When the Koolá arrives in the mail, encourage your child to unwrap the box while fostering their excitement about meeting their new friend! Give the Koolá a warm embrace and a tender kiss, demonstrating its significance to you, and then hand it over to your child for snuggling.
Your music box will come with a small amount of battery power, allowing you to briefly showcase the four pre-programmed soundtracks to your child before proceeding to charge the sound box overnight, ensuring the battery is fully replenished for recording your own song the following day. Even while the music box is charging, your child can still spend quality time with Koolá.
*Remember to watch the instructional video on how to properly record and install the music box, conveniently accessible through the QR code located on the rear of the instructions booklet.
It is important to learn about the Koolá benefits so you can understand how to make the most out of it.
The Koolá Doll is designed to support:
- Sleep
- Attachment
- Language Development
- Reduce Anxiety and More!
Positive Sleep Associations: The parent’s voice recording, programmed songs and the visual aspect of the doll are all designed to be a consistent reminder that it is sleep time. A sleep routine that includes consistency of all aspects of a child’s environment is effective for signaling to the child what is coming next and this results in a more relaxed child. Koolá supports the entire process of the sleep routine. Mum’s voice is there waiting at the end of the routine and reminds the child of being in the womb which comforts the child allowing it to relax, let go and just sleep!
Increase Sleep Brain Activity: Koolá’s four soundtracks incorporate specific sound waves that mimic brain wave activity during pre-sleep and deep sleep states. Scientific research shows human brain frequencies mirror the sound wave frequencies it is exposed to, making the music and sounds played during sleeptime pretty important! By exposing the child to these specific sound waves, Koolá can help to increase relaxed brain activity and promotes a deeper and more restful sleep.
Object Permanence: When a child wakes, if it sees and hears different things to what it was exposed to before it went to sleep it often becomes distressed and finds it difficult to fall back to sleep. When your child wakes between sleep cycles Koolá is there for your child to see and hear and even smell if you can manage to get your scent on it – exactly as it was when it fell asleep. Increasing the chances of your child falling back to sleep without a fuss. If your child is fussing chances are it is wet, cold, hot, hungry or needs your help in some way.
Attachment: The pre-recorded sound of the mother’s or father’s voice is shown through many studies to slow the infant’s heart rate, increase calmness and relaxation and even excel development in Premature babies. Science tells us that babies form a valuable bond before birth and the voice is very prominent in the process. Your embedded song makes the Koolá more special than all other comforters as it taps into the bond the child has with the parents. It is also effective to rub the Koolá onto your skin before you give it to your child – transferring your natural scent onto the doll. Not your perfume but your natural scent- perfume will irritate the child -there is a reason we all have natural smells, so finally it has a good use – the stinkier the better!
Language Development: Infants exposed to recordings of their parents’ voices rather than other music options has been shown to advance language development. Infants exposed to white noise (which is lacking pattern and space in the sound) has been shown to result in language delays. Read about why white noise can be bad for babies here. Playing your song through the Koolá Doll for sleep is a supportive option for nurturing infants’ language.
Reduces Anxiety: The Koolá Doll is designed to reduce anxiety in children. The familiar and comforting elements of the doll, such as the parent’s voice recording, the soothing songs, and the visual representation, create a sense of security and calmness. Research has shown that exposure to familiar and comforting stimuli helps alleviate anxiety in children. By providing a consistent and reassuring presence, the Koolá Doll helps children feel more at ease, promoting relaxation and a sense of emotional well-being.
Connecting Your Child with the Koolá
Pregnant?
If yes- you have the extra opportunity to sing a song repeatedly from 20-24 weeks onwards (as the fetus hearing is developed). Sing the song daily and when your baby is born it will not only recognise your voice, it has been shown to remember the song (or songs) if you sang them consistently! This doubles the magic!
Follow the instruction video to make the best recording of your song. Also expose your baby while in the womb to the Koolá’s 4 soundtracks – each day when you are not in the mood to sing! This will strengthen their connection with those songs so when they are born the song will remind them of being in your womb and calm the child.
Already Given Birth?
Not a problem! Your child, no matter the age, has been in your womb and is familiar with your voice! Reminding them of being in the safest place they have ever been – IN THE WOMB! So warm, so soft and comfortable. Food on tap and no annoyances! And then….they were birthed into a place with more annoyances than I can list!
If your baby is newly born, record a song, and replace the current sleep music with your special song. Sing the song to your child directly each day to strengthen the connection further. The sooner you start the faster they adapt.
I believe the most important thing regarding baby sleep is a pre-sleep routine.
And the magic word is: CONSISTENCY!
It seems like a common sense thing. But in truth many new parents are so overwhelmed by being new parents they overlook a consistent sleep routine.
If you don’t have a sleep routine, you may want to start. Babies love to know what is happening next, just like you do. And for them a routine is how they understand this. Read our baby sleep routine basics after you have read this article (if you haven’t started a routine).
There are many variables for where a child could be at when the Koolá is first introduced so I will cover the main examples our beta testers experienced.
Also note, there are no right or wrong ways to use the Koolá. Use Koolá however you wish!
When you are introducing the Koolá to a child who has an existing routine, keep your routine exactly the same. Too many changes at the same time can cause distress. If you do not have a routine, don’t start using the Koolá at the same time. Connect your child with Koolá first while doing whatever routine you are doing and then go and get yourself a good routine after your little one has adjusted to Koolá.
Scenario 1: If you are reading this before your Koolá arrives and you have an idea of what song you are going to record into Koolá you can start singing the song to your little one during bedtime and throughout the day before it arrives. Even after the Koolá arrives, continue to sing your song directly to your child daily. All family members can sing the song as well if they wish. Bring the Koolá along everywhere the baby goes, in the pram, keep Koolá close while feeding, in the car, play time, reading books and tummy time etc. Play your song during relaxation times. Give Koolá kisses, cuddles and show you value Koolá as a family member!
Scenario 2: If your child is a little older and has already developed sleep associations to music that you want to transition away from, make the change from their old music to your song gradually. For example you may have been playing white noise to your child and now realise there are better options that support, rather than potentially hindering language development. Start playing Koolá during your sleep routine, playing your voice instead of their existing music. After the final phases of your pre-sleep routine then swap to their existing music.
Increase your song recording a little more each night to be when you place them into their sleep location, gradually fading out and removing their previous music entirely a little more each day.
*If your child has become accustomed to white noise for an extended period and transitioning to your voice alone has been challenging over the past week, it may be beneficial to introduce a similar alternative gradually. your child may need something similar to be played to gradually transition away from the white noise. This is where the four soundtracks come in handy as they are not white noise and are specially designed for increasing deep relaxation states.
Scenario 3: If your child has a toy it is attached to, but no music it is attached to- introduce the Koolá’s sound options and don’t remove the old toy (unless they lose interest in it). Just add the Koolá in the background, somewhere they can see it – you can also snuggle it. The more you include the Koolá Doll in your daily activities and you engage with the doll the sooner your child will make it their preference.
Most children ditch their previous doll fast when they realise mum’s voice is connected to the Koolá. The same has been found with children attached to previous music – it is rare children prefer other sound options over their mothers voice!
*Transitions are more successful when they are broken down in small steps and adjustments are continually made based on the child’s response. Trust your instincts and follow through.
Many children will not be fazed by large changes. Whereas other children find the smallest changes cause them stress.You know your child, so make the adjustments to suit their needs.
The goal is for the Koolá to be a long term support for the child as it grows up. Mum and dad may not be able to be close by all of the time and the Koolá can support your child with a piece of you wherever it goes!
Koolá is also highly supportive for children transitioning into their own bedroom when they are ready as well as supportive for children who have no sleep challenges but experience anxiety at any time.
Koolá is a very special companion for children of all ages to feel more secure wherever they go.
Read our baby sleep routine basics here if you haven’t started a pre sleep routine.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine or treatment.
