National Teddy Bears’ Picnics
National Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day July 10th
Teddy Bears’ Picnic Week July 8th – 14th 2024
The National Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Bear Force has teamed up with the national children’s charity, KidsOut to create a fabulous reason for people to hold their picnic this National Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day, July 10th.
Walking and Talking
With adults and children all across the country enjoying picnics to celebrate National Teddy Bear Week 8th-14th , the two charities are asking everyone to use the occasion to walk and talk, and importantly listen to what’s on their children’s minds.
In addition, the event will be used to highlight the thousands of children affected by domestic abuse. The charity, KidsOut, supports over 20,000 children each year who along with their mothers, seek safety in refuges right across the UK, as well as thousands more children, including those who are underprivileged, come from difficult backgrounds, or have life-limiting disabilities.
…and fun days out
This National Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day, we are asking everyone to help children affected by domestic abuse, which could include emotional, violent and sometimes sexual abuse, and other disadvantaged children, by contributing towards a fun day out for them to look forward to.
The fun days out include a day out at the seaside, visiting a zoo or theme park, cinema and theatre trips. Many of the children we are supporting will have never experienced any of these fun events. Or you can buy a Bear Buddy for children to snuggle up to and provide comfort to the younger children we support.
Get involved
It’s a great opportunity to get your own children involved and together choose a fun day out for a child in refuge. The occasion helps children develop social responsibility and a desire to help others and take action by making a positive difference to the lives of who are not so fortunate.
Where will you have yours?
If you can’t go for a walk for your picnic or the weather isn’t ideal, don’t worry, just be imaginative. A blanket on the floor indoors can be just as much fun, especially if you invite friends. And of course, make sure you all bring a teddy bear. Hey, if Bear Force can get a group of tough pilots to hold a picnic and carry a teddy bear, then there is no excuse for anyone not to.
AB Bear, seen here with the RAF’s Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows. AB Bear will be travelling around the UK asking everyone to get involved with National Teddy Bears Picnic Day
Holding your picnic
There’s no need to go outside to host your picnic – you can always hold it in your office, your classroom, or even on a blanket on the floor of your home. The important thing is that you have fun and use the occasion to listen to what’s on children’s minds.
If you are a school why not ask everyone to bring in £2 towards taking disadvantaged children out on a Fun Day in return for not having to wear school uniform. Then children could vote on what trips to buy disadvantaged children from our Giving Tree, Fun & Happiness Shop.
Remember, your donations of Fun Days will be allocated to children living locally to you.
Some ideas to make your Teddy Bears’ Picnic truly memorable…
READ IDEAS
1. Firstly decide where you are going to hold it. Some Teddy Bears hold their picnics in the woods but many opt for parks, gardens, and beaches. The Teddy Bears that live in towns and cities may have theirs on balconies, yards, and even indoors on a blanket if the weather isn’t very nice. Younger bears have been known to hold theirs at school, with older bears preferring to have theirs with colleagues in their place of work. It just goes to show that your Teddy Bears’ Picnic can be held virtually anywhere.
2. Set the date and time. Teddy Bear Picnic Week 2024 runs from July 8th – 14th so there are lots of options. National Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day is July 10th.
3. Consider who you are inviting. If you are planning on walking first remember older people might not be able to walk too far.
4. Decide what you are going to eat and drink and who is providing it. Perhaps everyone attending could contribute.
5. Remember you need something to sit on. Most Teddy Bears prefer blankets. Make sure if you bring blankets that you take into consideration how many people are coming and that they will need enough space to eat, drink, and stretch their legs.
6. Check the weather first. Don’t get caught in the rain. If the weather looks wet, why not hold your picnic inside your home.
7. Teddy Bears love to decorate their picnics. They often use bunting and balloons, cushions and teddy bear themed items. It’s quite easy to make bunting and there are several guides about how to make it in the shape of teddy bears online.
8. Always encourage guests to bring their teddy bear or stuffed animal to the picnic. This is their special day as well and it makes photographs of your picnic much more fun.
9. If you can afford to please remember the many children who don’t get the chance to go on picnics or days out and ask everyone attending your picnic to contribute to a fun day out for them via the Giving Tree, Fun and Happiness Shop. Or why not buy them a teddy bear of their own from the options shown.
10. If you are a school, you could ask your teacher to allow you to wear what you like to school on National Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day in return for donating £2. When all the donations are counted you could all decide what Fun Day Out to buy a child from the Giving Tree, Fun and Happiness Shop.
We found lots of ideas for Teddy Bears’ Picnics…
READ IDEAS
Teddy Bear Hide and Seek
Hide teddy bears, stuffed animals, or cardboard cut-outs of teddy bears, around the area where you are holding your picnic and have children search for them. The one with the most wins a prize.
Teddy Olympics
Hold events like skipping, hula-hooping, and throwing and catching a ball whilst holding a teddy bear. It’s not as easy as you might think.
Pin the bow on the Teddy
Draw a large teddy bear on a big piece of paper or board. Cut out a bow tie from cardboard and put a drawing pin through the middle of it. Blindfold the children, spin them around, and then ask them to try to pin the bow onto the teddy bear’s collar. Whoever is the closest wins a prize.
Read the book, Bear Force
Ask and adult or an older child to read the book Bear Force and then all sign up to become Bear Buddies. If you haven’t got the book you can still become a Bear Buddy and download your certificate by agreeing to speak to a trusted adult if you are feeling worried or sad, or if see another child who you think maybe worried or sad too. Go to the Bear Force Buddies page to see how. Remember it’s important to talk about what’s on your mind that is worrying you and it’s important to look out for other children too. That’s what all Teddy Bears do.
Buy a fun day for a child in refuge
– Opens KidsOut website –
Cinema Ticket
£10
Zoo Trip
£20
Theatre Trip
£40
Seaside Trip
£25
Theme Park Trip
£30
Fun Day
£40
Bear Force
Looking after you, you looking out for others