London - A cuddly toy designed to overcome children’s darkest fears by “eating” their worries has been named toy of the year.
Children are encouraged to write down or draw a picture of the things that upset them and put them in the Sorgenfresser Worry Eater’s mouth, which is then zipped shut.
The idea is that this allows them to put anxieties, such as a recurring nightmare, behind them without the embarrassment or fear that may be associated with talking things through with a parent.
Liat Hughes Joshi, author of Raising Children: The Primary Years, said the German toys genuinely help youngsters who find it hard to talk about their problems. They allow a parent to retrieve their child’s notes and even leave a reply. The Worry Eaters, which sell for £15 to £25 (about R300 to R450), won first place in the Editor’s Choice awards at London’s Toy Fair this week. - Daily Mail