For many of us, even if we don’t have kids, there’s likely to be a teddy bear or two around the house. They might be on a shelf, a windowsill, a cupboard or somewhere more prominent. But even as an adult, most of us still have a bear that we can’t quite stand to part with and becomes part of the family. But why is that?
Teddy Bears in our Hearts & Homes
Teddy bears were first created back in the early 1900s in the USA. The story is that the president at the time, Theodore Roosevelt was hunting and saw a bear but couldn’t bring himself to shoot it. This led to a whole range of cartoons in newspapers referring to Teddy’s (his nickname) Bear.
Following this, a New York based businessman decided to make a ‘Teddy’s Bear’ and they were so popular, he set up a whole manufacturing business around them. Around the same time, the German company Steiff also started to make their own stuffed bears that had moveable joints.
Teddy Bears & Kids
Here in the UK teddy bears became popular with kids and have stayed there ever since. Few children don’t have a bear or stuffed animal at some stage and many of them have a few, including the one that becomes the ever-present best friend and companion.
While it is a timeless toy and always a great gift for children, it is more than just something you give as a keepsake. That’s because there are solid benefits to having a teddy bear around.
For starters, children talk to their bears, practice language skills and communications from an early stage. The teddy is a constant companion, someone that can go anywhere with them and offers comfort just by being there.
Teddy bears can also encourage imaginative play in a way that other toys don’t manage. Electric toys or gadgets by their nature encourage a relatively set way to use them but with something like a teddy, there’s no limit to the things the child can do and imagine.
Teddy Bears in the Family
There’s no doubt that teddy bears become a part of the family. A place is often set at the table, or a space made for them. They get a ‘share’ of the meal and a drink! Or they have special places to sit during different times such as during stories or while the family is watching a film.
If you have a lost teddy, the importance of it becomes very clear! Watch any family scouring the place for a lost teddy or appealing on social media for a bear lost at the shops and you’ll realise what an important part they play in the family life, especially when the children are young.
A teddy is like a blank canvas that a child can create whatever they want with. A friend, a sibling, a secret ally, a fellow adventurer, these bears can be anything and that makes them worthwhile, even long after these needs have matured.
For a great range of teddies to be adopted into your home visit www.bears4u.co.uk to find the next member of your family.
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