Have you heard how people are putting bears in their windows for little ones to find as they walk around their neighborhood (of course at least 6 feet apart!)? So cute!
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2020/03/30/coronavirus-teddy-bear-hunts-challenges-children-safe-walking-activities/2937592001/
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Micheal Rosen (illustrated by Helen Oxenbury) is probably one of my most requested books. “Miss Library are we going on a bear hunt today?”. Not only is this book so much fun to read, but the children thrill in the “bear hunt” that we go on after we read the book. Equipped with binoculars we stomp out of the library, down the hall on our bear hunt. “We’re going on a bear hunt…”. We go through long wavy grass, a deep cold river, thick oozy mud, a big dark forest, a swirling, whirling snowstorm until we reach the narrow gloomy cave. We bravely tip toe into the cave until we find the bear and run as fast as we can back to the library and jump under covers to hide from the bear. The children love it, and would probably do it all day if we had time. Such a fun way to learn and to tie a book to a physical activity.
Soooo, you are at home with the children wondering what to do? Have a bear hunt. You could start a neighborhood bear hunt, AND you could keep your children busy for hours by setting one up at home.
Miss Library reading you the story:
“We’re going on a bear hunt. We’re going to catch a big one. What a beautiful day! We’re not scared (except for Miss Library!).” LET’S GO
First you might need a map! Print this:
https://storieswithmisslibrary.files.wordpress.com/2020/03/bear-hunt-map-2.docxY
You might want these bear tracks:
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-G8zzgtp/9/2d7868ad/M/i-G8zzgtp-M.jpg
These binoculars are easy to make with toilet paper or paper towel tubes.
LONG WAVY GRASS: can be green paper, or if you don’t have that, have your children draw some grass. You could hang some green ribbon or streamers on a door or a tree. Or maybe you have some long wavy grass in your back yard! Chalk could work for almost everything if your children are outside. Ask your children to use their imagination.
A DEEP, COLD RIVER: Blue paper, or have your child draw a river (as big or as little as they want), a blue blanket, blue ribbon or streamers hung from a door or outside on a tree. You can even place a plastic bin and fill it with water with a towel under it inside or outside. Ask your children for their ideas!
THICK, OOZY MUD: Brown paper, or ask your child to draw “thick oozy mud”, or a brown blanket, brown ribbon or streamers. Maybe you fill another bin with dirt and make mud. What does that feel like on their feet?
A BIG, DARK FOREST: Green paper, or ask your child to draw the forest (is there anything in the forest?), maybe a green blanket or towel? Outside can your children find a “forest” in your yard? It can just be sticks or one tree.
A SWIRLING, WHIRLING SNOWSTORM: A sheet of white paper, or maybe you cut out some old fashioned snowflakes together, a white sheet would work, or white streamers hung in a door might be fun. You could fill another bin with ice inside or outside? Or hang white ribbon or a sheet between trees or chairs outside.
A NARROW, GLOOMY CAVE: a dark closet, a small bathroom with the lights turned off, a big box, or you can “build” a cave with sheets and blankets between chairs – inside or outside. And of course – don’t forget to put a bear in it. Don’t have a bear? Print one, make one, or use another stuffed animal and pretend it is a bear.
COVERS TO HIDE FROM THE BEAR: The part the children love the most is hiding from the bear. All you need is a sheet or a blanket or even a towel. If there is a bed near the “cave” perhaps they jump into that and hide.
And then of course you do it all over again….
Feeling overwhelmed? Keep it simple. The truth is that most children love just”finding” the bear and hiding under the covers. When you have done that enough times you might choose to do more.
Make your own map and binoculars:
https://buggyandbuddy.com/going-bear-hunt-map-activity/
Or just order binoculars here:
Ideas for the little ones under 3:
We’re Going on a ‘Teddy’ Bear Hunt
https://www.schooltimesnippets.com/2013/11/going-on-bear-hunt-sensory-bags.html
More ideas:
https://wehavekids.com/parenting/we-re-going-on-a-bear-hunt-activities
https://www.sunhatsandwellieboots.com/2011/02/were-going-on-bear-hunt.html?m=1
https://thriveafterthree.com/2015/01/16/bear-hunt-obstacle-course/
http://verymessymummy.blogspot.com/2013/10/were-going-on-bear-hunt.html
https://www.delightfullearning.net/2010/11/were-going-on-bear-hunt.html
https://thehomeschoolresourceroom.com/2017/05/28/were-going-on-a-bear-hunt-unit-study/
http://wendyjanelle.blogspot.com/2010/05/sensory-steps.html
For an outside bear hunt!
http://mylittlehappies.blogspot.com/2012/03/were-going-on-bear-hunt.html
What about just doing sound effects?
http://www.readingconfetti.com/2011/08/were-going-on-bear-hunt-sound-activity.html?m=1
Color and write the letter B and bear:
https://twistynoodle.com/bear-starts-with-b-6-coloring-page/
For emerging readers some words to print out:
http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/WereGoingonaBearHuntPrintables.htm
For the older children learning how to read can you print and cut and paste and put together in order?
http://kizclub.com/storypatterns/bearhunt(C).pdf
Moveable Teddy: https://resource-bank.scholastic.co.uk/resources/50214
You could make a bear puppet: http://frogsandsnailsandpuppydogtail.com/paper-bag-bear-puppets-for-were-going-on-a-bear-hunt/
Or a mask:
http://www.pinkstripeysocks.com/2014/07/3-easy-bear-hunt-activities-with.html
(there is a map here too)
Even more ideas on my Pinterest:
Learn about bears here:
I would like to produce something like this:
https://thelowry.com/whats-on/were-going-on-a-bear-hunt/
Don’t have a stuffed bear? Order here:
hahahah – or this one:
How about a bear hat: https://www.amazon.com/Joyhy-Unisex-Winter-Plush-Animal/dp/B075NZBQG5/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?dchild=1&keywords=bear+hat&qid=1584795341&sr=8-3&swrs=31E8CAAC590CCD7E02FB54BFF44B8BEE
OR
Magnifying glass- these are the favorites in the library (share with a neighbor?):
Maybe you need a net for your bearhunt?
Shop :
This could be fun to have?
https://www.shopbecker.com/Going-On-a-Bear-Hunt-Activity-Set-YD0413K/
Cute from Etsy:
Kids t-shirt:
P.S. Beatrix loves this story!
