For many babies, it takes time and effort to build a positive sleep association with bedtime. Riff Raff Sleep Toys are great for reinforcing these sleep associations with their comforting presence, their vivid colours, ultrasoft feel, and relaxing sounds, but you can’t expect the magic to happen overnight. Luckily, we’ve put together some tips on how you can effectively introduce a sleep toy to a baby.

No other changes

One of the best ways to wean your baby off constant external comfort is by frequently introducing a new character in their life that can offer that same comfort. Ensure you don’t introduce other changes so they can focus on this new friend! During quiet bonding moments, such as rocking them during feedings, subtly lay the baby sleep toy next to your little one; you can even let them hold it. Our Riff Raff sleep toys are designed with an ultrasoft polyester blanket body that just gives that warm snuggly feeling! Gradually, you can increase their interaction by inserting their dummy into our Riff Raff toy’s designated dummy locator strap – no more lost dummies! Plus, your baby will always want this adorable plush toy by their side for all the comfort it can provide.

Make it memorable

Aside from keeping the consistency, these introductions should be a memorable bedtime affair – that means calming bedtime stories and soothing goodnight phrases, or even a musical sleep toy! These are all golden opportunities for a baby sleep toy to be involved in. Good thing Riff Raff sleep toys all come with a sound box that has two built-in soothing sounds: (1) white noise with a heartbeat to mask out disturbing noises as they fall into a deep slumber, or (2) a sweet lullaby that you can trigger after a bedtime story about their favourite pal! Keep this routine up, and your baby is sure to have something to look forward to every night so there will be no fussing as you start tucking them into bed.

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast

Though getting your baby used to the idea of a baby sleep toy may take some time, it’s important to remember that you’re equipping your little one with a valuable skill that’s beneficial not just for the baby but for the entire family. Done right, and the desired effects could fall much smoothly in a shorter time than you’d expect.