The History of the Teddy Bear
The History of the Teddy Bear
Teddy bears are one of the most beloved children’s toys of all time. Today, it is rare to walk into the average child’s room and not see a teddy bear - or two - somewhere. But teddy bears were not always as common as they are today. Prior to the 1900’s, teddy bears as we know them were not even in existence.
The name “teddy bear” originated with President Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt’s nickname was “Teddy,” and on a hunting trip in 1902, some of Roosevelt’s attendants captured and tied up a black bear to a tree, suggesting that Roosevelt shoot it. He refused, and a cartoonist for the Washington Post picked up the story.
A man by the name of Morris Michtom, who was in the business of making stuffed animals, saw the cartoon, and being a shrewd businessman, came up with the idea of making a stuffed bear to go with the cartoon. After obtaining approval from the president, Morris made the bears for sale, calling them “Teddy’s Bear.” People fell in love with the bear and it was an instant success. Morris found it to be so successful that he started his own toy company, the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co.
The demand for teddy bears became a craze and other toy manufacturers picked up on the idea and made their own versions of the bears. Even grown ladies bought and carried the popular toy. The original teddy bears were made to look realistic, with longer snouts. Today, most teddy bears have flatter noses and larger eyes, making them cuter and more appealing as a toy.
Teddy bears have taken off and are still in mass production today. Many companies have expanded on the original idea and offer make-your-own teddy bears and other animals, such as the popular Build-A-Bear. Recently, some companies now offer the Build-A-Bear concept as in-home party entertainment, bringing the bear stuffing fun to your home, like Noah’s Ark Workshop.
Teddy bears are not only still physically available, but they have been the subjects of many beloved children’s books, such as the enduring tales of Winnie-the-Pooh. In 1984, the first teddy bear museum was built in England, and was open until 2006, when it closed and auctioned off its teddy bears.
In the past few years companies have expanded even more on the teddy bear and stuffed animal industry and created teddy bears that you buy and receive a special code, which you use to go online and create a virtual world for your bear. Webkinz was one of the first companies to make this a success, and others, like "My Storytime Friends", have followed.
Many teddy bears are now collector’s items, such as antique bears or German Steiff bears, which were also created around the same time as Morris Michtom’s teddy bear.
Teddy bears are also a favorite theme for parties, like teddy bear tea parties where children come dressed for tea and bring their favorite teddy bear.
Make your own Face Paint
Face Painting is always a hit at birthday parties and now rather than running out and buying it at the store you can make your own! It's natural, better for your kids' skin and if you use all organic ingredients, the paints will be organic too! What can be better than that?
And if you're interested in some great face painting designs, here's a great face painting ebook to help you get started:
Click Here for the Easy Face Painting ebook!How to Make a Butterfly Cake
Fabulous home Cake Decorating
I just found this wonderful ebook on cake decorating that you absolutely have to get.
Look at some of these adorable samples:
Fun Princess party crafts and games
You have invited the royal guests and have planned a menu that would make any queen proud. The guests will be arriving soon with great expectation of fun and all things pink! You're having a Princess Party!
Here are some easy and fun ideas for games and crafts to make your party the best one in the kingdom.
1. Make a tiara: These days at almost any craft store you can find precut fun foam princess tiaras and decorations for next to nothing. Purchase some glitter glue and a few extra sparkly gems and your princess and her guests will stay busy for quite some time. Make sure they all put their names inside the crowns so that after the glue and glitter glue dries, they'll know which is theirs. Don't forget to take a picture with everyone wearing the crowns.
2. Musical Princess Slipper: This is a fun and easy game that takes no prep work at all. Have the party guests and princess of honor stand in a circle. Using a nice dress shoe (or glass slipper if you happen to have one!) start with the birthday girl and have the girls pass the slipper around the circle while music plays in the background. When the music stops, the guest holding the slipper jumps out of the circle and becomes the girl in charge of the music. Continue on until only one girl is left and she's the princess winner.
American idol birthday party
Here are some fun snack ideas for an American Idol birthday party:
1. Star Pizza - Before you put on the toppings, cut the pizza crust into triangle slices and then arrange into a star shape. Top with your favorite toppings and pop into the oven to bake! Yum!
2. PB&J - Idol style - make your usual peanut butter and jelly sandwich but then using a large star cookie cutter, cut them into star shapes. Serve on a flashy plate for effect!
3. Hand me the mic! - Here's a simple IDOL treat - serve up a scoop of ice cream in a sugar cone - instant microphone! ;-)
Some fun things to do:
1. Make autograph books - have the kids decorate some simple notebooks and then get each other's autographs. Or you can get fancy and give each child a white tshirt and have them have each of the other guests sign the shirt with fabric markers. (just make sure you put some cardboard in between).
2. Hot Microphone - like hot potato where the kids pass the microphone around while the music is going but the twist is, when the music stops if you're holding the mic - you have to sing Happy birthday to the birthday child!
3. Karaoke - kids love it and it's a great way for them to spend the afternoon!
So have fun with your little STARS at your American Idol Birthday Party!
Poodle Skirts and Milk Shakes!
It was a VERY easy birthday party too! We made some simple handmade invitations inviting the girls to come dressed in a plain white shirt with their hair in a pony tail. I made each girl a very simple poodle skirt (there were only 5 girls, btw) and as they came into the house, they got to put on their skirt, tie a bow in their ponytail and put on a little blush and lipstick.
50s music was playing in the background so the girls all danced around while waiting for the other kids to arrive.
At that time we had a little ice cream shop within walking distance from our house so we all walked to the shop for milkshakes (such a cute picture with all those little ones walking down the street in matching poodle skirts!). The owners of the shop loved it, of course!
Hubby had a convertible, so he drove the girls back in groups of 2 and 3 with the top down - THAT was a hit but I wouldn't suggest buying a convertible just for this party! But if you know someone with one, it might be worth asking if they'd play chauffeur for the afternoon or use his car for great photos!
When we got back from the shop it was time for presents and the girls went home. Since I had made the poodle skirts there was no need for the plastic goodie bags. Too fun for all.
It's an easy party that will make all the neighbors jealous! :-) Give it a try!
Treasure Map invitations
An alternative to a traditional birthday party invitation for a large party is a treasure map invitation. Let your child create a treasure map with a broken line trail and the “X” that marks the spot.
At the starting point, have your child write, “You are here” with a little house to show that the guests are following a trail from their homes to the birthday child’s home for an exciting party. At the bottom, indicate the date, time, and place of the party. Make one copy of the map for each child to be invited.
Crumple the maps up a few times to make them look old and worn. You can also cut the edges to make them look a bit torn and rugged. Roll them up and tie each with a piece of red or black ribbon. Allow your little one to pass out the invitations at school or simply slip them in each child’s mailbox.
If you want to get super "creative", draw your maps on pieces of torn grocery bags. Draw that map, crumple and wrap as above. You can even burn the edges for a fun effect (parent supervision required for the burned edges!)
Out of the Box Party ideas
For instance, around here we have:
Make your own pottery
Beading stores
Archivers (scrapbooking)
Knitting and quilting stores
Hobby shops
retail stores (like build a bear, etc)
Restaurants with unique themes (Rainforest Cafe, etc)
Her post lists some other cute ideas like the zoo, fire station and airport (my kids loved the airport!). The key is to get a feel for what your child is "in to" and then get creative with how you can incorporate a field trip or the like into your birthday party planning.
From there you can take the party back home (my favorite place to party) and incorporate decor, tableware, party favors and the like to keep the theme going. The sky really is the limit when it comes to out of the box party ideas!
And just remember, anything can be turned into a fun birthday party theme. If your child finds something facinating - like a retail store or other location, just ASK if they've ever considered hosting birthday parties there. They may have never thought about it but with some coaching you could probably come up with a great way to make it work and help them make some money in the process. It's usually a win-win for everyone.
What do you think? Have you ever had an "out of the box" type birthday party? Let's hear about it!
Kid's Birthday Party Photos
Outdoor Decorating
Hiring Teens as Party Assistants
One of the stresses for moms who have a birthday party at home is all the work that's involved in throwing a bash at home - let alone the clean up. Hiring birthday party assistants is definitely the way to go, especially if you are having your child's entire class over or have a lot of activities planned that need extra hands on deck! Hiring help for your party doesn't have to break the bank either. Remember that your party is not an all day affair and depending on the jobs you are outsourcing, you can hire someone for an hour or two or for the entire day, depending on your needs. Just make sure you make it clear ahead of time so both of you know what you're in for. Some jobs you can hire out: 1. Photography - one of the key elements of a great party is the pictures you take and then pass on afterward. But it's also one of those things that gets pushed aside when things get hectic. Hiring a teenager is a great way to insure that the job will get done and that a lot of pictures will be taken. Give the teen a list of specific pictures that you want but then give them free reign to take candid shots throughout the party. 2. Activity coordinators - give them full jurisdiction over your crafts and games and let them have at it. That way you can sit back and relax and help your birthday child or enjoy the other guest parents who have stayed for the party. 3. Clean up crew - Have your hirelings be in charge of all aspect of clean up so you can enjoy the day and not feel like you have to bring in a bulldozer to get your house back to normal. 4. Do it all - hire a team of teens or young adults to run the party from A-Z, put them in charge of planning and implementing everything from invitations to thank you cards. Professional party planners charge a lot of money but if you're clear with the teens you're hiring you can get a lot done for much less. Again, just make sure your expectations are very clear from the start so you know what you are hoping to have done will be done. Hiring teens for jobs like this gives them great exposure to the working world too, so it's not only helping you, it's helping them. If you promise references after the fact it'll be a great addition to their portfolio as well. Prime candidates for these types of jobs are teens that are considering teaching positions (especially those who are looking forward to Physical Education degrees for your craft and games assistants). Ask around at church or your local community college. You might even get free help in the form of an internship or something similar.
Adorable Party Favor Ideas
I got the most adorable little birthday party favors in the mail the other day. See the photos below. I just love them all.
The first time I saw the little mini gumballs I knew I had to have them. And boy was I even more surprised to see that they're even cuter in person! The website photos are very well done but I loved opening up the box and seeing them live. I can't wait to feature these at one of my upcoming parties!
My kids are older but they still think they're adorable!! The little cupcakes - too cute and they'd make a great party favor for any age birthday. The price is right too!
And then the kraft box with cupcake mix - nothing fancy but I love the idea of decorating the box to suit whatever your theme is for the party. Or better yet, let the children decorate the box themselves as part of the birthday festivities.
Too fun! Click on the pictures below to see a larger view and each picture is linked to the product page at Beau Coup party favors if you're ready to purchase!
Great idea for teen party
I absolutely loved this idea for an inexpensive birthday party for teenage girls! It's so clever!
Grab your digital camera and pile all the guests into the car (or cars) to head to the local mall. Walk through each store and have the guest girls choose items that they WOULD buy for the birthday child if they could and take pictures with that guest and the birthday child with the item. Do that with each store snapping off photo after photo. (Talk with the store manager and let them in on the game so they know what's going on - most will be fine with it!)
Then, swing by the photo kiosk, print out the pictures and come back to create a fun scrapbook of the day. Enjoy some pizza and pop and voila - "This was the most fun party ever!" And all it cost you was some photo developing and food cost!
And you can do it even cheaper by signing up for a photo sharing website like THIS ONE so you can email the photos to the other guests too and create online photo albums.
Many thanks to Mary Hunt of Debt Proof Living for the great, frugal idea!
camping bananas
I love this yummy looking recipe for baked bananas "smores". And it's simple too!
Place an un-peeled banana on a piece of aluminum foil (large enough to wrap the banana). Slice the banana in half lengthwise and top with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. Wrap in the foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove carefully, allow to cool in foil and then open up. Top with Ice Cream.
Fairly healthy too and an easy to do snack for any birthday theme!
Popcorn Balls - Yum!
I know it's still summer but for some reason when I think ahead to fall I think of popcorn balls! And what a perfect treat for an upcoming fall birthday party or one with a sports theme?
Here's an easy recipe for this classic treat:
Pop 2.5 quarts of popcorn - set aside
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/8 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Combine the above together in a heavy saucepan until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking and then quickly whisk in:
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
Pour the mixture over the popped popcorn and toss until the popcorn is coated. Allow to cool only slightly and then with buttered hands, form into balls. Let cool on waxed paper and then wrap in individual squares of cellophane.
Enjoy!
Tips for a Great Princess Party
If you're like most parents, you are looking for easy, affordable and fun birthday parties for your children. With a little planning, a Princess Birthday Party is the perfect party for your little girl!
Here's some easy to implement ideas for your little Princess:
• Take some time to plan ahead by thinking through some of the logistics of your party. What day of the week will work so that a majority of your guests will be able to attend? What time of the day works for your age group? Remember, if you're planning for little ones nap times may still be an issue so it’s best to plan the party for a time when you know the kids won’t be overtired or cranky because they missed nap time.
• If you plan on having “outside entertainment” secure that early as well. Some great ideas for a princess party entertainer would be a balloon artist, magician or a children's storyteller. Check your local yellow pages under "Party Entertainment" or search the web for ones near you.
• Send your invitations out at least 2 weeks before your party date with some party planners suggesting a 6-week advance invitation. Purchase some linen paper from the office supply store and use a calligraphy font on your computer for printing the royal invitations. For your more local guests, roll the invitation into a scroll and tie with gold organdy ribbon and hand deliver them. If mailing the invitations, use cute stickers or rubber stamps to decorate the envelope in royal fashion.
An 18th Birthday Party For the College Bound
by Audrey Okaneko
One of the most memorable parties my daughter ever attended was an 18th birthday party her friend’s mom put together for him and his friends. All of the teens were thinking of college. It was May of their senior year. They all were graduating in just 4 weeks. They had all chosen and been accepted to the colleges of their choices.
This mom, feeling very nostalgic, decided to create a children’s birthday party for these soon to be adults. She rented a bubble machine, a fog machine and a bouncer.
The teens had a contest with paddle balls, a bubble gum blowing contest and hot dogs and hamburgers.
Getting ready for college is both exciting and a bit scary for the senior in high school. This party allowed the teens a few hours of total childlike fun.
As your own child begins to think of college, remember this is one of the biggest steps they will take. They are leaving the comfort of home, the comfort of mom and/or dad always being there. They are beginning a life away from home where they will now be responsible for what happens in their life.
How to Throw the Best Birthday Party Ever
Throwing a birthday party at home does not have to be stressful. A little planning can go a long way to help you turn a potentially chaotic mess that you approach with fear and trembling into a wonderful event that your birthday child will remember for the rest of his life.
So what’s the key to a stress free birthday party? Here are 4 tips for making the birthday party planning as well as the day itself super fun and stress free:
1. Plan ahead - Work with a birthday party checklist to keep you on track as to what needs to be done and when. This little step alone can help to take the pressure off because you have built in reminders and there is no “did I forget anything” stress on your mind. Have separate sections on your list to keep track of the items you need to buy as well as a timeline to help you work toward the day. Include even the things that you know you won’t forget like “bake a cake” or “buy paper goods” just so you know that everything is there and will be taken care of. This also helps if you have people helping you with the party as they will know what’s been done and still needs to be done based on your checklist.