This resource is great for:

Planning a whole day of teddy-themed activities.

Introduction

Kristina Stephenson, the bestselling author of Sir Charlie Stinky Socks has a hilarious story to share with her trademark liveliness. Enjoy music, movement and fun galore as you watch this event filmed live at the 2019 Edinburgh International Book Festival 2019, where she tries to answer the impossible question: why are there so many books about bears? Then take inspiration from Kristina’s event and have a whole day of Teddy-themed fun!

Part one

It’s storytime! In the video Kristina names some of her favourite books about bears, including Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Bear and Hugless Douglas. Look through your books. How many of them are about bears? Choose some of your favourites to read together!

Part two

Kristina’s events are full of fun dressing up and silly acting out. Why not join in by acting out one of your favourite bear books? Keep it simple and just act out each page as a narrator reads it, or get creative and make your own costumes, props, sets and sound effects. Perhaps you could have a final performance for some friends or family members over a video call.

Practise your counting and sorting by gathering all of your soft toys. How many teddy bears do you have? And how many dogs, elephants, dinosaurs or any other animals?

Part three

Feeling peckish? It must be time for a Teddy Bears Picnic! Make some marmalade or honey sandwiches (or, even better, bake some crispy cakes) and head out to the garden with all of your soft toys and a big blanket. Don’t forget to sing Teddy Bears’ Picnic!

Part four

In the book Kristina gathers the great minds of the animal kingdom to answer the question, why are there so many books about bears? These great minds include:

• William Snakespeare
• Albert Swinestein
• Isaac Newt-on

Do you see what Kristina did there? What other “great minds of the animal kingdom” can you come up with?

Part five

It’s time to get artistic. Lots of people have been putting pictures of teddies up in their windows for children to spot as they go on a “Bear Hunt” around their neighbourhood. Why not join in by drawing and decorating your bear. Get creative by colouring, printing, painting or sticking!

Further information: 

If you would like to learn more about Kristina Stephenson’s writing, visit her website: www.sircharliestinkysocks.co.uk

Why Are There So Many Books About Bears?–That is the impossible question that all the other animals just can’t figure out! Thankfully the most brilliant minds in the animal kingdom have gathered to try and answer it, once and for all. But someone keeps knockety-knocking on the door, offering tea and cakes and interrupting their train of thought! Maybe the answer they’re looking for was right outside all along…