As a nation, we love teddy bears! They are a wonderful companion that any child would be lucky to have. Whether it’s a gift for special birthday, a celebration or just an everyday gift, teddy bears have been voted the number one gift for children for five years running! One of the many reasons teddy bears are so popular with the both children and adults is the many fictional characters we have grown to know and love over the years. Paddington Bear, Winnie the Pooh and Rupert bear are just a few characters who have stolen our hearts over the years.
With National Teddy Bear Day just around the corner (9th September, to be precise), right now is the perfect time to dig out your favourite teddy and show them some love! Every year, teddy bears across the world are celebrated and thanked for being the softest, cuddliest little friend among so many families.
With this exciting day nearly among us, what better way to celebrate than a fun-filled teddy bears' picnic!
The first thing you’ll need to do is find the perfect picnic spot – why not try the local park, beach, woods or your own back garden. Location is very important, as we know bears love the woods! However, they will be super happy with whatever spot you have chosen.
Bring your favourite teddy (this is our favourite) or two and head to the chosen location with a picnic basket full of your favourite goodies. Classic picnic food such as Pom Bear crisps, carrot sticks and mini sandwiches are always welcomed by the teddy bears, as well as some tasty sweet treats like biscuits and cupcakes. Why not try this super simple marmalade loaf recipe, for a twist on Paddington Bear’s famous marmalade sandwiches!
Read a bear-themed book whilst snuggling with your chosen teddy bears. Our top three teddy classics as chosen by the teddy bears are:
- We’re going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear what do you see? by Eric Carle
- Where’s my Teddy? by Jez Alborough
These stories will capture any child’s imagination, and give ample opportunity to join in the fun of the adventures. In the story ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’, you could encourage the children (and bears) to act out the many ways the characters in the book are travelling through the obstacles such as the ‘long wavy grass’ and the ‘wide river’. You could even see if you could find a real river, and work out ways to get across it (with adult supervision, of course!)
As the famous song goes, ‘if you go down to the woods today, you’d better go in disguise’ - so remind the little ones that they'll need to be disguised at bears in order for the teddy bear picnic to be truly successful. Use face paint to draw a little black nose and a big cheeky grin, and make or buy some teddy bear ears and you’re good to go!
However you choose to put your picnic together, it's who you share it with that really matters! And don’t forget, always leave your picnic area just as you found it – bears aren’t keen on leaving rubbish behind! Tag us on Instagram and show us what you get up to this National Teddy Bear Day. @iwantthatpresent
Some other fun ideas that you incorporate into your picnic:
Dot-to-Dot & Colouring Sheets (download & print)
Teddybear Picnic Tickets & Sign (download & print)
Teddybear Play Tea Sets
