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DIY TEDDY BEARS’ PICNIC PARTY
Here’s how to run your own Teddy Bears’ Picnic children’s party at
Wilderness Wood. You can add to these suggestions, but they are offered
as guidelines.
WHAT IS IT?
Take your teddies for a delightful amble in the woods, finding yummy
things for their tea. Sleepy bears need a bed, while children enjoy
their own tea. Wake the bears up for some games, then back to the start.
Suggested length of time 1 hour in the woods, extended to 1½ hours for
birthday cake afterwards and/or using the play area.
HOW MUCH? £5.00, plus admission:
15 or more people pre-booked, group booking rates:
Adults £3.05 and children £1.85 (aged 3-15). For fewer people, normal
admission: Adults £3.40 and children £2.05. 2 adults + 2 children £9.70.
To pre-book, click
here for a booking form.
HOW MANY PEOPLE?
For everyone’s safety and your sanity, don’t have more than 15 children.
Increasing the number of adult ‘helpers’ doesn’t make larger parties
easier, just more people for you to organise! Four adults are ideal.
Three adults including you is the minimum.
FOR WHAT AGE CHILDREN?
Up to you, but we have a minimum age of three for our picnics. A
woodland can be risky, so you need to know the children will respond
when you warn them of dangers. We usually offer Teddy Bears’ Picnics up
to the age of 8.
WHERE?
You will be advised of a recommended route and site on your arrival, and
it will be marked on a map for you. Your site will be no more than 10
minutes walk from the barn/ car park/ toilets. A route will be suggested
which is not too bumpy or steep.
WHAT TO WEAR
Not party best. Long trousers advisable, to help guard against grazes,
and children may be kneeling or sitting on the ground. Trainers for
feet. In wet weather, waterproofs and wellies are essential.
WHAT IF IT’S WET?
A bit of rain won’t matter if children are appropriately dressed. You
may book a gazebo in the picnic area for tea if you want. If it
forecasts continuous or heavy rain, you may cancel by 10am of the day of
the visit, with full refund on your deposit.
WHAT TO BRING
A mobile phone, with our number in it, in case of emergency.
A small first aid kit – grazes and stings are quite common.
Name labels for children, unless all adults know all children.
A carrier bag and a small paper plate for each child.
Picnic blankets.
Teddies! Or dogs, bunnies – whoever the guests want to bring. Toys may
get dirty, so special bears may have to stay at home.
A picnic. Usually a sandwich, drink, small cake and perhaps crisps is
sufficient. Please bring as little packaged food as possible – e.g. a
bottle of squash and cups rather than cartons or ‘fruit shoots’ and a
big bag of crisps to share rather than many half-eaten packs. You must
take all your rubbish home with you. There are no bins. There are
recycling bins at the entrance.
Perhaps a birthday cake to have back near the visitor centre, perhaps
after using the play area. Don’t forget knife / candles / matches!
HOW DO I RUN THE ACTIVITY?
1. Before you set off into the wood, let the children know what to
expect – games with their bears, finding bears some tea, and a picnic in
the wood. Make sure they know your name. Tell them not to run ahead in
the woods – they are likely to trip and they may get lost. There are no
toilets in the wood, so recommend a visit before you start.
2. Five minutes before the start, hide your own bear somewhere along the
start of the route you will be taking. Your bear was so excited about
the party he ran ahead and hid. Children have to find him.
3. Introduce your bear. He is magic, as they will find out later. Make a
circle and ask the children to tell everyone the name of their bears.
4. Where’s my bear? At a suitable point along the route, place a blanket
down and ask all the children to put their bears in the middle and kneel
down around. Older children can be blindfolded with a strip of fabric (borrowable),
younger ones just close their eyes. Mix up the bears and ask the
children to find theirs by touch!
5. Bear tea Are their bears hungry? Give each child a carrier bag and a
paper plate. Guide them to things their bears might eat, such as
sausages (sticks), cakes (pine cones), sandwiches (tree leaves),
twiglets (pine needles). You may pick tree leaves, fallen leaves and
sticks from the ground, but don’t pick plants. Some are poisonous. Walk
towards the picnic place as you gather - 5 to 10 minutes. Arrange
blankets. Children arrange their bag contents on their paper plate, and
sit round the blankets. Your bear can do some tasting from each plate.
This can take 5-10mins.
6. Sleepy bears Now the bears are full of tea, they are feeling sleepy.
Somewhere nearby, find a place to make a bed/ shelter. Takes 5-10
minutes. Use fallen twigs and leaves – not bracken, as it cuts fingers
easily; not moss as it is slow growing.
7. Picnic Now the bears are sleeping, children can have their tea on the
blankets.
8. Magic bear Here is where your bear can show his magic skills. You
need have briefed a (glamorous?) assistant. Send your magic bear away
with your assistant, out of sight /earshot. The children make a pattern
of twigs on the blanket and choose which number between 1 and 10 it
represents. Call the bear back to guess the number. You hold your hand
behind your back with your fingers showing the number the children have
decided on. Your assistant looks at your fingers, then your bear can
tell the children the answer. This is repeatable several times!
9. The way back Children could sing a teddy song and get their bears
dancing on the way back. Or, look for a special leaf or stick to take
home for the bear. Bear stickers can be given as prizes - 25p or 30p a
section. Order in advance.
10. Back at the top Thank the children and bears for coming on an
adventure in the wood with your magic bear. If you are having cake, wash
hands and organise children for this.
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