5 replies to this topic

[Helen]

Hi Josie, here are some ideas I have come across:
* Introduce teddy to the group, saying he is very shy and a little bit lonely. How can we help him feel better?
* Take photos of teddy (digital camera if poss) with different groups of children, and in different places in the nursery, e.g. playing in the sand, doing a puzzle, etc. and use later for discussion and display.
* Pack teddy an overnight bag. Put some daft things in it to elicit discussion!
* Each child takes it in turns to take teddy home.Include a notebook and encourage parents to write a couple of sentences about what teddy did at their house that evening. The children can add a picture. Its amazing what teddy will get up to.
*Display a photo of teddy with a caption like "My name is X and I like to play in the sand, etc. Do the same with photos of your children.
* Pack teddy a suitcase for a hot climate and let him go on holiday for a couple of days. Receive a postcard from him and discuss with the children.
* In circle time, pass teddy round, and each child is encouraged to say "Hello Teddy, my name is X". You could change it to "Hello teddy, I like ....."etc.
* Goldilocks and the three bears, size of bowls, beds, and chairs.
* Make teddy-shaped biscuits
* A card template of a teddy with punched holes for sewing, threading etc.
* Have a teddy bears picnic where each child brings in their own bear. Are there enough plates, biscuita, ect for all the bears. Repeated patterns in the picnic rug.
* Book called "Teddy bears go shoping", by Susanna Gretz will give you lots more ideas.
* Weigh different teddies in the classroom scales.
Hope some of these ideas will be helpful to you

[Josie]

Thanks Helen,
Lots of ideas there, I'm sure I'll use them all!
Josie

[Alison]

wow what wonderful ideas

I particularly like the idea of sending teddy home with a notepad I think we will try that one

thanks

[Christinesheep]

I realise that this topic was started a while ago.. but... I just thought that I would add that the project outline in the Nursery World magazine this week (7th August 03) is all about Teddy Bears. It recommends that a good starting point to the topic could be through the use of the story Too Many Teddies by Gus Clarke. :)

[Nicola Call]

Great ideas! I especially love the one about sending teddy on holiday. He should come back with a sun tan!

We just had a birthday party for my little girl with the theme Teddy Bears Picnic. The children came with their teddy bears, then cut out teddy cookies and made tiny sandwiches and muffins, then took the teddies outside to have their self-prepared picnic. It was a wonderful afternoon - we had children ranging from one to ten, but even the nine and ten year olds got into it, and some adults too! The parents loved it as the children were really engaged, learned a lot, and got along really well all afternoon. It made me feel like I was back in nursery for the day! :D :D :D

Also, a lovely book about teddies and siblings is 'When the Teddy Bears Came' by Martin Waddell. It deals with sibling rivalry in a really gentle, accessible way, when the baby comes and everyone brings him a bear, so that the older brother fears that there won't be room for him any more. Beautiful bear illustrations, and a really sensitive story for exploring emotions.

[sparkykssister]

I've just read this topic and thought I'd add my reply (if a bit late)

We pass teddy round at circle time and our children say hello (and goodbye) to him and tell him any news they may have. We also have a book for him to write a diary in and he goes home for the weekend with different children and writes his diary about what he does.

When it's a holiday (half term etc) he comes home with a member of staff and goes on holiday with them. So far our teddy has been to London on a number of occasions, flown on an airoplane and written in his diary about his adventures at the airport. He's visited Wales, been to a christening (and fell in the font!), met Paddington Bear, travelled by train and car and had a great time. He visited an indoor tropical rainforest and climbed to the top of London Bridge.

It's great fun, and it's amazing how people will co-operate so that your bear can have their photo taken.