Teddy Bears

Teddy bear preschool lesson plans, including arts and crafts, games, math, science, group time activities, songs, and snack ideas.

Arts and Crafts

Button Teddy Bears

Cut out Bear shapes from white construction paper. Have your child paint brown. When dry, let them glue on buttons for eyes and the nose.

Teddy Bear Wagon

Obtain a box that the teddy bear will fit into. Have the child decorate as desired. When dry, poke a hole big enough to thread a piece of yarn through. Tie a piece of yarn, just long enough for the child to hold, while the box rests on the floor. Let the child pull the wagon around with their Teddy Bear.

Pocket for Corduroy

Give each child 1/2 of a piece of construction paper. Cut out u-shaped pockets from cloth. Help the child glue around the sides and bottom of the pocket, and glue it to the construction paper. Do Not Glue the Top. Then after it dries, place something in the pocket, and pull it out. Let your child try.

Teddy Bear Ears

Measure your child’s head, and cut a piece of brown construction paper long enough to create a headband. Glue the paper together so the headband fits snugly on your child’s head but is loose enough to take off easily. Cut from brown paper two ears. Let your child help you glue the ear to the headband. It’s okay if it’s a little off, it’s art! Have fun, and encourage your child to act like a bear.

Teddy Bear Art

Draw a teddy bear shape on a piece of paper. Have the children color their bear brown with crayons. Variations: allow the children to use paint, glitter, shaving cream mixed with paint or torn paper to decorate their bear. For added bear definition cut out the bear shape.

Teddy Bear Sponge Painting

Supply the children with teddy bear-shaped sponges and paint. Have the child dip the sponge into the paint and press gently onto a piece of paper.

Teddy Bear Rubbings

Cut Teddy Bear shapes from paper doilies or sandpaper. Tape these Teddy Bears to the table. Have the children place a piece of thin white paper over the Teddy Bear and rub a crayon over the Teddy Bear.

Cookie Cutter Painting

Put a small amount of tempera paint in a large shallow container. (A pie tin works well) Show your child how to dip the cookie cutter in the paint and press onto a piece of paper to create a print. You may make teddy bear pictures by using bear cookie cutters and colored paper.

Sticker Art

For a very simple art project, supply the children with a piece of paper and stickers. For younger children this provides an excellent fine motor activity.

Bear Puppets

Supply each child with a paper lunch bag, brown paper, googly eyes, a black marker and pipe cleaners. Have the children cut the brown paper into ear shapes and glue onto the bottom of the bag. Use the pipe cleaners for whiskers and eyes for eyes and draw on the mouth and nose.

Bear Necklaces

Cut out bear shapes from construction paper. Then, have them use a hole punch to make a hole, so they can thread them onto a piece of yarn.

Jointed Bears

Have the children cut out a bears body, two arms, two legs and a head. Attach each of the parts to the body with a metal fastener so the parts can rotate. Decorate as desired.

Bear Cave

Click here to see an image of this idea.
The children start by cutting out a hole from a shoe box on one of the sides. The box is then covered with a grocery bag in a hap-hazard manner. Sticks, yarn and other materials can be added.

Cinnamon Bears

Provide the children with precut bear shapes. Have the children apply glue to the shape and then sprinkle cinnamon onto the bear shape for a scented bear.

Tea Bears

Provide the children with precut bear shapes. Have the children apply glue to the shape and then sprinkle crushed tea leaves onto the bear shape.

Brown Bag Bears

Provide each child with a brown grocery bag. Have the child fill the bag with newsprint and seal shut with glue or staples. Have the children add facial features and ears.

Collage Bears

Provide the children with bear-shaped paper and a variety of different materials to glue onto the bear. After the project is dry, this could be an excellent sensory activity. How does each material feel?

Math, Science, and Games

Kinds of Bears

Discuss the different types of real bears. Polar bears, grisly bears, etc.

Which kind do you have?

Invite the children to bring in their teddy bears. Ask the children what kind of bear their teddy bear is. I.e. grisly, polar, brown, koala. Graph your results.

What Color Bear Do You Have?

Invite the children to bring in their teddy bears. Ask the children what color bear they have. Graph your results.

Bear Match

Find some stickers with teddy bears on them, or kinds of bears. Make sure you have at least two of each kind of sticker. Place two of each sticker on its own index card. Have the children pick out one card. Then find its match.

Teddy Bear Color Sort

Have the child sort the bears into the appropriate colored cup.

Bear Balance

Supply the children with plastic bears and a balance toy to play with.

What Is a Teddy Bear Made Of?

If you have an injured bear. Talk with your child about what a Teddy Bear is made of. Talk about the stuffing, the cloth, the eyes, and so on.

Stamping Patterns

Use bear rubber stamps to create a simple pattern on the top half of a piece of paper. Ask your child to help you recreate the pattern on the bottom half of the paper. Tip: Start with one stamp, and have your child pick which stamp you used. Start slowly and work your way up to more complicated patterns.

Measuring Teddy Bears

Provide the children with a variety of different teddy bears and a tape measure. Have the children measure the bears.

Bear Line Up

Provide the children with a variety of different teddy bears. Have the children line up the bears from smallest to largest.

Bear Colors

Place colored bear shapes on the left side of a piece of tagboard. Write the corresponding color name on the right side of the tagboard. Laminate and cut using a zig-zag pattern. Repeat with a variety of colors. Children match the bears with the corresponding colors.
Variation: Place colored bear shapes on the left, and the number of bears on the right.

Hungry Bear

To create this bear use two pieces of bear-shaped card stock paper. Cut a hole for the mouth and bell in one of the shapes. Decorate this shape, color, add facial features. Laminate both pieces. Recut the hole for the mouth. Attach velcro pieces as shown to create a stomach for the bear. Children can then feed the bear with laminated food shapes.

Teddy Bear Picnic

Have a picnic on the floor or outside with each child’s favorite teddy bear. You can either pretend to eat, or have snack or lunch picnic style.

Teddy Bear Parade

Have a group of children line up, or walk around in a group, with their teddy bear’s in their wagons, and have a parade. Play marching music.

Bear Memory

You will need index cards and two sheets of identical stickers. Place two identical stickers on seperate index cards. You may with to cut the index cards to save a little money, and not make the cards so bulky. Repeat as many times as you like. the more pairs of cards you have the more difficult the game will be. Place the cards sticker side down and play memory with the cards.

Lacing Cards

Cut colored posterboard or foam into a bear shape and punch holes around the edges. Them let your child lace yarn or a shoestring into the cards.

Bear Hop

Cut out large bear shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and cut them out. Place them on the floor and ask the children to hop from one bear to another. These may also be used at seat markers for group time.

Bear Stomp Parade

Have the children make bear headbands. Have each child wear their bear ears and stomp around the center in a Bear Stomp Parade.

Footprint Fun

Cut out large bear footprints shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and cut them out. Place them on the floor for the children to follow.

What Time Is It, Mr. Bear?

This is a fun game to play outside. You can change the name to suit any theme. The children all line up against a wall or fence. And one child, (Mr. Bear) or the teacher faces away from the children, a good distance away from the children. The children yell, what time is it “Mr. Bear”, Mr. Bear answers 1 o’clock, and the children all take one step toward Mr. Bear. The children yell again, what time is it “Mr. Bear”, Mr. Bear answers (fill in the blank) o’clock, and the children all take same number of step toward Mr. Bear. This continues until all the children are very close to Mr. Bear then Mr. Bear will answer it’s midnight, and Mr. Bear chases the children back to the fence or wall that they started at. The first person Mr. Bear touches will be the new Mr. Bear.

Bean Bag Toss

Supply the children with bear bean bags and a laundry basket. Place a piece of masking tape on the floor for a throw line. the distance from the basket to the line should vary with abilities. Have the children throw the bean bags into the basket.

Bear Bowling

Obtain 10 half-gallon milk cartons or 2-liter bottles. Fill the bottles about 1/8 full with water and seal the lid. Then, decorate the bottles like bears, adding construction paper ears, and use permanent markers for the eyes and nose. Set the bottles up like they were bowling pins and have the children roll a ball to try to knock them over. If they don’t knock over easily remove some of the water.

Teddy Grahams (or Gummi Bear) Jar

For older children. Fill a small jar with Teddy Grahams. Ask each child to guess how many Teddy Grahams are in the jar. For younger children, limit the number of Teddy Grahams to less than ten. Record each child’s guess. Count the Teddy Grahams.

Teddy Grahams (or Gummi Bear) Jar for School-Age Children

Provide three identical jars with pre-counted Teddy Grahams of 20, 30, and 40. Label these jars 20, 30 and 40. Place 20 to 40 Teddy Grahams in a fourth identical jar. Allow the children to examine all four jars before they guess. Record the children’s approximations. Count the Teddy Grahams.

Teddy Bear, May I?

Played just like Mother May I? The child and parent stand at opposite sides of a room. The child asks if he/she may: take so may step forward. i.e. “Mother may I Please take 3 baby steps forward?” the answer would be either, “Yes you may”, or “No you may not.” The child wins when they reach you. Encourage the use of descriptive words, such as little, big, huge, tiny, and giant. You can also play this with a group of children. The winner would be the one who reaches you first.

Duck, Duck, BEAR!!!

Played like “Duck, Duck, Goose” except the children will go around the circle, and say “Bear” instead of “Goose”.

Bear Stomp

Play the song “Bunny Hop”. Have the child dance around until the Bump, Bump, Bump. Explain that this is the time to Stomp. Dance and Stomp with your child.

Bear Says

Played just like “Simon Say” except the teacher says “Bear Says”. With younger children, do not make children sit out… just say “Bear didn’t say”.

Bear Stomp Musical Chairs

If the children made bear headbands, have them wear them during this activity. Arrange the chairs in a circle. If you have younger children it is best to have too many chairs. This can be a game where everyone wins. Have the children stomp around the chairs until the music stops. Then everyone finds a chair.

Musical Bear

Cut out large bear shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and cut them out. Place them on the floor. It is best for younger children to have more bears than children. Play music and have the children walk around the room. When the music stops each child needs to find an bear to stand on.

Pass the Bear

Played like hot potato: have the children sit in a circle and pass stuffed bear around the circle when music is playing, when the music stops the child holding the bear sits in the middle or the “bear pot” until the music stops again and the next child replaces the first. You may also chant “Pass the Bear, Pass the Bear, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10” and the child who has the egg on 10 is in the “bear pot.”

Sand and Water Table Ideas

Add plastic bears with sand to the sand and water table.

Burry plastic bears in sand for the children to find.

Provide the children with plastic and stuffed bears in the sand for dramatic play.

Bear Day

Invite each child to bring in a stuffed bear.

What Color Bear?

Ask each child “What color bear did you bring in?” Graph the results. Who has the biggest bear? Who has the smallest? Which one is the most unique?

Bear Movement Cubes

Use small milk cartons (2) for the base for these cubes. Cover each side of one cube with the numbers one through six. The second cube can be covered with actions, such as jump, spin, hop on one foot, touch your toes etc. The children roll the dice then complete the action on the one die, the second die tells them how many times they should do it.

Four Seasons/Habitat Bulletin Board

Create a bulletin board display that shows the four seasons and where a bear may be found during these four seasons.

Parachute/Blanket Toss

Add small stuffed bears to your parachute play. The children can try to keep the bears on, or try to get them off quickly. If you do not have a parachute, a large light blanket or sheet will make a good substitute.

Rock a Teddy

Two children hold the ends of a towel or small blanket and place a teddy bear in the blanket, like a hammock. The children can pretend to rock the bear to sleep.

Teddy Bear Relay 1

Divide the children into even teams. Each child stands with their team in a line with one child in front of the next. The first child in line is the leader. Each team needs a teddy bear. The teddy bear is placed at the childrens’ feet to start. After the signal to start the children will pass the bear over their head to the person behind them until the bear gets to the end of the line. Then the person at the end of the line runs to the front and passes it back through the line. The children repeat this until the leader is the last person in line, the game ends when the leader returns to the front of the line with the bear.

Teddy Bear Relay 2

Divide the children into even teams. Each child stands with their team in a line with one child in front of the next. The first child in line is the leader. Each team needs a teddy bear. The teddy bear is placed at the childrens’ feet to start. this relay race is just like a traditional race, except a teddy bear is passed off. Each child will run the pre set distance and back to their team line with the bear. The bear is passed off to the next person in line, and so forth until all team members have run the distance with the bear. The team who finishes first and is all sitting down, wins.
variation: have the children place the bear on their head, or hold the bear between their elbows, or go backwards, or crab walk with the bear on their belly. If the bear falls the child must start over.

Teddy Bear Sponge Relay

Divide the children into teams. Each child stands with their team in a line with one child in front of the next. The first child in line is the leader. Each team will need two different sized buckets and one bear sponge. (It would help if each team had their own color of buckets and sponge). Set the large buckets at the start line, these are filled with water. The second set of buckets should be smaller and are set at the finish line, empty. Each child will in turn take the sponge from the start bucket and run to the finish bucket and squeeze it into that bucket and run back. The child gives the sponge to the next child in line and returns to the end of their line. the next child dips the bear sponge into the start water bucket and repeats. The first team to fill their bucket with water wins. Children may have many turns in order to fill the buckets up.

Boo-Boo Bear Baskets

Supply these baskets with band-aid, kleenex, lotion and a teddy bear. Children may use the items if they need a little comfort during the day.

Dramatic Play Ideas

Spoon 3 Bears

Create “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” spoon puppets from wooden spoons and felt. Children may use these puppets in the dramatic play area, the block area or for a puppet show. You could also have the children act out the story with the puppets while you read the story “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”.

Popsicle Stick Bears

Create bear puppets with popsicle sticks, pom poms, googly eyes and felt. Children may use these puppets in the dramatic play area, the block area or for a puppet show.

Glove/ Finger Puppet Bears

If you can locate gloves with bears on the fingers, then just simply cut off the fingers to crate bear finger puppets. You can also create these puppets by gluing the features onto a brown glove.

Three Bears Dress Up

Materials for Mama Bear: Bear headband, necklace and “Mama Bear” sign.
Materials for Papa Bear: Bear Headband, string and “Papa Bear” sign.
Materials for Baby Bear: Bear Headband, lei and “Baby Bear” sign.
Materials for Goldilocks: Blonde hair headband, necklace and “Goldilocks” sign. Use the images as a guideline for this activity. Children can use props on their own or as a presentation while you read the book.

Field Trip Ideas

Visit the local zoo.

Visit the local toy store.

Visit a place where they make teddy bears.

Have a teddy bear picnic at a local park.

Have a teddy bear parade in your parking lot.

Songs

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Author: Unknown
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

The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
To see what he could see

To see what he could see,
To see what he could see

The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
Was all that he could see

Was all that he could see,
Was all that he could see,
The other side of the mountain,
Was all that he could see!

Snacks

Teddy Bear Jello

Make grape jello, use less water so the children can hold the jello better. Use a cookie cutter to cut out Teddy Bear Shapes.

Bear Trail Mix

What do bears eat? Create a mixture of nuts, and grains for great healthy snack.

Rice Cake Bears

Make a variety of bear shaped patterns on rice cakes with peanut butter, honey, cream cheese, mini oreos, mini ritz bitz, licorice, mini marshmallows, and Junior Mints.

Bear Cupcakes

Bake cupcakes following directions provided by your favorite mix. Frost after cool. Add One mini oreo cookie and three junior mints to the frosting in the shape of a bear print.

Bear Cookies

Make your favorite sugar cookie recipe. Have the children cut out bear shapes from the dough with bear cookie cutters. Bake according to directions, and decorate with frosting and confections.

Bear Rice Krispies

Make Rice Krispie Treat mix. Before cool shape the mix into bear shapes using a cookie cutter.