Ikea Soft Toys For Education

I grew up within miles of an Ikea, so moving to Maine was a bit of a shock. No flatpack furniture, no cheap but stylish sofa, no awesome kids section, no meatballs! When I had my son back in 2009, a college friend who shared my love of Swedish design sent him one of his first soft toys; a giraffe in a strawberry car from Ikea. Strawberry Giraffe, as he was affectionately called, was soon a staple in our playtime regimen. Sadly he faded out as my son discovered real cars and solid food, but he will always have a place in my heart.

This year, Ikea is once more holding its Soft Toys For Education campaign. Between November 1^st and December 24^th, about $1.35 from every Ikea soft toy sale will go to Save the Children and UNICEF, to aid their efforts “to help realize every child’s right to a quality education.” One of the things I have always enjoyed about Ikea is that you can spend a dollar, or a couple of hundred dollars, on what it is you want. The same holds true for their soft toy collection: you can spend 49 cents or $19.99. It’s a great place to take a toddler because buying something to keep them quiet (not that I do that, no not me) doesn’t break the bank. It’s also a great way to teach your child about giving. They get a toy and that purchase helps children in other countries. When I was a child my mom and I would routinely go through toys and take them to the children’s ward at the local hospital. Ikea’s campaign gives parents a chance to share that sentiment on a global scale. You don’t even have to live near an Ikea; these toys can be purchased online. Perhaps as a class gift, a toy and a note that says your gift helped a child somewhere in the world.

In 2010 the campaign raised over $15 million. By the end of 2015 it is estimated that Ikea social projects, in conjunction with Save the Children andUNICEF, of which this is one, will have benefited 100 million children.