Dream Team Pets are just one of a number of children’s toys that have a story behind them and that bridges reading time with a stuffed animal, and that attempts to make establishing a bedtime routine more easy. But how well do kids like these, and are they parent-approved?
Overview
Bedtime can be a real hassle for many parents, and if you’ve noticed that your child is having trouble settling down, or is afraid of the dark, scared to sleep on their own, or generally just doesn’t like calling it a night, you’ve probably racked your brain trying to think of ways to get them to go to sleep. This product would provide both a story to read to them, and then a character that’s in the story so that they can feel like they’re secure and have something to hold on to during the night.
The Claim
The creators of Dream Team Pets say that you’re providing a feeling of security and comfort to your child by positioning the stuffed animal as a sort of nighttime guardian over them. They are able to “train” the pet by giving them an award in the morning for watching over them the night before.
The Hype
We all want what’s best for our kids, and it can be hard to watch them struggle with sleeping on their own. You have to watch out though because some companies will use this strong desire to help sell a product. In this case they are really driving it home that this will make your child feel more protected and safe. At the same time each child is different and will respond on their own way to it, so there’s no real guarantee of success here.
The Cost
You get your choice of Dream Team Pets for $27 delivered to your door. This includes the story book that goes with them, as well as the sticker pack and reward book so that your child can make sure that they’re properly trained. They also have a deal on all 3 that they offer, the cat, lion, and puppy for $60, so you’re essentially saving $21 by not paying for shipping.
The Commitment
This is going to take some involvement on your part, as it’s not a toy that you can just hand to your child and let them do the rest. You’ll have to present the concept to them, and show them that the character is the same on that is in the story book. Let them know that the pet will be watching over them while they sleep, and if they do a good job and everything goes well throughout the night they should give them a gold sticker the next day. Most kids will like being put in the authoritative role of sticker-giver, because most times it is the child earning the gold star.
Evaluation
The Dream Team Pets idea is a good one, and they’ve followed through with cute stuffed animals and books that aren’t simply chintzy stories. The whole thing has a purpose, and many kids will like that they have a tangible product that’s linked to the book, almost as if their toy has a backstory. The quality of the actual plush animal is good, and for the price you get everything that’s needed to use it as intended.
When you consider your other options you’ll find that there isn’t really anything that addresses all areas of bedtime problems the way this does. First you want to be able to establish a routine, and having a recognizable product that signals bedtime is helpful in switching your child over into bedtime mode. Also, reading a story to them is a time-tested way to calm them down, and since the story is all about sleeping and nighttime it subconsciously gets them ready for sleep and they’ll likely start to yawn. Lastly, it gives them something to hold onto after you leave the room so they don’t feel like it’s just them all alone in the room. Other stuffed animals provide the same effect, but this one has a special mission as established by the story book.
Final Dream Team Pets Review
The Dream Team Pets concept is a solid one, and it’s getting our Thumbs Up rating for originality and follow through. The price is also a good one, set at a point that many stuffed animals are sold at but including all of the accessories needed to make a convincing case that the toy has a special purpose. Be sure that you set time aside to introduce your child to this properly if you want the best chance of success. Overall, it is our determination that most kids will respond well to this, at least until they grow out of it.
What parents have to go through to get their kids to go to bed each night? I never had to purchase a stuffed animal to persuade my child to go to bed. :Bedtime should be easy. You should be able to read a story, say their prayer and go to sleep, but now kids demand all type of silly routines. My niece has to do so many silly things to get her 4 year old to go to bed. There is no way I would do any of this especially purchasing a $30 stuffed animal and book. There are plenty of stories you can share with your child that you can remember growing up that is totally free. I think it is a waste of money.
I agree that it seems like more hype than is necessary in a stuffed animal. The point of stuffed animals is to pretend they are real, even though kids obviously know they aren’t. Stories like Toy Story kind of make kids wonder if they are secretly real, though. When I was a kid, I always pretended my stuffed animals were there and would be with me through the night, and I did believe it a little bit.
What’s best about this, I think, is that you have a stuffed animal that is like the character in the book, and that it’s all related to bedtime, but I feel like it’s a little overpriced, and the idea that the animals are protecting them and need to be rewarded is going a little far. Maybe really little kids would like it, but it seems like the window in age where kids would understand and believe it is very small. But maybe it’s the same time frame for kids to learn to sleep on their own. I’m a bit skeptical, but whatever works for your child is good to try. I probably would have been one of the kids to believe and love this, actually. My brother, who was the one who never went to bed well, probably wouldn’t have. It’s individual.
My younger brother had a similar stuffed animal when we were growing up. Having a story attached to the pet does make it a little more special to the child so I can understand the certificate and the sticker and the accompanying book. The easier and possibly cheaper route may be to simply buy a random stuffed animal from the dollar store and create a story to go along with it. Children merely want to feel safe at night and this can easily happen with Dream Team Pets or will the stuffed dog you creatively named “Rover.” Either way, the Dream Team Pets is an overall great idea.