Snugcubs started the way most good ideas do — with a problem I couldn't solve.

My daughter was 12 months old. She was going through that phase where sleep was hard, mornings were harder, and she needed something like a little companion that felt like a proper hug even when I couldn't be the one giving it.

I went looking for a comfort toy that could actually help. Something warm for those cold winter nights. Something cool for the hot and muggy ones. I also wanted something with a bit of personality, like a character she'd actually bond with, not just another stuffed animal destined for the bottom of the toy basket.

Riley the Retriever and Coco the Cat are the comfort toys I wanted for my daughter. Both pop in the microwave for 60 seconds for a warm cuddle, or in the freezer for a couple of hours for cool relief on hot nights, sore bumps, and the moments that need softening.

Both are weighted with natural filling, which gives them that lovely heavy, grounding feeling little ones go mad for.

But honestly the thing I'm most proud of is that Riley and Coco are proper characters. They've got personalities, stories, and their own little world. Because a toy your kid genuinely loves? That's worth way more than one that just does a job.

Snugcubs is a NZ brand, made with love from a dad who just wanted the best for his little one. I hope Riley or Coco becomes that for yours too.

A heavy hug for little hearts.