"World Traveling" Teddy

A "Raising Spiritual Children" Project

I have seen a couple of versions of this activity and it seems like an exciting thing for an individual child to do, or for an entire classroom of children. Most suggest a teddybear for the trip, but I don't see why other types of stuffed animals couldn't be substituted. The basic idea is that the bear is like a "message in a bottle" that is thrown into the ocean, but in this case will be carried from place to place by travelers to distant lands.

Supplies
You will need one each of the following: a stuffed animal of your choice (per child or just get a couple of toys for a whole class to name and send-off); a small bag with handles (or some other type of small carrying bag that the bear can hold); a small notebook; some postcards addressed to the class or child; and a pen. You will also need materials to make an instruction tag to place around the toys neck: an index card, a photo of the class or child, or a postcard from the city where you live, a strong or thick cord or string, and some clear contact paper or clear packing tape.

My daughter, Meghann, and I chose a tan, long-legged bear and named him "Duncan." We left him "bear" (no clothes) but we gave him a small shopping bag to carry his travelers logbook and pen. Make sure to choose a toy that the child is not too attached to, for anything can happen on a journey and he might not be able to come back home.

We decorated the outside of the notebook and added the words "Duncan's Travel Logbook." Inside we wrote his starting point "Manhattan, New York, USA". On the day we handed Duncan to our friend who was traveling to Israel, we noted the date and our friends name.

To make the very important neck tag do the following: On an index card or other heavy paper write a message describing the purpose of the bear. Write something like:

"Hi I'm [insert bear's name] and I want to travel the world to see interesting places. But, I also want to come home to my family when I'm done, so please don't keep me. When you reach your destination please write the date and place in my logbook and then give me to another traveler going somewhere else. If you can, send a postcard to my house at [insert appropriate address] so my family will know where I am. When I finally get back to New York City, just call my friend [Your name or school contact] at [Insert appropriate telephone number] and she will get me home. Thanks!"

Glue the message to the back of a personal photo or a postcard of your city. Cover both sides with clear packing tape or contact paper for protection, then punch a hole about 1/2" in from one edge. Thread the cord through the hole and tie the tag securely around the bears neck. (We also glued a copy of the message inside the logbook as a back-up.) This tag is the bear's lifeline to come home. If it gets lost the chances are that the bear will decide to live in another country for the reast of his life.

When the bear does arrive home, you and your child can: trace his journey on a map; calculate distances; write a fictionalized travelogue (story) about the different foods he might have tried, landmarks, places and people he might have encountered; and other activities which will round out the "World Traveling Teddy" project.

Let me know how it turns out for you and your teddies. Tell us about the journeys, the adventures, the drama! Back to top.

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