$29.99
Warmies
Tested and reviewed: the best weighted stuffed animals for kids and adults
According to experts, they have calming benefits similar to those of weighted blankets.
One of the most popular weighted stuffed animals brands, Warmies offers dozens of weighted stuffed animals in various sizes, weights, styles and characters. For example, Warmies has a weighted elephant, frog, cat and more. The brand also offers a junior line, which includes smaller weighted stuffed animals that could be a good option for younger kids. Each stuffed animal is filled with flaxseed and dried lavender to promote relaxation, according to the brand. You can also place them in the microwave and freezer.
NBC Select contributing editor Bethany Heitman bought one Warmie’s junior rainbow dinosaur for her 4-year-old daughter to use before bed. “If my daughter is having a hard time settling down for the night, I’ll pop this dinosaur — she’s named it Sparkles — in the microwave for a few minutes,” says Heitman. “Then, she snuggles with it while we do story time and she almost instantly calms down.”
Bearaby’s weighted stuffed animals are available in five characters — Cody Cow, Daisy Dino, Darcy Dog, Elli Elephant and Suzy Sloth. Each one is filled with a biodegradable material called terraclay and is covered in a cotton knit fabric. Each weighted stuffed animal has large, plush, extra heavy paws that you can squeeze like a stress ball. One thing that makes this weighted stuffed animal unique is that it is machine-washable.
Bearaby sent Rebecca Rodriguez, NBC Select editorial projects manager, one of its weighted stuffed animals to try earlier this year. “I sleep with Cody Cow every night, and when I take naps on the couch, I bring him to the living room from my bedroom,” she says. “He’s the perfect size to wrap my arms around and he makes me feel calmer because the weight against my chest feels like a hug.” Rodriguez also appreciates that the weighted stuffed animal is on the firmer side so it supports her head if she rests against it.
Hugimals’ weighted stuffed animals have a removable pouch of non-toxic glass beads that give it heft. You can easily remove the pouch and machine wash the plush cover whenever you need to. In addition to Darby the Bear, Hugimals sells other weighted stuffed animals like Charlie the Puppy, Frankie the Cat and Harper the Pig. They also have a newer option called a Hugaround, which has long, weighted arms that you can wrap around you to mimic the feeling of a hug. The brand sent me the koala to test and I was impressed by its overall construction. It’s plush enough to feel cozy, yet firm enough to sit up on its own. The fabric exterior is soft against my skin, too. At 4.5 pounds, I felt light pressure on my legs when I placed the weighted stuffed animal on my lap, but it would still be manageable for kids to tote around.
The weight of this pink axolotl is distributed across six zones, so it offers even pressure no matter how you hug or snuggle with it. The stuffed animal is filled with glass beads that don’t make any sound as they move, according to the brand. Because of the heavier weight, it may not be suitable for small children.
Feel silly snuggling up with a stuffed animal? Bearaby’s Hugget — a Select Wellness Award winner — provides a nice alternative. I own one and hug it whenever I’m lounging on the couch, plus I keep it out in my living room at all times because its knot design doubles as a piece of home decor. The weighted pillow is made from Melofoam, a plant-based material, and is covered in an organic cotton fabric. Bearaby’s Huggets are also approved by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). It is also available in two sizes — medium or large.
Best budget weighted stuffed animal
This weighted stuffed turtle weighs 4.5 pounds and is filled with small beads. The brand also makes smaller animals that weigh a pound, which is a good choice for young children and larger animals that weigh five pounds. The animals are machine washable and can be placed outside in the sun to dry, according to the brand.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I am a reporter at NBC Select who writes about a range of wellness topics, including stories on wedge pillows, anti-snoring devices, slippers, sleep masks and sunrise alarm clocks. For this article, I interviewed two experts about weighted stuffed animals and rounded up highly rated options, as well as those NBC Select staff tested.
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