This season’s teen craft is Build Your Own Bear, a super simple program idea proposed by the Teen Advisory Board. It’s a stress-free hour of crafts with friends and peers. Participants stuffed their own plush bear and designed t-shirts. Here’s what we did:

 

Supplies

  • bear “skins” *
  • bear sized t-shirts *
  • stuffing *
  • scissors
  • pencils and pens (optional)
  • fabric paint and markers (optional)
  • permanent markers (optional)
  • paint brushes & water cups (optional)
  • paper and painter’s tape (optional)

 

 

*There are a number of stores where you can purchase a diy stuffed bear kit, but we got our kits from The Zoo Factory, which came with the unstuffed bears, stuffing, t-shirts, and “birth certificates.”

from The Zoo Factory

 

Method

  1. choose bear
  2. fluff the stuffing
  3. stuff bear
  4. close the backing
  5. design t-shirt & paint/draw design
  6. AFTER PAINT DRIES on the t-shirt, dress your bear

 

Results