Birthday
HydrangeasA bouquet of soft toys never wilts and stays around as a keepsake. People give them to children, graduates, new parents or simply as a fun gift. Here is which toys to choose, how to attach them without gluing the fur and how to wrap the bouquet so it looks neat.
Fresh flowers to go with it are in our flowers for kids section.
.jpg)
What goes into the bouquet
- Toys — small, 5–15 cm, in one style or colour scheme. Three to nine are usually enough.
- Fixing — wooden skewers or thick wire, thread and floral tape.
- Fillers — artificial or dried flowers, wrapped sweets, tulle.
- Wrapping — felt, kraft paper, floral film, organza and ribbon.
How to assemble it
- Attach the toys. Push a skewer into the toy through the bottom seam or tie it on with thread, blunt end inwards. Avoid glue on the fur — it will not wash out.
- Wrap the “stems” in floral tape to hide skewers and wire.
- Arrange in a spiral like an ordinary bouquet: larger toys in the centre, smaller ones at the edges, with tulle, flowers or sweets in between.
- Tie at the point where the stems cross and trim the skewer ends.
- Wrap in 2–3 layers of paper or felt and finish with ribbon.
If the bouquet is for a child
- For children under 3, choose toys without small parts and remove skewers and wire before handing a toy to the child.
- Check toy labelling and the quality of the seams.
- Tuck sharp skewer ends into the wrapping and cover them with tape.
Ideas by occasion
- Graduation — toys in gowns and caps, ribbons in school or university colours.
- New baby — pastel soft toys and tulle.
- Birthday — toys with sweets; for sweet fillers see DIY candy bouquet.
- A joke gift for a man — toys with snacks or mini bottles of sauce.
FAQ
Can I add fresh flowers?
You can, but fresh flowers need water and toys need to stay dry. Put fresh flowers in a separate water tube or use dried flowers.
How many toys do I need?
Three to five for a small bouquet, seven to nine or more for a lush one, depending on their size.
View full-size photo
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
