Crafts & Activities

Coffee Ground Bears
Cut a teddy bear shape from heavy cardboard or cardstock.  Have the children cover the bear with glue - sprinkle fresh coffee grounds.  Shake to remove access.

Sensory
Cut 3" bear shapes from a medium grade sand paper.  Rub the sandpaper bears with different scents and let the kids guess what it is!  Ideas:  cinnamon, lemon juice, orange peel, wax crayon, piece of leather, fresh flowers, dirt, peanut butter

Bear Cave 
Use a small cardboard box or a styrofoam meat tray as a base. The cave can be made by stapling a brown crumpled paper bag in place. Children can add bits of pine needles, twigs, moss, sawdust, straw and rocks.  The kids can tuck a teddy graham bear inside to hibernate!
 
 

Songs, Finger Plays, Nursery Rhymes

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Turn around. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Touch the ground. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Shine your shoes. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Skidoo. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Go upstairs. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Say your prayers. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Turn out the light. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Say good night. 

The Bear Went Over the Mountain 
     Tune: For He's a Jolly Good Fellow 
The bear went over the mountain, 
The bear went over the mountain, 
The bear went over the mountain, 
To see what he could see. 
And all that he could see,
And all that he could see,
Was the other side of the mountain, 
The other side of the mountain, 
The other side of the mountain, 
Was all that he could see 

Little Brown Bear
   This one is nice with a little bear finger puppet.

A little brown bear went in search of some honey,
Isn't it funny, a bear wanting honey?
He sniffed at the breeze,
   Sniff air.
And he listened for bees,
   Cup hand to ear and listen.
And would you believe it?
He even climbed trees!
  Fingers of one hand climb the opposite arm.

Bears Everywhere
Bears, bears, bears, everywhere!
   Point in all directions.
Bears cimbing stairs,
   Pretend to climb.
Bears sitting on chairs,
   Pretend to sit.
Bears collecting fares,
   Reach out for fares.  Place hands in pockets.
Bears giving stares,
   Stare at group.
Bears, bears, bears, everywhere!

Teddy Bears' Picnic
If you go down to the woods today,
You'd better go in disguise.
If you go down to the woods today,
You're in for a big surprise.
For every bear that ever there was
Is gathered there for certain because,
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic!

Teddy Bear's Picnic Midi - Right click anywhere on the music box and choose "Save as" to save in a file on your own harddrive.

Recipes

Mini Teddy Bear Pancakes
Make your favorite pancake batter.  Pour a small amount of batter to form a 2" pancake in the pan.  Add two small drops of mixture to form ears.  Remove cooked pancake to a plate and add features using chocolate chips, banana slices, raisins, etc!

Toasty Bears
Using a bear shaped cookie cutter, cut a bear shape in a piece of toast.  Top with peanut butter or honey and raisins or other dried fruit for eyes.

Bear Biscuits 
refrigerated biscuits
raisins or chocolate chips
maraschino cherries
honey
cinnamon sugar (optional)

Separate biscuits. Each child needs 2 biscuits.  For each bear place one whole biscuit on baking sheet. Cut the other biscuit in half. Now cut one of the halves into 2 pieces and make round balls with the dough and firmly press to top of head to make ears.  With the other half, form round or oval shape for the nose.  Press in  raisins or chips for eyes and nose. Add 1/4 maraschino cherry to each ear. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on to give him the brown look and a cinnamon roll
taste. Bake on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees until golden 
brown. Enjoy with honey - a bears favorite treat!!! 

Bear Sandwiches 
whole wheat bread slices 
peanut butter 
raisins or chocolate chips 
maraschino cherries 

Let the children use a heart-shape cookie cutter to cut heart shapes out of 
bread slices (partially frozen bread cuts easily or lightly toast the bread). Show them how to cut the points off their hearts to make the shapes resemble bear faces. Then let them spread peanut butter over heart shape . Add raisins or chips to make eyes and mouth. Add cherries to make nose. 
 
 

Do you have an idea for this theme?  Please share!

*Beary* special thanks to

for the wonderful graphics for this page.

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