Primary Teacher Resource Centre - Forum

jenny_pest · Moderator Joined: 28 Oct 2008 Posts: 3676

I had a dream about school last night.... and its not even started yet... I wanted to see what other people use in circle time to pass around (If anything)

My idea was... to talk to the children about a teddy bear, think of names as a class that we could call bear, talk about what colour bear we would like etc... basically as a class look at bears on Bear Factory Website, choosing our circle time friend... Then I would go to the Bear Factory (I have a loyalty card & get 25% off my next order!) & take photos of me choosing the bear and getting the bear made etc..

Bring the bear back to school, children can have photos in a corner on display with the bears "Birth certificate" framed and thats where bear can live, in circle time pass him around and treat him as a friend in nursery. Also was thinking bear can say "Everybody's friends in Nursery" as you can get the ones with messages in... And then perhaps some children can take "Bear's Friend.." a cheaper & less fancy bear home at weekends and use a book to share with parents about what bear has been doing at the weekend and on Monday's we can share news and such....

I thought it would be a nice idea but not sure if its a bit over the top!!

smallholder · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 7359

I think thats great Jenny - a lovely idea for young kids. I work with SEN teenagers so a bear is not for me, but we have a 'talking stone' that is passed round. This is a large smooth speckled stone that looks a bit like a flattened egg and is lovely to feel in the hand- needs two hands as it is quite weighty. I found it on a beach in Scotland one day and thought it beautiful so I brought it home and varnished it. The kids love hearing about how I found it and really 'respect' it- passing it round with care.

jenny_pest · Moderator Joined: 28 Oct 2008 Posts: 3676

That sounds lovely SH - very precious too so I can imagine they do enjoy exploring and holding the stone. Thanks for sharing.

magpie nic · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 7483 Location: Tyneside

I love the idea Jenny Pest- maybe you could take them to choose the bear? I took reception to the bear factory to choose bears to send to our link schools in Europe. They chose the bear, outfit, recorded message and filled it. We made 3, and the bear factory gave us another one for our class! Was a great morning out.
My son has a nursery bear which is sent home with different children every weekend with his suitcase of clothes, pyjamas etc and a diary that parents can write in and put photos in etc. It is great!

When I was rejigging PSHE across school, I asked each class to vote on what they wanted as their talking object- even Y6 chose a puppet!!

fccwidow · Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 3:30 pm Post subject:

I'm sure that if you arrange a school visit they give you a bear for free at the Teddy Bear Factory Smile

tog · Joined: 30 Oct 2008 Posts: 908

I have used a bear (though not a posh Bear Factory one!) in Reception - children took turns to take it home and parent or child filled in his diary, some added photos too. The children get so excited when it is their turn to take him home.
I have also used him in circle time to address some of the common PSED issues - pretending he had a problem with sharing or was sad because he hadn't been invited to a party etc.

SparkleBox · Joined: 27 Oct 2008 Posts: 273 Location: Worcestershire

That sounds like a good idea to me!

Let us know how it goes!

SB Smile

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tui · Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Posts: 3317 Location: New Zealand

I bought 2 beautiful soft toys this week after seeing your post Jenny. i like the idea of having a toy as a class member.
One is a dog with heavy pellets in it so it sits in lifelike ways and will fit over a child's arm beautifully. It was only $5 in a charity shop. The other one is a lifelike rabbit and is beautiful but not quite so cuddly as its legs are shorter. i hope my 5 year old class will read to them and the boys will like the dog i am sure. They can choose a name for them. i won't send them home though judging by the way home readers are treated.