Build-A-Bear

This is a picture of the finished bear my daughter made from a Build A Bear kit at her birthday party. We purchased the kits from Joann’s. The kits come complete, including the stuffing, needle and thread, so there is no need to purchase anything extra.

Here’s a closer view of the stitching:

As you can see, the holes are not spaced real closely which has the advantage of not as much stitching for the children, but the disadvantage of visually obvious stitches. Make sure to snug the stitches up so there is as little slack as possible, without puckering the fabric. If the gaps really bother you, you can stitch with smaller stitches using a regular needle and thread, or even a sewing machine. But, I would remind you that if this project is for the kids, a little ‘imperfection’ is okay. The important thing is that they are making a bear themselves and can be proud of their accomplishment!

These Build A Bear kits do take some time and patience, as well as a little skill. Have enough clear space to work in, a big table or something similar. Be sure to explain the basic instructions (I would recommend going over the instructions ahead of time, rather than at the party for the first time!) The kits will get spread out, so watch out to help prevent all those little pieces from getting lost or mixed up with others.

Get each child off to a good start, with an explanation, a small demonstration and correct length of knotted thread. Expect to have to help along the way as well, and to be handy for questions, tying knots, tightening stitches, undoing mistakes, etc.

I would not recommend this kit for children under 5 or 6 unless they have an adult all to themselves to help quite a bit, as they probably will not have the patience or coordination to finish on their own. By age 8 or 9, most children will need fairly minimal help, depending on whether they have had any sewing experience before. One adult per 2 children (or 3 if they are older) is a good ratio. Much more and you may become a little frazzled.

If you choose this as a party craft, you will not need to plan much else for additional activities. You may not have the time (or inclination) to iron on the clothing designs, and that’s okay. That’s something that can get sent home in the kit afterwards. However, do try to finish the bear itself so that the children can hug them and take them home ready to play with.

And, as with any craft with children, don’t forget to take a deep breath every so often when those messes and mistakes happen, or someone is on the verge of tears because “it isn’t turning out right”. If you can stay calm and cheerful, it will turn out all right in the end.