2. KNOWLEDGE, Baby toys
What is a baby carriage chain?
A baby carriage chain belongs to the baby carriage like a music box belongs to the crib or a mobile belongs to the changing table.
Attached to the back of the car seat, the baby carriage chain is an ideal entertainment toy, especially when out and about in the baby carriage or in the car, and can be used to train baby’s senses in a playful way or to distract and calm your little one so that they don’t get scared in the first place.
What is a baby carriage chain?
In its original form, a baby carriage chain is a string that is attached to the front end of the baby carriage deck on both sides, similar to a garland, and on which colorful elements are strung to entertain the baby. This can be seen very clearly in the cover photo.
Over time, however, baby carriage chains have evolved in terms of their design and function, so that today they can be found in a variety of versions.
While the basic version with wooden figures continues to enjoy great popularity, there are now also pram chains with plastic figures or with padded fabric figures and other functions such as baby mirrors and crackling paper, which stimulate the baby’s senses.
What functions does a baby carriage chain have?
With its bright colors, interesting figures, effects and sounds, the chain entertains your child and encourages their development in a playful way.
This can happen during a stroll in the baby carriage, but also when your child is in the crib or Maxicosi during a car or train journey or on an airplane.
Depending on the design and variety of functions, the chain promotes your baby’s visual and acoustic perception as well as their mobility and cognitive development.
Baby carriage chain in “use”, here using the example of the model“Crocheted baby carriage chain elephant JUMBO in blue” by SindiBaba (item no. 12325).
With its bright colors, interesting figures, effects and sounds, the chain entertains your child and encourages their development in a playful way.
This can happen during a stroll in the baby carriage, but also when your child is in the crib or Maxicosi during a car or train journey or on an airplane.
Depending on the design and variety of functions, the chain promotes your baby’s visual and acoustic perception as well as their mobility and cognitive development.
Visual perception
In contrast to vision, visual perception enables your child to combine and process information relating to sight, hearing, touch, smell and balance.
When your child sees an object, they interpret it visually and learn from what they experience.
The bright colors of the pram chain with many elements to play with, feel and discover contribute to the development of your baby’s visual perception.
Acoustic perception
In contrast to hearing, acoustic perception enables your child to interpret sounds and create a clear impression.
Good listening skills enable your child to distinguish between different pitches, volumes, rhythms and sources of sounds and words, which offers significant advantages for learning to read, among other things.
The gentle rattling and crackling sounds from the figures in the baby carriage chain contribute to the development of your baby’s acoustic perception.
Mobility
Most babies can roll over after about five months, some as young as three months.
You can encourage your baby to do this by giving them plenty of time to practice and hanging a small toy out of their reach that they can stretch to reach.
The interesting elements and colors will encourage your baby to reach for it and help develop their mobility.
Cognitive development
Cognitive ability is how your child thinks and explores the things around them to understand the world around them.
Placing toys in his field of vision but out of his reach is one of many ways to encourage your baby’s cognitive development.
Pram chains
Pram chains
For what age are baby carriage chains useful?
Baby carriage chains with soft figures such as soft toys can be used right from birth.
Due to the risk of impact in the newborn’s sensitive throat and the resulting risk of suffocation due to vomiting, you should wait until the baby is three months old before using baby carriage chains with larger (>3.2 cm) solid wooden and plastic figures.
Similar to mobiles, which are also hung out of your baby’s reach, you can encourage your baby with the help of a baby carriage chain just a few days after birth.
Although your baby is only able to perceive color nuances at two to three months, it can already perceive contrasts at birth.
Hearing is even present in the womb and develops quickly after birth.
At nine to twelve months, babies are usually so big and mobile that a baby carriage chain is no longer a challenge for them – at least not in the baby carriage.
For latecomers, mobility can be improved even after their first birthday if the pram chain is placed out of reach in the crib or in front of the car seat.
- Age recommendation for baby carriage chains with soft figures: 0 – 12 months.
- Age recommendation for baby carriage chains with hard figures made of wood and plastic: 3 – 12 months.
Pram chains
Pram chains
DOLLY the sheep
Safety & quality – CE mark
Legislation
Even if the baby carriage chain is hung up out of the child’s reach as intended, its shape and interesting colors, effects and figures give it a “play value” that encourages the baby to play.
It is therefore classified as a toy and falls within the scope of the EU Toy Safety Directive.
Among other things, it specifies how the toy must be designed to prevent dangers such as strangulation – caused by the long chain cord – and suffocation – caused by small parts that can be pushed into the throat or swallowed.
Certain substances that have a toxic effect on the child are also prohibited. As an external sign of compliance with European standards, every toy – including every baby carriage chain – that is placed on the market in Europe must bear the CE mark. This label is mandatory in Europe!
It documents compliance with the legal requirements.
Unsafe products in online retail
With the ever-growing popularity of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) marketplaces (Etsy, Amazon-Handmade, Palundu, Selekkt, etc.) and the increasing desire of end consumers to customize the product to their own wishes, the risk of non-compliant products entering the market is also increasing, as the market surveillance authorities do not have the necessary capacity to check the abundance of suppliers and product variations.
Variants of the baby carriage chain
In its original design as a simple cord with strings of wooden elements and fastening clips, the baby carriage chain is almost impossible to find today.
They are now available in a variety of colors, elements, materials, effects and customizations.
Baby in the baby carriage with two modern versions of the baby carriage chain:
- Activity spiral: An activity spiral is wrapped around the handlebars.
The baby mirror attached to it (bottom left in the picture) is intended to contribute to the child’s visual development in addition to the bright, high-contrast colors.
The soft toy elephant attached to the spiral also has this function.
The soft toy also promotes the development of fine motor skills. - Play arch: Also attached to the handlebars is a so-called play arch, also in bright, contrasting colors.
There is a risk of sensory overload with such arrangements.
Baby carriage trailer
In simple terms, a baby carriage pendant is the one-dimensional version of the baby carriage chain.
It is usually a soft toy that is attached to the hood of the baby carriage using a clip, clamp or clasp.
Activity spiral
Also known as a spiral toy.
In simple terms, the activity spiral is the three-dimensional version of the baby carriage chain: a baby carriage chain in the shape of a helix.
This spiral is wrapped around the stroller bar or the bed frame and encourages the baby to explore with its interesting shapes, colors, figures and functions.
Play arch
In its original form, the play arch was a frame or arch to which hanging toys were attached, with the purpose of encouraging the baby to grasp after being placed under the play arch.
Nowadays, play arches are not only available for placing on the floor, but also for attaching to the infant carrier in the baby carriage or above the crib.
Personalizations
Personalized services are in vogue.
Many distributors of baby carriage chains therefore offer the additional service of personalizing their chains with a name of your choice – usually in the form of small cubes with printed letters.
Colors & Functions (Effects)
Pram chains are available in both colorful and high-contrast designs to provide baby with visual stimulation in the first few weeks of life shortly after birth, when their eyesight is not yet fully developed.
Or in a subtle pastel look to preserve the aesthetics of the baby carriage or crib and to prevent sensory overload.
Acoustic effects usually include rattling noises in the form of built-in or attached rattle elements, or sewn-in crackling paper.
Sometimes baby carriage chains are also fitted with batteries.
These often emit funny melodies or noises.
Visual effects usually include small baby mirrors (a mirror foil) or small transparent rings with moving beads inside.
Pram chains
FOREST ANIMALS
Materials & cleaning
Wood or plastic
These models are easier to clean due to their smooth surface.
Due to their hard surface and the associated impact effect in the newborn’s throat, their use is only recommended from three months.
Textile
Many fabric baby carriage chains can be washed in the washing machine – provided that the fastening parts can be removed before washing and there are no wooden parts on the cord that could swell during washing.
Otherwise, hand washing or spot stain removal with a cloth soaked in soapy water is recommended for these chains.
You can find a more comprehensive guide to cleaning baby toys in our guide“Cleaning baby toys properly: that’s what matters!“
Baby in crib with baby carriage chain owl LUNA in gray and music box owl LUNA in gray.
It doesn’t always have to be the baby carriage.
Even in the crib, on the back of the car seat, on the curtain, etc.
the chain does its job and encourages baby in a variety of ways.
There are no limits to creativity.
Baby carriage chains from SindiBaba
SindiBaba baby carriage chains are crocheted and can be personalized on request.
They are lovingly handcrafted from high-quality materials.
They are available in more than 50 variations, including 20 different animal motifs and 10 different colors.
What makes stroller chains from SindiBaba stand out?
Practical, child-friendly design
SindiBaba baby carriage chains usually have two crocheted animals inside which a small rattle makes a gentle sound when moved.
Between them, there is usually another crocheted figure that matches the theme of the animal motifs.
Inside they are filled with anti-allergic washable polyester wadding.
The soft toys attached to each chain are detachable.
This means that they can be used as grasping toys, baby rattles or hanging toys once your baby has outgrown the baby carriage.
Their friendly facial features, modeled on those of children, have a positive effect on babies and encourage them to grasp and discover.
All the larger figures are made of soft crochet yarn – cotton, bamboo viscose or a mixture of the two.
They only have soft points of contact.
There are no edges, sewn-on eyes or plastic or metal parts.
The pleasant tactile properties of the ribbed crocheted surface of the upper material are very beneficial for the development of the sense of touch.
In addition, the many protruding limbs encourage babies’ little hands to touch and grasp and also help to develop hand and finger motor skills.
Adjustable chain length and elastic chain cord
The baby carriage chains in cheerful colors are true all-rounders.
Thanks to their attachment (clips, rings or clamps) and elasticity, they can be attached to the bassinet, infant carrier or crib.
They can be attached and removed just as quickly.
When your baby wants to play, they are ready for use in an instant.
The length of the stroller chains is designed to fit the most common stroller models.
If it does not fit – for example when attaching it to a narrow buggy or stretching it over the crib – you can adjust the length of the chain by repositioning the knots at the ends of the chain.
In this way, the pram chain can be adjusted to between 42 and 52 cm.
In this guide, we show you how to do it: Change the length of the baby carriage chain.
By the way: the chain cord is made of non-toxic elastic band and is stretchable.
On the one hand, this ensures a beautifully curved chain shape and, on the other, cushions the movements of the chain when driving over bumps in the road and makes them appear less jerky.
It also makes the baby carriage chain more flexible in use if the length does not fit.
Depending on the chain model, the strap can be stretched by 15 to 20 percent.
Safety & Quality
It goes without saying that the SindiBaba baby carriage chain bears the CE mark in accordance with Directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys to indicate that it complies with the relevant EU directives on safety, health and environmental compatibility.
In addition, the design, packaging and material composition of the SindiBaba trolley chain are tested at regular intervals by independent accredited test laboratories for safety and freedom from harmful substances.
The button below will take you to the category page with a large selection of handmade baby carriage chains in more than 50 designs and colors.
Summary
The baby carriage chain in all its variations has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Its evolution from a string with strings of colorful wooden elements is still ongoing.
They are now available in a wide range of variations, colors, functions and materials.
What they all have in common is the purpose of entertaining babies and promoting their visual and acoustic perception as well as their mobility and cognitive development.