Mary Meyer Baby Toys: Best Picks for Newborns & Toddlers

Why Mary Meyer Is the Gold Standard for Baby's First Toys

Mary Meyer makes the best first toys for babies and toddlers because the brand combines decades of craftsmanship with materials that are genuinely soft, thoughtfully designed, and built to become cherished keepsakes. Founded in 1933 in Townshend, Vermont, Mary Meyer began as a small family operation stitching stuffed animals by hand. Nearly a century later, the company remains family-owned and still holds itself to the same standard: every piece should feel like it was made with care for a specific child.

That heritage matters when you are standing in a boutique in Evans, Georgia, trying to decide what to put in a baby's hands for the very first time. Mass-market toys are everywhere. What is harder to find is a toy with genuine softness, a rattle that sounds gentle rather than jarring, and a teether that a pediatric-minded parent can hand over without hesitation. Mary Meyer delivers all three, and Cuddles and Carriages is proud to carry their pieces in the Augusta area.

The Two Mary Meyer Pieces We Carry — and Why We Chose Them

We do not fill our shelves to impress. We fill them to solve real problems for real families. Here is a close look at each Mary Meyer piece currently in our shop and the moment it was made for.

14" Fabfuzz Checkers Stegosaurus — The Plush That Earns a Permanent Spot in the Crib

The 14" Fabfuzz Checkers Stegosaurus is a stuffed animal that earns its place. At fourteen inches, it is the right size for a toddler to tuck under an arm, drag across a hardwood floor, and still fit neatly into a diaper bag on a day trip to Riverview Park. The Fabfuzz line from Mary Meyer is defined by its signature textured fabric — a looped, plush construction that is irresistibly tactile without being scratchy or stiff. Run your fingers across it once and you understand immediately why babies reach for it and do not let go.

The checkers pattern gives this stegosaurus a playful, modern look that feels at home in a curated nursery without being fussy. The dinosaur silhouette is friendly and approachable — rounded plates along the back, a gentle expression, no sharp angles. This is the kind of stuffed animal that photographs beautifully in a nursery flat lay and then gets absolutely loved to pieces over the next three years. That is exactly what it is designed for.

It makes an exceptional gift for a first birthday, a baby shower, or any occasion where you want to give something that will genuinely be used and remembered. Parents in the Augusta area who have come through our doors looking for a plush that is a step above the big-box options consistently leave with this one.

5" Sweet Soothie Ice Cream Teether Rattle — The Toy That Does Three Jobs at Once

The 5" Sweet Soothie Ice Cream Teether Rattle is the rare baby product that genuinely earns every inch of shelf space. At five inches, it fits perfectly in a baby's grip — small enough to hold, substantial enough to shake. The outside is soft plush shaped like an ice cream cone, which makes it seasonally perfect for summer and visually delightful year-round. The silicone teether on the outside gives sore gums something safe and satisfying to press against, and the rattle inside provides the kind of gentle, engaging sound that captures a baby's attention without startling them.

Mary Meyer designed this piece to coordinate with their best-selling Sweet Soothie blanket line, which means if someone in your family already has a Sweet Soothie lovey, this teether rattle makes a natural companion gift. It is BPA-free, PVC-free, and phthalate-free — the three markers that matter most when a product is going directly into a baby's mouth. You do not have to wonder. The answer is already yes.

For new parents navigating the teething stage for the first time, this is the piece we reach for first. It soothes, it stimulates, and it makes a baby smile. In Evans, Georgia, where summers are long and hot and babies are fussy, that combination is worth its weight in gold.

How to Choose the Right Mary Meyer Toy for Your Baby's Stage

Not every toy is right for every age, and the best gift is always the one that meets a child exactly where they are. Use this guide to match the right Mary Meyer piece to the right developmental moment.

What to Look for When Buying Baby Plush and Teethers

Shopping for a baby's first toys feels simple until you are standing in an aisle trying to decode material labels and safety certifications. Here is what actually matters — and why Mary Meyer checks every box.

Fabric Quality and Texture

The fabric on a stuffed animal is the first thing a baby experiences. Look for plush that is dense enough to hold its shape through repeated washing but soft enough to feel gentle against a newborn's cheek. Mary Meyer's Fabfuzz construction delivers both: the looped texture is tactile and engaging for developing hands, and the overall softness is the kind you notice immediately when you pick it up.

Size and Grip-Ability

A toy that is too large becomes a prop. A toy that is too small becomes a hazard. The five-inch teether rattle is sized for infant hands from the very first weeks. The fourteen-inch stegosaurus is sized for the toddler who wants a companion, not just a toy. Both are deliberate choices, not accidents of production.

Material Safety for Teethers

When a product goes in a baby's mouth — and it will — the only acceptable answer is that it is free of BPA, PVC, and phthalates. The Sweet Soothie Teether Rattle meets all three standards. Do not accept anything less.

Washability

A baby toy that cannot survive a washing machine is a toy that will be thrown away. Mary Meyer plush is designed to be laundered, which means the Stegosaurus can go through the wash after a week at the beach or a particularly enthusiastic snack time and come out looking like itself. That longevity is part of what makes these pieces worth giving as gifts.

Heritage and Brand Accountability

A family-owned company that has been making toys since 1933 has a reputation to protect. Mary Meyer does not cut corners because their name has meant something for nearly a century. That accountability is invisible until you hold one of their products — and then it is the only thing you notice.

Mary Meyer as a Gift: A Southern Grandmother's Secret Weapon

In the Augusta area, we see a particular kind of shopper come through Cuddles and Carriages: the grandmother who wants to give something that will matter. Not something that will be opened and set aside. Something that will be carried to church, dragged to Sunday dinner, and still be on the bed when the child is five. Mary Meyer is that gift.

The Fabfuzz Stegosaurus has the kind of presence that photographs beautifully in a baby announcement and then earns its place as a genuine comfort object. The Sweet Soothie Teether Rattle is the gift that new parents reach for at two in the afternoon when a baby is fussy and nothing else is working. Both are the kind of thoughtful, quality-forward choices that reflect well on the giver and genuinely serve the family receiving them.

If you are shopping for a baby shower, a first birthday, or simply a Tuesday in July when a child needs something new and wonderful, Mary Meyer is the answer you were looking for.

Shop Mary Meyer at Cuddles and Carriages in Evans, GA

Cuddles and Carriages is Evans, Georgia's heritage Southern children's boutique, opened by Holly and Noah McBride to bring genuinely curated, quality-first baby and children's goods to the greater Augusta area. We carry the Fabfuzz Checkers Stegosaurus and the Sweet Soothie Ice Cream Teether Rattle because we believe every child in this community deserves toys that are made with care, built to last, and worthy of becoming a memory. Stop in and see us — we would love to help you find exactly the right thing.

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