Make a Bear Birthday Parties

Before the Party Date:

1. Once your order has arrived, please check that everything that your order was shipped, we do take pride to ensure your order is correct. 
2. Make sure you have cardboard between the shirts so when the children are decorating the markers do not bleed to the other side. An easy solution for this is; using the box that your order arrived in, trace one of the t-shirts on the box as your template, cut it out and continue doing this until you have enough cardboard cut outs for the number of t-shirts that you order.
3. Gather up some regular markers.  From the dollar store purchase some stickers so they have some items to decorate their take home bags.  Also at the dollar store you may wish to pick up some headbands or kids sunglasses so they can accessorize their new friend once they are done, this entirely up to you.

Day of the Party:

1. Place a take home bag at each child’s place.
2. In the middle of the table put markers, stickers from the dollar store. 
3. When the guests arrive have them decorate their take home bag, but make sure you tell them to put their name on the bag.  This will keep them busy doing this until everyone arrives.
4. Once everyone has arrived and the bags are done.  Have them put their bag under their chair.
5. Now is the time to decorate the T-Shirts for their new animals they are making.  Make sure you have cardboard between the shirts so when the children are decorating the markers do not bleed to the other side.  You can use regular markers.  Note: Do not decorate with glue or glitter glue as it will not be dry for your guests to put on their animals in time.
6. Then the fun begins as they start stuffing their animals. Here's a step by step for you:

a. Open up the back of your new Buddy and pull the zippered section out to give you the easiest access.

 b. Start by filling the arms & legs.  We recommend that you use small amounts of stuffing to avoid "clumps” Have each child fill the arms first, once that is done have them put up their hand up, just check to make sure they have pushed the stuffing right to the end of both arms if they need more tell the child their animal needs more stuffing and to put their hand up for one more check before moving onto the legs.  Do the same for the legs once they think they have enough in the legs to put their hand up, pushing stuffing right down into the legs and then fill the stomach.  But tell the children not to pull the zipper up as there is something special needs to be put inside the animal before they can be done.

 c.       Fill the neck if needed. Begin to fill the stomach cavity. When it's a little more than half full, take your wishing star, make a wish and place it inside.  Continue to fill your Buddy until you use all the stuffing or 75% of the stuffing bag. Once the animal is closed you can not add any more stuffing.  So make sure the animal is stuffed enough to the child’s liking.  

d.      Then you do a special ceremony to put the hug and kiss inside the animals.  Each child receives 1 hug and 1 kiss.  You could have them all stand up and make a wish.

e.       Close the zipper. When you are 100% happy with the plumpness, cut the string on the zipper. (it will not be able to open once the string is cut)  

f.        Close the velcro snugly. (You may have to take the strip of material of the velcro first) 

7. Then they can complete the Adoption Certificate so they officially own their new friend. Have them sign/or print on the first line.  If the birthday guest of honour is old enough they can sign the second line of the guests’ certificate.  You will sign the second line of your son/daughters.  If your son/daughter is not old enough you can you just sign the guests’ certificates.
8. Now they can put the T-Shirt on their new friend.  You could even go to your local dollar store and get some headbands or kids sunglasses so they can accessorize their new friend.
9. Have the children put their animals in the bag so they don’t get dirty (i.e. by food) have them line them up at the front door so they are ready when the parents arrive to pick them up.   

The above steps would have taken 1 hour to do; now all you have to do is serve the food and open the gifts and your 2 hour birthday party is done!!

Example of the time line of the party, this can be adjusted according to the length of time you have schedule your party:

Just in case someone doesn’t show up for the party – what do you do with the extra animal?

I am sure your child will be invited to a birthday party why not use that extra animal as birthday gift.  Have your son or daughter decorate the bag for the person who is receiving the gift.  You could put the Stuffing stick, instruction sheet, Adoption Certificate and Hug & Kiss insert all inside the stuffing bag so those won’t fall out with the person opening the bag.

Have a Great Party!