Meet The New Brand - MiYim

It's been awhile since we've had a Meet The New Brand post, and today we're pleased to introduce you to MiYim, an organic toy line that you can feel good about!

MiYim is part of Greenpoint Brands, which "provides safe, healthier and well-designed products... Our eco-friendly playthings are made in a socially responsible manner that honors our commitment to the loved ones and the environment," according to their website.

Not only are  the MiYim toys eco-friendly, they're also adorable and just look like they're inviting kids to snuggle with them, don't you think?

Victoria Plush Bunny & Fred The Storybook Monkey

Jane Goodall Plush Gorilla & Good Earth Fairy

And how fun are these fruit and veggies crib and stroller clips? 

Strawberry, peas & corn clips

MiYim also has a few familiar faces in their toy collection...

Cat In The Hat & Minnie Mouse

Visit our MiYim page on the Jungle Store website to see all of their sweet, green products, including musical pull toys, blankets, teethers and more!

It's Raining Cats & Dogs... And Halloween Fun

Inspired by the success of our "Lions, tigers and bears" costume post, we went in search on another easy, fun DIY Halloween costume idea for our readers. And we found it (on Pinterest of course)! Check out this cute getup:

It's raining cats and dogs! How fun is that? And The Jungle Store has everything, every single piece, that you'll need to recreate this look.

We have all breeds of stuffed dogs available, from Australian Shepherds to Yorkshire Terriers.

And the same goes for our selection of stuffed cats. We have black, white, orange and grey cats, as well as calico and tabby cats.

And we even have matching sets of rain boots, rain coats and umbrellas, all from the wonderful brand Stephen Joseph.

What do you think of this Halloween costume idea, readers? If you decide to do it, please send us pictures!

Real Animals With Their Stuffed Counterparts

Of all the pictures we see on Pinterest, some of our favorites are always the pictures of real animals with their stuffed twins. We can't help but say "Awwww!" when we see one of these images, so we decided to round up some of the best and share them with you!

Want to see even more of this adorableness? Then visit our "Animals, Real & Stuffed" board on Pinterest!

Imagination & Knowledge

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" ~Albert Einstein

This quote from Albert Einstein is sure to cause some discussion among our readers – is imagination MORE important than knowledge, or is it JUST as important? We’re not going to entertain the question of whether imagination is less important than knowledge, because we believe imagination is an integral part of a child’s development and education.

And yes, we are biased, considering we sell items that are made to foster children’s imaginations and creativity. And proudly so! We love the fact that the stuffed animals and figurines and puppets in our store are things that take kids on magical adventures, whether it be jungle safaris or animal tea parties or dinosaur hunting.

For some new, fun ways your kids can foster their imagination by playing with stuffed animals and toys, take a look at this post and this post!

PS, this awesome imagination illustration is for sale here!

It's A Jungle Store Christmas In July

When the heat gets to above 100, and everyone is sunburned and tired of sweating just going from the house to the car, it's nice to think about cooler times ahead. Like Christmas! Even though we're still 5 months away from Christmas Day, isn't it fun to think about decorating the tree, putting up lights and wrapping presents?

And speaking of presents, check our some of our favorite Christmas-themed items! We have everything from stuffed animals to ornaments to Christsmas decor! Which one will you put on your wish list?

Green & Red Candy Cane Hello Kitty 

My First Christmas & Santa Baby Onesies

Herald The Reindeer & Twigs The Snowman Beany Babies

Red & White Christmas Angry Birds

Bram The Christmas Bear & Santa Cocker Spaniel

Zebra Stocking & Polar Bear Snow Globe

 Cow & Deer Ornaments

And these are just a handful of the great Christmas items we have! Visit our site to see our full selection of stockings, ornaments and Christmas gifts.

The Best Toy Brands For Stuffed Dogs

We're always happy to see the brands we carry get recognition. It just reinforces that the brands we love are well-loved by others as well! A recent post from Dogster.com features some of the "most adorable and realistic" stuffed dogs and guess what? Several of the selections are some of our biggest brands available at The Jungle Store!

Melissa & Doug

Dogster.com says: "Melissa & Doug are a toy-designing couple whose company produces an impressively broad range of canine likenesses, from Beagle (shown) to Border Collie, Basset Hound to Boxer. M&D get extra credit for creating a cuddly stuffed Rottweiler (shown), a lovely breed that isn't always perceived as cuddly."

JooJoo

Dogster.com says: "For little kids who are irresistibly drawn to big dogs, the gift of an oversize (60-inch) plush canine is just the ticket. JooJoo's Jumbo Bernese Mountain Dog ($89.95) was created to stay permanently in the "relaxed" position (i.e., lying down,reclined to resemble a cross between a rug and a pillow) and is extremely soft with friendly features. This dog also conveniently doubles as a neck and back rest, offering support to little ones reading their favorite comic books (or least-loved school books)."

 Gund

Dogster.com says: "Gund has been making what it modestly calls the "world's most huggable" stuffed animals since 1898. Among its offerings are a cute white-and-brown mutt puppy named Daisi Daisy Dog ($18), and a convincing likeness of a famous Pomeranian named Boo ($20, shown), aka the fluffy Facebook phenomenon billed as "The World's Cutest Dog." In this case, the stuffed dog looks arguably more realistic than the too-cute, flesh-and-blood canine it's modeled on!"

Webkinz

Dogster.com says: "Advocates of shelter dog adoption will be pleased to know that Webkinz uses highly evolved lingo -- when you acquire one of its plush dogs, you "adopt" (nice). Plus, profits help support Webkinz Foundation, a charitable organization focused on supporting programs for children worldwide. The Shar Pei ($29.99) sports just the right wrinkle ratio, while the Bull Terrier ($49.95) will score a bullseye with fans of bully breeds."

Want to see what other brands Dogster.com recommended? Click here for the full blog post!

The Fennec What?

Let’s play a guessing game. What type of animal do you think this cute little guy is? A large-eared Chihuahua? A mini hyena? Maybe some kind of exotic cat?

The correct answer is: fox. Fennec fox to be specific. Characterized by their noticeably large and pointed ears, fennec foxes are most commonly found in the Central Sahara desert. They are nocturnal animals, hunting for rodents, insects, birds and bird eggs. They also eat a lot of vegetation, a good source of water for them in the desert.

Fennec foxes are one of the few wild animals that can be easily domesticated, partly due to their their small size (smaller than most housecats) and their friendly nature. However, they have a very high energy level and some habits, like storing food in case of feminine and trying to burrow into furniture, which can cause problems.

Want a cute little fennec fox of your own, but afraid your household couldn’t handle that kind of pet? The Jungle Store has this sweet little stuffed fennec fox from Wild Republic! He won't tear apart your couch cushions, and he's just $13.99!

Easter Basket Gift Ideas

Looking for some fun treats to fill those Easter baskets? No need to search any further - The Jungle Store has everything you need for Easter. Check out some of our selection below!

From top left: Webkinz Lamb, Green Hello Kitty Beanie, Lil' Lamb Baby Costume, Lana The Flopsie Lamb, Plush Duckling Hand Puppet, Striped Easter Basket

From top left: Lil' Chickie Baby Costume, Plush Baby Rabbit Puppet, Fleecie Lamb, Duck Puppet, Yellow Hello Kitty Basket Beanie, Fleecia The Lamb Beanie

From top left: Cheery Cheeks Sunny Bunny, Lovely Baby Lamb, Chick Bell Bottoms, Plush Polka Dot Basket, Webkinz Blue Bunny, Quack Quack Duck

And these are just a few of the great Easter gifts that we have available. Visit TheJungleStore.com to see our entire selection of rabbits, lambs, chicks and other animals!

Top Jungle Store Christmas Gifts for 2011

Once again that time of year is upon us to make sure we get all the right gifts for everyone on our Christmas lists. Our friends at the Jungle Store have put together a list of some of the hottest animal-themed Christmas gifts for 2011 so you're sure to bring plenty of cheer this holiday season!

The Jungle Store Makes Extreme Home Makeover

If you're an Extreme Home Makeover fan, watch it this Sunday, Oct. 4 because some of The Jungle Store products will make an appearance. The Jungle Store donated several stuffed animals for an Ash Grove, Mo. family's animal-themed child's room. And the makeover is finally done, so don't forget to check out this often tear-inducing show, which airs every Sunday at 8:00 (7:00 Central Standard Time).

Photo: A rebuilt home made by the Extreme Home Makeover crew on the show's latest episode. (Taken from ABC.com)