Steggy Linen Dinosaur Toy

Steggy the Stegosaurus — the long, low one, and the only one that lies flat

A hand-finished linen dinosaur, 25cm from nose to tail and only 13cm tall. That shape is the whole point of Steggy: he is the one of the four who lies down rather than standing up, which makes him the one that works on a pram, on a play mat, or beside a baby who is still spending most of the day on their back or their front.

🦕 A row of plates to run a thumb along

The plates down Steggy's back give him something none of the others have — a ridge. Babies find edges and changes of texture long before they find faces, and a line of soft bumps is exactly the sort of thing a hand keeps going back to. It is also what makes him easy to pick up: there is something to hook a finger under.

🧶 Linen, which is not what most baby toys are made of

Most soft toys at this age are synthetic plush. Linen is a different thing in the hand — smooth, dry, with a faint grain to it, and it softens every time it is washed rather than matting the way fur does. It is also why Steggy looks like something a grown-up chose. He sits on a shelf in a way a fluorescent dinosaur does not.

🧩 From birth, and still there at four

Suitable from birth, which for a newborn means something to be shown and held against. From about four months he becomes something to grab, and from around eighteen months he becomes a character in a game — which is when a dinosaur really earns its keep. Hand finished, so no two are quite identical.

What we like about it

• The longest and lowest of the four at 25 x 13 x 6cm — the one that lies flat
• A ridge of plates down the back, which is the most interesting texture in the set
• Linen rather than synthetic plush — softens with washing instead of matting
• Hand finished, so each one has its own character
• Looks like a considered object rather than a toy you hide when guests come
• Suitable from birth and still wanted at four
• No batteries, no sound, nothing to switch off

Specification

• Suitable from: birth
• Size: 25 x 13 x 6cm
• Materials: linen, hand finished
• Safety: UKCA and CE marked
• Care: hand wash only. Do not bleach, do not tumble dry, do not iron
• Designed in: the UK by ThreadBear Design

❓ Frequently asked questions

Linen — is it actually soft enough for a newborn?
It is soft, but it is not fluffy, and it is worth knowing the difference before you buy. Linen is smooth and dry to the touch with a slight grain, where plush is deep and furry. Plenty of babies prefer it — it doesn't cling to a damp face the way synthetic fur does — and it gets softer with every wash rather than going matted and sad. But if you are picturing something fluffy, picture linen instead.

Hand wash only, on a toy for a newborn?
Yes, and that is the honest trade-off for linen. Hand wash only, no bleach, no tumble dry, no iron. In practice that means a bowl of warm water with a little non-bio, a gentle squeeze rather than a wring, and drying flat away from a radiator. Linen dries quickly, so it is less of a chore than it sounds — but if you want something you can throw in the machine at 30, our Nattou cuddly toys are machine washable.

Which of the four is best for a very young baby?
This one. He lies flat rather than standing, so he can be propped next to a baby who can't sit up, and the plates give a hand something to find.

Does he make any noise?
No rattle, no squeaker, no crinkle. He is a quiet toy, which some parents are actively looking for by the third month.

Is he a good gift?
One of the better ones at this price, because he doesn't look like it. Linen and a hand finish read as considered, he is suitable from birth so there is no waiting, and dinosaurs are one of the few themes that carry a child from the cot to primary school.

🦖 Which linen dinosaur?

Four of them, all linen, all hand finished, all from birth. They differ by shape, and the shape is what decides which one suits:

• Steggy the Stegosaurus — this one. 25 x 13 x 6cm. The longest and lowest, so the only one that lies flat. Plates down the back for texture. Best for the youngest babies.
• Bronty the Brontosaurus — 20 x 26 x 6cm. The tall one, and by a long way. The long neck doubles as a handle for carrying him about.
• Trike the Triceratops — 24 x 12 x 7cm. The deepest and so the chunkiest to hold, with three horns to grab.
• T-Rex — 19 x 16 x 6cm. The smallest of the four, which makes him the changing-bag one.

More dinosaurs elsewhere in the shop: the Dino Surprise Puzzle with six eggs to open, Never Touch a Dinosaur! for a touch-and-feel read, and the Happy Stacking Dinosaurs in wood.

See the whole range in our ThreadBear Design collection, or more cuddly toys.

Safety information

Adult supervision recommended. Inspect the seams and stitching regularly and stop using the toy if anything is coming loose.

Our guides to when soft toys and comforters are safe to introduce and the best toys for babies under 6 months go into more detail.

❤️ From our family to yours

Carefully chosen products for babies, toddlers and parents. Browse more cuddly toys and the rest of the ThreadBear Design range — free UK delivery on orders over £25.