Stuffed animals have the unique power to remind us of our childhood and spark the inner child in all of us. When you see a cute little stuffed animal you can’t help but smile and coo over it like it was your own child! Here are some tips to choose, buy and care for stuffed animals that will bring out the cute in all of us!

I don’t understand their appeal

I’m a grown adult and I don’t understand why so many people, young and old, collect stuffed animals. This is especially true for Japanese people; Japanese culture has long held cuteness (kawaii) as one of its most important values, but even I can only see these little critters as cute until they’ve been around for a day or two—after that, they just become a giant ball of fur that needs to be cleaned. Why do people need their own tiny pets? In fact, it would make far more sense if we collected adult-sized stuffed animals; those could sit on our couches and chairs without feeling awkward.

My Own Childhood Toys

While I am not a ‘stuffed animal’ kind of guy, my childhood toys were…very Japanese. I had many a Peanuts figurine, but also Pokémon and My Heart Teddy, who are both very kawaii. And while I’m far from a kid anymore, there is something universally cute about stuffed animals and cute characters that crosses cultures and even generations. Kids today still love their stuffed animals; it’s one way they can take some control over a life that grows increasingly chaotic with school assignments and extra activities. But stuffed animals can be great for adults too! Research suggests that viewing cute things like kittens or bunnies makes people relax after a stressful day and helps relieve stress overall.

I thought they were cute as a kid

I remember taking my beanie babies out with me, and I didn’t think twice about it. I still have a box full somewhere; but as we grow older, maybe cute isn’t something we go for so often—the cool kid persona takes over and cute is out. But if you need a quick pick-me-up that reminds you what cute is all about, then check out kawaii merchandise at My Heart Teddy Goods; they offer everything from clothing to jewelry to home decor featuring your favorite characters. Get cozy with your stuffed animals again and realize just how cute they make life!

But there is something magical about them

People love cute stuffed animals, no matter how old they are or what their culture is. Indeed, one of our core emotions—curiosity—is largely defined by an insatiable desire to figure out what’s cute and what isn’t. It makes sense then that some of our most popular toys can be described as cute. As a result, toy sales have risen dramatically since 1961. By 2015, U.S. consumers spent $28 billion on toys and if you think about it from a neurological perspective, it makes sense because there’s a direct link between experiences that cause us to feel pleasure and those that activate reward centers in our brains (like seeing something adorable). Our brains respond with surges of dopamine when we see something cute.

Why does it matter?

It matters because there is an entire market for kawaii merchandise, a Kawaii Store that sells only cute stuffed animals and all it takes is one look at a photo of a pink bunny to make you smile. You may think that you can live without all these cute things, but now that we’ve seen them we don’t want to imagine a world without them!