Teddy Bear Printables and Free Resources for Kids

I received my first teddy bear as a little girl. It was a gift when I was 5 years old and I have loved them since. The beloved teddy bear is a favorite cuddly companion for many. Celebrate one of the most popular stuffed toys with these adorable teddy bear printable activities and resources for kids.

Teddy Bear Printable Activities

The iconic teddy bear is a stuffed animal loved by children of all ages. Children seem to enjoy teddy bears for their comfort and companionship and will hold on to these toys for a long time. Even older children enjoy keeping them in their rooms and on their beds.

These soft toys can become a best friend, a source of comfort, great for emotional regulation and even used as a learning tool. Kids will enjoy using these teddy bear printable activities and learning more about this famous stuffed toy to add to their homeschool lessons. 

What is the story behind the Teddy Bear?

The teddy bear gets it’s name from President Theodore Roosevelt who was commonly known as “Teddy”. During a hunting trip with the Mississippi Governor in November of 1902, President Roosevelt had not yet shot an animal while most of the other hunters had.

Some of Roosevelt’s attendants tried to “help” by cornering, clubbing, and tying a black bear to a tree so the President could kill him. Roosevelt refused to shoot the animal in that manner because it was unsportsmanlike, but did request for his attendants to put him out of his misery.

This led to a political cartoon by Clifford Berryman in The Washington Post. And while his depiction included a larger bear, over time the bear became smaller and smaller until it was depicted as a young cub.

When were teddy bears first invented?

Upon seeing the cartoons, a Russian-born businessman and inventor, Morris Michtom, created the first teddy bear in 1902 and put it in his shop window with a sign “Teddy’s bear“.

This was only after he sent a bear and a note asking permission to use the President’s name. They were, of course, an overnight success which led Michtom to found the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co.

There is some discrepancy that a German man by the name of Richard Steiff created a bear around the same time and shipped them to America. However, there is no record of the shipment arriving, thus leading historians to believe they were lost at sea.

Due to the lack of transatlantic communication in those days, it is extremely unlikely that neither Michtom nor Steiff knew of the others intentions during this time.

Read about History on the Teddy Bear and Teddy Roosevelt

• Learn about the man who created the first teddy bear in this sweet story about The First Teddy Bear. 
• Reflect on the amazing life of Theodore Roosevelt with stories and fun activities in Theodore Roosevelt for Kids: His Life and Times.

Holidays for Teddy Bears

Did you know there are several days throughout the year to celebrate teddy bears?

• July 10th – Celebrate summer by having a picnic with your teddy bear on Teddy Bear Picnic Day. 
• September 9th – Gather all your teddy bears together for National Teddy Bear Day.
• November 16th – This is the perfect time to celebrate for Party with Your Bear Day. Get some balloons, make some cupcakes, and have a party or tea party with your your favorite teddy bear.

Printable Teddy Bear Activities

Whether your child needs a comfort stuffy or a furry friend, they are a fun addition to any room. Use these teddy bear printable pdfs, printable coloring pages and activities as a fun way to learn throughout the year.

Free Printable Teddy Bear Coloring Pages

We’ve also searched the internet to compile this HSG FREE Resource Roundup list of Teddy Bear activities for you:

• Letter T is for Teddy Bear coloring page – Practice the letter T while coloring this sweet teddy bear and the letter it stands for. 
• Bear with Balloon – This is the perfect Happy Birthday coloring page to color as a card to put in a gift. 
• Teddy Bear Picnic Coloring Pages – Color these adorable bears going on a picnic and learn about sight words too. 

Teddy Bear Themed Learning Activities

• Writing Prompts About Teddy Bears – Imagine you are on a teddy bear picnic with this creative writing prompts.
• Teddy Bear ABC Match & Trace – These alphabet mats and tracing cards are perfect for a bear theme.
• Bear Cub + Mama Bear ABC Match Up Printable Pack – Work on letter recognition with this sweet bear themed ABC match up pack.
• Teddy Bear Color Sorting -This is a great hands-on activity to practice sorting colors and ​color recognition.

Math Printables with Teddy  Bears

• Corduroy Math: Learning with Buttons – Learn about math and counting with this adorable corduroy bear activity.
• Gummy Bear Math Printables – Use gummy bears as counters with this fun math manipulative printable.
• Teddy Bear Picnic Number Printables -Learn about the number five with these teddy bear number printables.
• Bear Shape Match Activity– Match the different shapes to the belly of the different teddy bears.
• Printables and Games that Use Counting Bears – Your kids will have a blast with these math games that use counting bear math manipulatives for learning fun.

Pretend Play and Activities with Teddy Bears

• Teddy Bear Hospital Printables – Dramatic play is so much fun! Use these printables to help your children take care of their teddy bears with a pretend teddy bear hospital.
• Bear Track Stamping – Make your own bear tracks with fun stamping activity.
• Teddy Bear Picnic Invitations – Printable invitations to invite your friends to their very own teddy bear picnic.
• Free Teddy Bear Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time – You and your kids will enjoy these teddy bear songs and rhymes perfect for a morning circle time.
• Teddy Bear Preschool Fine Motor Activities – These teddy bear lacing cards will help with hand-eye coordination and are a quiet, busy activity.

Teddy Bear Crafts

• Teddy Bear Paper Doll – Practice cutting and fine motor skills by creating a teddy bear paper doll with moveable arms and legs.
• Winter Bear Art for Toddlers Using Bubble Wrap – Use bubble wrap for extra texture in this winter themed art project.
• Paddington Bear Craft – Read about Paddington Bear and create an adorable toy in his likeness from a toilet paper tube.
• Sense of Touch Textured Bear Craft for Kids – This textured bear craft is a great way to introduce different textures and fabrics to children.
• B is for Bear Letter Craft – This is a very cute teddy bear craft in the shape of a letter B.

We hope you have the best time with these teddy bear learning activities with your children. You will create some lasting memories and quality time spent sharing the love of this famous toy with them.