Grin and Bear It: September 9th is Teddy Bear Day!

Do you have any warm reminisces of curling up with your favorite story book on a chilly fall day reading about the adventures of the cuddly and lovable Winnie the Pooh, Corduroy or Paddington Bear?

These beloved characters harken us back to a simpler time when our mother's kiss would soothe our fears and every problem could be solved with a generous helping of ice cream with hot fudge sauce. Winnie the Pooh, Corduroy, and Paddington Bear are timeless treasures.

Why not recapture your childhood by celebrating Teddy Bear Day on September 9th with one of the following activities? I warn you that these activities may really bring the bear out of you!

1. Have a teddy bear picnic. Grab a tablecloth or sheet and lay it down outside on the grass or in your rec room. Prepare picnic foods such as sandwiches, Kool-aid and fruit salad. Just make sure to bring your teddy along for the tasty retreat!
2. Recite the movement activity Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around with your children. See the following link for two different versions:http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems18.html
3. Create a grab bag story about teddy bears and have your child tell the story as they pull out the items. Fill a grocery bag with the following items such as: a teddy bear, comb, toothbrush, storybook, and die cut moon for a bedtime themed teddy bear story or teddy bear, flip flops sun tan lotion, and shells for a beach story. 
4. Read one of the following childhood classics: Corduroy by Don Freeman, Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne or one of Micheal Bond's Paddington Bear books. 
5. Design your very own paper bag teddy bear using this DLTK template and instructions. Source: http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/teddy/mbearbag.html
6. Play Bear. Make up different actions for each letter of the word bear. For example, tell the children to bounce, bop, blow bubbles etc. for b and so on. 
7. Mix together a delicious Teddy Bear Snack Mix. 

Teddy Bear Snack Mix (Recipe Name changed from Friendship Snack Mix recipe within the book The Giant Encyclopedia of Monthly Activities Edited by Kathy Charner, Maureen Murphy, and Charlie Clark pg. 523)

Materials: 

Large bowl 

M&Ms 

Pretzels 

Chex cereal 

Small round cereal (Cheerios) 

Teddy-shaped grahams

Granola 

Raisins and dried fruit 

Goldfish crackers

Large spoon for stirring snack mix 

What to do: 

1) Stir ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Serve and enjoy as a snack.