ALEX Toys Loopies

ALEX Toys Loopies

How do you make the perfect stuffed animal? You make your own — from start to finish — with Loopies, from Alex Toys!

Each box includes a pre-sewn plush pillow “base,” chenille yarn, felt details, and a hook tool that kids can use to create an adorable DIY panda, unicorn, penguin, lion, dog, cat, or butterfly.

The front side of the plush base has a mesh overlay, which kids will stuff with the super-soft, fluffy yarn. The yarn comes in different colors, so kids should be strategic with where they place the colors before starting to pull the loops through the mesh to make the finished product look more like the animal it’s supposed to represent. Or don’t — because there’s nothing wrong with a little creativity to showcase arts and crafts at its finest.

ALEX Toys Loopies

Kids can then place the felt pieces in the appropriate spots (for example, the panda comes with a face and two arms), and use the hook tool to pull the yarn through the holes on the felt to hold the felt in place. The felt pieces will give the Loopies some personality as they start to transform from a blank pillow into a character.

Once the felt is secure, kids can go all out pulling loops of yarn through each individual hole in the mesh overlay until the entire front of the plush animal is covered in soft tufts of yarn. The loops of yarn resemble fur, and they give the plush pillows some texture and fluff. Let’s be honest, a fluffy plush animal > a lumpy, limp plush animal.

I found that it works best when you take it slow and are very deliberate with your hook tool. I kept getting it stuck on the mesh, especially when trying to pull the yarn through the holes in the felt. It’s designed for kids ages 7 and up, so younger kids might get frustrated if they don’t go slowly, but crafty kids will find it right up their alley.

It takes a little bit of time to complete since kids have to craft it one step at a time, which makes it a great travel toy. Kids can take it on long car rides or plane rides, and it will keep them occupied without making any mess at all since there are no small parts.

When the project is complete, kids can use it as a pillow or room decor, or they can engage in imaginative play with their new furry friend.

About the author

Jackie Cucco

Jackie Cucco

Jackie Cucco was a Senior Editor of The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider. She covered toy trends, pop culture, and entertainment news, and made appearances on national and regional outlets, including CBS, WPIX, News 12, and more. Jackie spends her time watching horror movies and working her way through every Stephen King novel out there.

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