Bear Table-On my table I have: different shapes of varying sizes with matching teddy bear stickers. Children find the matching shapes/pictures. Teddy bear pom poms-I have a picture of a black, brown, and white bear on the container. Inside the container is brown, white, and black pom poms. The children use tongs to "hunt" for a bear. Number teddies- I make different colored die cut teddy bears. I write numbers on them and draw coordinating number of squares on them. Then I place unifix cubes in a bear shaped holder. The children match the color and number together: Example: Number 1 is on a white bear. The children place one white cube on the white number 1 bear. Counter bears-I make pop-up colored teddies on squares. Then I make a large dot, middle-sized dot, and small dot. The children then match the coordinating colored bears on the right sized dot: Red papa, red mama, red baby bear on red pop-up teddy.
Bear Manipulatives-I am sure that most of you have these: plastic teddy bears with counting/sorting colored cups. If you don't have the cups, cut out teddy bear shapes and let the kids sort/count them that way. I make colored bears and let the children place them on the bear cut-outs.
Bear patterning-Make your pattern or tactile cards using various textures: corduroy, burlap, felt, sandpaper, paper, etc; and let your children put these in patterns. I make tactile bears and make pockets of coordinating material. The children have to find the pocket that matches that bear and velcro it on. My kids love the tactile cards the best.
Bear dress up-Even if you have mostly male students, you can do this. Make several bear outfits (raincoat/hat, shorts/t-shirt, snowsuit/mittens, overalls/flannel shirt, etc;). Let children match the suits. This helps the children see what appropriate clothing is like. I use a ready made bear with clothes sold by PhotoFun.
Here is one of our bear doctors. (The cutest doctor I've ever seen!!)
Bear doctors-In your housekeeping/dramatic play, set up a bear clinic complete with teddy bear patients. The well loved bears are great for this. A doctor play set is wonderful, as well as: bandages, wrap, cotton, tongue depressors, "empty medicine bottles", a doll bed, etc;
Teddys and tea-Place some bears in your housekeeping center so that your students may make tea and lunch for your bears.
One of my students playing with our polar bear puppet. Isn't he doing a great job with it??
Place puppets such as Goldilocks, Baby Bear, Mama Bear, and Papa Bear. You can make these from paper bags or use sticks.
Bear Cave-I take a light brown thermal blanket and drape it over the science table. I let the children go in the cave with the bear and play, read, etc;
Bear Blocks-Using colored blocks/cubes, take various bear stickers. You need atleast two of each sticker. I place the stickers on the same colored blocks and then let the children match them together.
My "christopher robin" building homes for his Pooh friends!
Building Hundred Acre Forest-I have small stuffed animals of all of the Winnie the Pooh Gang. I place them in the block center and let the children re-create the Hundred Acre Forest, making a special house for Eeyore.
Books- I have a HUGE white bear that I place in my reading area. Then I place all kinds of bear books and aac displays for the aac devices.
Sensory table-I hide all kind of bear items: bear counters, small bears, small bowl, etc;
Science: Using the sensory table, fill it up partially with water(tinted with a bit of blue food coloring). Then add an ice block. I freeze mine in a thin rubbermaid container. Place the ice block into the table and place a polar bear figure on top of the block. This is a great way to show the kids how polar bears live in icy cold environments.
