Teddy bear | blanket:Blanket Buddy

Child experts have long observed that they can soothe a child in distress with a comfort object, transitional object, or a security blanket. The object--a toy, doll, stuffed animal, or, indeed, a blanket--gives the child a sense of psychological well-being, especially in unusual and unfamiliar situations. Many children rely on comfort objects as they grow and become less dependent on their mothers. One research project at the University of Wisconsin determined that about 60 percent of children growing up in the United States have an attachment to a security object during their development. The security blanket figured prominently in the life of little Linus van Pelt, the unusually smart and philosophical (but sometimes insecure) character of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strip.