away from problems like these, choosing to be naive or not in control of the change I want to see in the world was the problem. So, I better get on with it and be a doer, be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
The overflow of baby stuff and the social media cleansing moment I had coalesced into GoyGoy. Not only a preloved online baby shop, but a platform to speak out about issues like this, with a sustainable parenting twist. A place where new mums can find out that you don’t really need a baby wipe warmer! A platform with information, real stories, real collaborations and above all, support for each other.
Luckily for us, change is happening and consumer attitudes for ethical fashion are on the rise. Yes! 60% of millennials say they want to shop more sustainably. We, the educators of the future generation, are becoming more aware of the mess that we are leaving behind for our children and we are now consuming a bit more ethically, or at least looking at ways to change.
Only 15 percent of consumers recycle their used clothing, but that number is growing day by day and it’s our mission to make it easy, fast, and simple to buy and sell your pre-loved baby clothes.
Support us on this journey, spread the word and join the movement!
]]>We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we have just been awarded GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) accreditation.
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We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we have just been awarded GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) accreditation.
This is a really big deal for us as we are the first ever natural rubber toy company to achieve this feat. Once more, you can be safe in the knowledge that your baby will be playing with safe, eco friendly toys when using Tikiri Toys.
GOLS is essentially the organic certification for latex which is the type of rubber we use in all our bath and teething toys. If you are interested in knowing more about where our rubber comes from see our rubber blog here. It is the equivalent to the more well known GOT's (global organic textile standard) certifications for fabrics.
GOLS set the standards for where natural rubber is sourced from and also its onward manufacture. To become GOLS accredited products must meet the following criteria:
- Be made of more than 95% certified organic raw material.
- Not exceed the allowed limits for emission testing, polymer and filler percentages and harmful substances.
- Meet the standards set for rubber plantations processing units and the retailer.
GOLS make sure they can trace any latex used by a brand by using transaction certificates which are produced at every stage in the supply chain including the plantation, manufacturer and end retailer.
The other very important thing GOLS do is perform yearly audits of any brand who has achieved their accreditation. This is to make sure that brands remain compliant once they have achieved the status. The Control Union https://certifications.controlunion.com/en is the body which covers the certifications for everything organic and are responsible for ensuring brands remain up to standards.
Tikiri proudly receiving their GOLS certificate
Here at Tikiri Toys we want to lead the way in natural organic rubber baby toys. We want to make sure that our toys are the safest, most eco-friendly, organic and also appealing toys out there on the market.
GOLs provides transparency and traceability from plantation to retailer and also includes the manufacturer with their certification. To be GOLS accredited we have to follow obligatory social and environmental rules and regulations.
Other than relying on you as our valued objective customers and/or readers spreading the word on the internet and social media, we have to demonstrate why our products are so good. The best way to show this objectively is to put all our toys and manufacturing methods to the test to really prove how much we care. This is why we enter competitions, such as the moms choice awards, to try and showcase we are the best.
It takes a lot of effort and funds to enter awards and apply for certification so we wouldn't be doing it unless we were really confident in our products. By having accreditation and awards we can demonstrate to you that we are market leaders in baby teething and bath toys.
The other great thing about Tikiri having GOLS accreditation is that parents can have peace of mind that the toys they are giving to their babies are safe and that they are doing their bit for sustainable shopping and making sure the things they are buying are eco friendly.
This is so important in todays world where we all need to try and take steps to protect our planet for future generations.
If you have any questions we would love to hear from you - please feel free to contact us leave a comment below.
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We are absolutely delighted to announce that we have won 2 awards in the Mom's Choice Awards for 2021 for two of our products. Our much loved Midnight Dragon teething toy and our lovely Bonikka organic soft doll Aria were the winning products for this year's competition.
The Mom’s Choice Awards are made up from a panel of evaluators who judge products and services for children and their families and also educators. They review 1000’s of products from over 60 countries and are known for establishing a benchmark for excellence in their field.
The judging panel is made up of educators, media, parents, children, librarians, authors, scientists and medical and business professionals. They really do make up an all round judging panel to enable them to judge all the products in their specialist area.
The mom’s choice awards panelists pride themselves on being bound by a strict code of ethics enabling them to judge the products in an objective manner.
The products and services are all scored on the following things:
They look especially favourable on products that encourage family emotional, physical and spiritual development.
You can find out more about the mom's choice awards here.
Want to know more about the 2 fantastic products that won these prestigious awards? Here you go...
Our Midnight Dragon won the gold award in the babies toy category of the awards. He is from our Tikiri Fairytales Collection which features magical dragons and unicorns!
Midnight dragon rattle combines the developmental benefit and stimulation of sound baby toys. By moving the rattle toy which creates sound, babies can learn their fundamental lessons in cause and effect relationships.
Midnight Dragon is made from soft natural rubber which is ideal for teething babies and soothing irritated gums. It is hand painted with soy-based ink and is 100% plastic free.
Tikiri's dragon teething toy also has organic cotton crinkle fabric in the wings which provides stimulation for babies as they discover their senses.
Tikiri's Midnight Dragon baby toy retails at £19.99 and can be bought in our online store here.
Aria also won a gold award in the baby toy category. She is one of our popular baby soft dolls from our Bonikka doll and and is made of OCS 100 Certified Organic Cotton. Read more about why we use Organic Fabrics here.
Aria has an attractive pretty dusky pink dress on with bird embroidery. The dress also has a laced feature on the neck and arms. She has a pastel blue bandana to really set the outfit off.
Aria is the perfect soft doll for children needing a soothing doll or for those looking for a comforting empathy doll.
Aria retails at £29.99 and can be bought in our online store here.
If you have any questions we would love to hear from you - please feel free to contact us leave a comment below.
]]>We all know that we should be using eco friendly products as much as possible in all avenues of our lives. There is a lot in the news and splashed all over social media to make us aware nowadays – but do we all really know the reasons behind why we should be using them?
For parents – there are 2 main reasons you should be looking to go eco:
1. You need to protect your babies and keep them healthy. It’s possible that the toys and products that our babies are using might actually be harmful to them.
2. You need to protect the planet so your babies and your babies babies have a world to actually grow up in. It’s a frightening fact that if we carry on destroying the planet the way we are that at some point it’s not going to exist anymore.
Many baby products on the marketplace today are made from plastic and silicon and making products from these materials have large energy and environmental costs. Microplastics in our environment are a huge concern with so many animals ingesting them – including our babies. Plastic toys will last forever long after you and your children have left the planet these products will still be around causing permanent pollution.
Microplastics are tiny pieces (smaller than your thumbnail) of plastic found in the environment which come from the breakdown of our plastic waste. Basically all the plastic bottles and packaging that we use break up into tiny pieces that stay around forever polluting us and our environment.
The main reason microplastics are a concern is they are ingested by animals and humans and eventually they can build up in bodies to such an extent it causes blockages in the digestive system. Eventually these blockages can damage to soft tissue which can eventually cause death.
This is a very brief summary and if you want to learn more about microplastics impact then take a look at The Natural History’s information on microplastics here.
As you can imagine the list could go on – think about – how many things in your house are made of plastic? Of course it’s hard to avoid it completely and there is no doubting the usefulness and robustness of plastic products for babies. All we would say is – where you can try and use products not made of plastic if it’s at all possible – especially where you baby is likely to put that product in it’s mouth.
So what can you do to make a difference?
Tikiri Toys Crab and Dolphin rubber bath toys - part of our ocean buddies collection
This one’s easy – plastic is not biodegradable where as rubber is! Rubber is also non-toxic and safe.
As discussed, plastic takes a long time to breakdown- 1000’s upon 1000's of years, if it ever does at all. Rubber on the other hand takes approximately 50 years depending on the type of rubber. Best of all though – it can be recycled and made into something else of use (Think shoes, matting, sports turf etc).
Biodegrade is another word for breaking down. It is where a substance is broken down bacteria or another organism. Basically if rubber ended up at landfill it would be broken down and not exist anymore where as plastic more than likely would be around forever.
We love our products - but we don’t want them to be around forever. It was therefore important for us as a business to source sustainable materials that have minimal environmental impact whilst also being 100% safe for babies.
Fortunately Tikiri is lucky enough to be based in beautiful Sri Lanka, and we have been growing rubber trees here since the 1800s. We work with small family plantations growing the beautiful Hevea trees that produce the latex that turns to rubber that we use in our collections.
Latex is obtained from the rubber tree through a process called tapping. It’s a slow process to tap a rubber tree and it must be done by a skilled hand and in a environmentally friendly way so that the tree remains in good health. In addition to taking good care of our trees - we do not add any chemicals or preservatives to the latex to ensure that the material remains as pure as possible.
If you want to learn more about how we source rubber – take a look at our specific blog on this here.
Our Giant Sculpture with the message - 'Save our beautiful seas'
We hope you enjoyed reading about how you can do your bit to help protect the planet and your babies health (as scary as it is) and also the steps we take in the manufacture of our products.
If you have any questions at all then we would love to hear from you – please contact us here or leave a comment below.
]]>Are you stuck when trying to think about what to buy that special little person for Christmas? It is particularly hard trying to buy for somebody else's baby as you may not know what they have already and want to buy them something useful that they will love. Parents can also find it tough to narrow down the huge choice of baby gifts and toys out there and choose the best ethical, functional and most useful present for their babies.
To help you find that perfect baby Christmas present we thought we would share some of our Tikiri bestsellers that will always go down a treat with any baby or toddler. The great thing about buying a Tikiri toy as a baby Christmas present is they not only look super cute but they are highly functional too. They are nearly all teethers or have some sort of soothing quality to them which will not only be popular with babies but may offer some welcome relief to parents too!
You can also rest assured that all Tikiri products are sourced from pure natural rubber and ethically sourced cotton materials.
Alvin is part of our super popular Alvin and Maya collection and the squeaker is very popular toy for children who enjoy a lot of stimulation. Alvin can keep babies entertained for hours with his squeaking and also can act as a teether too to soothe sore gums.
Price: £14.99
A lot of babies and toddlers are not big fans of bath time but they soon will be with our ocean buddies bath toys. Babies can let their imaginations run wild whilst playing with the ocean buddies bath toys which rattle and also have teether qualities too them.
Price: £10.99
Our Dragon and Unicorn baby toys are amazing for letting babies and children's imaginations run wild. They are some of our most popular toys with good reason - they look stunning! They have crinkly wings or tail which offer touch stimulation, they rattle for noise stimulation and also have teether qualities to them. There is one thing to be sure of - if you buy that special little person in your life one of these you will be very popular indeed!
Price: From £17.99
Meya is Alvin the Elephants best friend and for this toy she is a very cuddly lovey. Her body is made from soft fabric and she also has a head which is designed for teething so is multipurpose. Babies often sleep much better with a soft friend to cuddle at night and Meya might just be that perfect friend!
Price: £19.99
Havah is a perfect present for teething babies and will be popular with babies and parents alike! Teething can be a difficult time all round and a ring teether can really help soothe sore gums and ease pain. If you would like to learn more about baby teething then please see our tips for helping a baby teething blog here.
Price: £11.99
And there we have it - 5 of our most popular products which will all make excellent baby Christmas presents.
If you have any questions about any of the products listed above then please feel free to contact us here.
]]>With so much choice out in the market place these days, it is hard to know which teething ring to choose...
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With so much choice out in the market place these days, it is hard to know which teething ring to choose, there are plenty of brightly coloured plastic ones available, but for the more environmental choice a natural teether is always going to be best.
Teething is a difficult time for babies and parents, it can make you both very grumpy, and no-one wants to be grumpy. So providing a teether will help your baby and you through this process. As teether’s are designed to go in the mouth, it is always preferable to go natural.
Plastic teether's are made from petro chemicals and although they are tested and safe they are not natural. So we would always go with a natural choice, better for your baby and the planet.
Wooden teething rings have become very popular in recent years, but it is important to ensure that the type of wood the product is made from is suitable and fit for purpose.
Hard woods are obviously much better, so look out for Maple, Cherry, Walnut and other hardwoods as these do not splinter.
Also ensure that the wood is not treated with any chemicals. Wooden teething rings should be sealed with either beeswax or any food grade oil such as olive oil, flaxseed or coconut, obviously organic is always best.
Wooden necklaces that you wear are also popular, they are designed so when you are carrying your baby they can chew on the bead. However there are safety concerns with this type of product, as they can release small parts and the cords can become a strangulation or tourniquet hazard. So please be very careful if you choose this option.
Pure natural rubber from our home grown rubber plantations. We obviously believe this is the best choice for lots of reasons.
All our rubber is free from any chemical treatments, it is from a Sri Lankan source, we only work with the best plantations and have strict controls in place over the processing.
Our range of natural rubber teething toys are designed to be soft and soothing on the gums, they are designed with organic shapes making them easy for small hands to grip.
A combination of hard and soft edges provide maximum soothing for irritated gums.
Some children like a mixture of tactile fabric and materials and prefer a comforter to sooth and snuggle into we provide a great range of comforters that include a teething ring.
Which ever teething option you choose, make sure you check it frequently for any signs of wear and tear.
We hope this helps you decide the best options for your baby and the planet.
You can view all of our Baby Teethers here.
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Tikiri Ocean Buddies, Safari Animals, and our Farm Animals collections are all made from pure natural rubber.
Pure natural rubber - we can say this because we don’t add any preservatives or agents to the rubber compounds, this keeps our products as non toxic as possible which is great for the environment and also for the young babies that play with them.
However because we don’t add anything it means that we really need to follow the care instructions because if we don’t then problems will appear.
So here are some tips on keeping your Tikiri Toys in tip top condition.
This is the most important thing to do, this is a natural product so it will eventually degrade, we estimate if cared for correctly then it should last 3 years before you start to see signs of degeneration.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check regularly, a lot of our toys are designed to be teethers so they are going to be chewed so it is super important to make sure you check regularly for damage.
Toys should be checked for any tears or cracking and should be stretched to make sure no cracks appear. If they do then discard the toy and do not give to your child.
If the rubber has become sticky or patches of brown appear then it should also be disposed of.
After being played with bath toys should be dried really well and then taken out of the bathroom and stored in a different room.
We say this because this is a natural product, if it is left damp and kept in the bathroom where the air is moist and warm then over time the toys can develop mould spots.
Mould loves to grow in warm damp conditions so it is going to really love growing on our toys as they are super cute too. This is one of the reason we don’t have a hole in any of our toys so mould can’t grow on the inside, where you can’t see it.
If mould does grow wash with hot soapy water and a wipe down will get rid of it.
Yep, just like children our toys are sensitive to UV damage, because we don’t add a preservative if they are then left in direct sunlight then they will discolour and lose their super cute colours.
The direct sunlight can also speed up the ageing process of the rubber so it can become brittle and start to crack.
Again toys like children don’t like to be near a source of heat and if left there long enough they will burn, the rubber will discolour and you will be left with brown marks and cracking, so keep well away from fires and don’t put on radiators to dry out.
A quick wipe with some soapy water and a damp cloth is normally enough, we don’t need to go into a washing machine and we don’t need to be sterilised as this will damage rubber toys.
Who doesn't want to be loved, we really really like to be played with and enjoyed so lots of hugs and kisses are going to be just perfect.
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Meyia & Alvin and Tikiri Toys are made from 100% pure natural rubber and ethically sourced cotton materials. These brands are currently sold in over 60 countries around the world and won the award for Best Ethical Gift of 2020 www.giftoftheyear.co.uk and Moms Choice Award Gold 2020
Thats worth shouting about isn’t it, but what do we mean when we say “pure natural rubber”?
We passionately believe that as our products are given to babies and young children at the very start of their lives, that we have a duty of care to make sure and that they are made from materials that will not harm them or add additional harm to our planet.
Although we love our products we don’t want them to still be around in hundreds of years like plastic toys. So an important part of our story is that these products will eventually biodegrade.
The rubber we use comes from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree, which is a native tree to the Amazon. In 1876 about 2000 seedlings were sent to Ceylon (Modern day Sri Lanka) this started our rubber plantations.
All our rubber is sourced directly form a family run plantation in Sri Lanka. This cuts down on transportation and CO2 emissions of our main raw material and supports small business in our own country.
To extract the rubber from the tree you use a process called tapping, this is a very skilled job and this has to be done by hand. A collecting groove is made in the bark, this is where the skill comes in as you need to ensure that you do not damage the tree by cutting too deep. The tree releases the latex and this slowly drips into a holding cup, this process takes about 6 hours.
We know that as far back as 1600 B.C the Mesoamerican people form Mexico and Central America were using this liquid rubber for medicines and for painting.
Rubber is used in so many everyday products, without it we wouldn't be able to drive our cars, or ride our bikes as it is rubber that makes the journey a lot more comfortable.
So long before we were making toys, this amazing material was being used.
Rubber used for commercial production has chemicals added to it to help with the preservation of the compound.
Tikiri only source latex from small plantations which are certified organic and where no chemicals are used for preservation. We also do not add any anti fungal agents, or add any UV stabilisers or absorbers ensuring that all our toys are as pure and natural as they can be.
If you are on the hunt for a baby teething toy or baby soother then please do have a look at our Baby Teethers Collections pages here.
If you have any questions about our range of baby toys then we would love to hear from you - please do not hesitate to Contact Us.
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Have you noticed your baby getting a bit irritable, maybe crying a bit more, not so much the bundle of joy they were a few days ago. Chances are they have started teething.
]]>Have you noticed your baby getting a bit irritable? Maybe they are crying a bit more and not so much the bundle of joy they were a few days ago. Chances are they may have started teething. Babies start to teeth between the age of 4 to 7 months, but there is a great variability in the timing of teething. Some babies start sooner and some start later- it is all down to genes and heredity so don’t worry if they haven’t started yet- just enjoy the peace and quite while it lasts!
Baby teether’s help by providing a product that a baby can safely chew on. Chewing and biting are all part of the teeth cutting in process and tender gums are often soothed by a light pressure that biting on a teething toy can bring.
As soon as you start to notice your baby drooling more, mouthing their fingers or trying to chew on anything they can get their hands on, then chances are they have started teething. It's probably about time that you started to look for a baby teether to provide some comfort at this point, or ideally have them ready in advance.
With so many baby teether's out in the market place its hard to know which one is the best. It might be a good idea to experiment with a couple of different ones until you find the one that suits your baby. Some babies prefer softer materials and some prefer more ridged shapes. It is therefore important to find teething toys that offer the right amount of pressure to ease discomfort.
It is also very important to ensure that the baby teether is safe for use. Look for one that your baby will be able to hold and safely put in their mouth. A baby teether that is too big or too small could be a safety hazard, so make sure there are no small parts that can come loose as this will be a choking hazard.
Our range of baby teething toys are safe for babies, they are made from natural rubber are BPA free, coloured with none toxic pigments and paints. Designed for little hands to hold and grip and to soothe irritated gums with rigid and smooth areas to provide maximum comfort.
If you have any questions about our range of teething toys then we would love to hear from you- please do not hesitate to contact us here.
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Each year on April 28th, since 1995, National Superhero Day honour’s Superheroes, both real and fictional.
]]>Do you have a favourite Superhero? If you do then April the 28th is their day of glory.
Since 1995 we have been celebrating national superhero day on April 28th which honours both real and fictional characters that we love.
Batman, Superman, Captain America, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, Hulk, and Spiderman are just some of the names we recognise.
All of them have special powers: usually great strength and a special ability that they use to help to protect people and fight evil and injustice.
Superhero NHS Staff : There are more normal superheroes hidden inside everyday people and recently we have heard a lot about the superheroes on the front line. The Doctors and Nurses that are fighting an evil virus that is taking our loved ones away from us far too soon.
Superhero Care Workers: Care home workers that have chosen to live at work just so they can protect other peoples loved ones, these are all examples of a modern Superhero.
Superhero Key Workers: All those key workers are putting themselves on the front line still working in the community throughout this epidemic- you are all awesome and are helping to keep us alive too.
Dealing with toddler tantrums is difficult for any parent to cope with. It’s also difficult for anyone to be ‘well behaved’ 100% of the time, but particularly tough when we’re stuck inside with each other all day long.
Being in lockdown is such an unusual time for everyone, but particularly tough for young children as they may not understand why they can’t see their friend’s or go and play in the park.
Frustrations build and this can lead to tantrums and disruptive behaviour. This is the same for adults as well as children and we can all end up falling out, which is only going to make a tough situation much worse as everyone will feel upset and hurt.
The most common reasons for tantrums are, fear, pain, or anxiety. If a young person feels afraid, experiences a lot of change, or is being bullied (whether in person or online), then they’ll very quickly become uncomfortable and eventually display this in their behaviour. Adults are a little better at dealing with these emotions, but we all need to be aware of our triggers and work towards controlling them.
Frustration can also be caused by simple curiosity or boredom. Every parent will understand the “but why” question and after providing answers to lots of questions we could find ourselves very frustrated.
We can all display unhelpful behaviours to our partners and children and if we want to deescalate a situation then avoiding the following knee-jerk reaction with your children will help:
Tutting, eye rolling, crossing your arms, letting your child know ‘You’ve made me upset or angry’ – anything that displays your own emotions while ignoring the young person’s can be a bad idea. Your own feelings are (unfortunately) irrelevant to the situation, so as hard as it can be, try to stay neutral. It’ll be easier than trying to pick up the pieces if things go wrong.
In the event of a tantrum then try and remain calm, acknowledge your child’s distress and remove them from the situation allowing them time to calm down.
Afterwards try to come up with a useful activity that you can do together, it is important to ensure that you draw a line under the event and do not fall back into emotional punishment like being withdrawn from them, or mentioning how bad they had been.
If the tantrum has started because of bath time then check our ocean buddies collection to make bath time fun again. We also have a Tikiri Farm and Zoo collection which are all great toys to distract toddlers from potential boredom tantrums and great to play together.
Children need to know that your not holding their behaviour against them, they need to understand that a fresh start is just that and not false start with you later bringing up the behaviour.
We do not know how long this situation will last, so living in such close proximity with your loved ones is going to be tough, but remember they are your loved ones, so no matter what treat them with love and respect, and let go of any negative feelings.
For more information on dealing with toddler tantrums please see the NHS temper tantrums page which also has some useful hints and tips.
If you have any questions or feedback for us we would love to hear from you- please contact us here
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Colloquially referred to as Avurudu in Sinhala or Puthandu in Tamil, the festival marks the New Year for the Sinhalese and Tamil communities on the island. The annual event brings the entire nation together to partake in traditions and games.
The sounds of firecrackers and the rhythms of the rabana (a one-sided traditional drum) fill the streets, waking those who slept through the night to signal the dawn of a new beginning - Aluth Avurudu Udawa. The pealing of the bell accompanied with the beating of drums (hewisi) in the village temple announces the times to perform the different rituals, which involve the following
LIGHTING THE HEARTH
The woman of each household will light the hearth, facing the designated direction (which varies every year). Over its flames they will boil milk in a new earthen pot, allowing it to bubble over in a symbol of prosperity & happiness for the entire family. After this, the traditional new year dish, Kiribath—a rice pudding of sorts—is prepared.
In Hindu households, sweet rice is made with red raw rice, jaggery, ghee, plums and cashew nuts.
BLESSING THE ELDERS
After the meal, children will show respect to their elders by offering them lush sheaves of betel as a blessing. In some areas, the elders return this blessing with money, marking the first financial transaction of the New Year. These rituals bring together generations of Sri Lankans for a cherished time of goodwill and friendship.
LOVING THE NEIGHBOURS
Acts of friendship doesn’t just stay within the family, however. Plates of homemade sweetmeats are exchanged between neighbours, with tradition stating that the plates should not be returned empty. Forgetting any resentments of the previous year and ushering in a new start is the underlying message here.
ANOINTING OIL
Visiting the local temple to receive the anointing is a vital part of the Sri Lankan New Year. It is thought that anointing one from head to toe purifies both mind and body in a similar manner to the New Year’s eve bath. In this ritual, the temple chief stands upon leaves, roots and flowers, and anoints the oil while chanting shloka or gatha.
FOOD
The ‘Avurudu table’ is a colourful, decorative affair consisting of traditional Sri Lankan treats like kavum, mun kavum, kokis, asmee, peni walalu, athirasa, etc. All of this is usually accompanied by a few cups of the nation’s finest beverage; Zesta Ceylon tea, a common addition to the Avurudu table.
The Tikiri toys team is also a family, so every year after the holidays. To mark the start of opening the factory again for a new year of business, we perform the same rituals and we get to enjoy all that lovely food again.
This year is going to be a little different for us all, but we can guarantee that once we are all back together and the factory is open we are going to have an even bigger celebration.
]]>Scholars believe that Easter was named after a festival celebrating Eostre, who was an anglo saxon goddess, and this was a celebration of the coming of spring after winter, it was a pagan festival celebrated long before christianity.
The Easter bunny is said to have been the bird which at one time drew the chariot of the Goddess of Spring and was turned into a hare. Every year however, at the coming of spring the hare remembers, and in commemoration of its original bird nature lays eggs as an offering to Spring.
Eggs symbolise fertility and new life, and the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Persians all used dyed eggs in their spring celebrations. It was only natural that the tradition be incorporated into the Christian holiday, which also focuses on rebirth and renewal.
The first ever chocolate Easter egg in the UK was manufactured in 1873 by J.S Fry & Sons, with Cadbury then producing the modern chocolate Easter egg that we know today in 1875,
We all love a good old cream egg and cadburys make 500 million eggs every year! That’s 600,000 eggs an hour, which equals the weight of three elephants. Eggs-trordinary!
If you piled all the Cadbury Creme Eggs made in one year on top of each other, they’d be 10 times taller than Everest!
In Canada (where they’re very popular), Cadbury Creme Eggs are known as Oeuf-fondant.
Easter egg hunts are a great activity you can take part in, whether you have a garden or not.
Simply hide Easter eggs around the garden or around the house and let the rest of the family get hunting. The aim of the game is to collect more eggs than anyone else.
Or if you live alone, simply by enough eggs for a family and hide them around your own home, you will then never run out of chocolate.
Whatever you do this easter holiday, stay safe, call your loved ones and enjoy this time.
So its the start of another week of lockdown in the UK, normally on a Monday we would be wishing that we were not at work, but this week feels different.
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Lockdown ideas to keep sane.
So its the start of another week of lockdown in the UK, normally we would be wishing that we were not at work but this week feels different.
Our routines are all disrupted our friends are all in isolation as well and our children are climbing the walls.
Here are some tips that we hope will help improve your time at home if you are struggling.
Get Dressed - sounds simple but with nowhere to go and no one to see its easy to sit around all day in your pyjamas. This won’t help your mood so make the effort for yourself and your family.
Create a routine - if you have work to do then make sure you create a space where you can work undisturbed, try and stick to your normal work breaks as this will keep you organised.
If your homeschooling then make timetable and follow that, you can make learning at home creative. So for maths why not bake some cakes, adding ingredients and weighing out is mathematical. Subtraction of how many cakes did mummy eat and how many are left.
Get some fresh air, if you have a garden sit outside, if you have a window open it.
Make sure you keep connected, facetime, Skype, WhatsApp all have video calling If you don’t have these then just pick up the phone to talk to your loved ones, being in isolation is isolating and without human connection we can easily feel down.
Limit the amount of news you listen to in the UK there are daily press briefings and a near constant stream of virus news, so whilst it is important to keep up to date it is also important to switch off.
Entertaining children ideas, get them to create a story, draw a picture, put on a show, practical play is better than electronic play as you are creating something unique and using their imagination.
Learn something new, always wanted to draw, pick up a pencil, got a musical instrument gathering dust, get it out and do some practice.
If all else fails then there is good old hide and seek, with a twist, get your kids to hide and then maybe just forget to seek for a while.
Whatever you do stay safe and be kind.
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Children learn by exploring their environment and this is especially true with the toys they play with. There are several things that attract children to toys and you will notice that certain toys will become favourites.
So what is it that makes toys attractive to children?
Toys that will be the most stimulating to children as they grow will have features that include:
Faces, bright shiny colours, food like items, contrasting colours, textures, noise and lights.
They also love anything that provides potential for climbing, anything they can fit into, make a den from and generally allow for creative play. These are all what we call exploration strategies. This is why toddlers always put things into their mouths. They are learning about the object through mouthing by placing objects into the mouth children are learning all about size and shape. This is why it is so critical for children under the age of three not to be exposed to toys with small parts as these will cause choking hazards.
After the age of three children have been shown to stop this learning strategy and it is therefore fine to introduce more complex toys.
Tikiri Toys are designed specifically to provide rubber teething toys for babies and toddlers to be used as part of their normal everyday development