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National Bring Your Teddy Bear to School Day

Fun · Family · October 14

A day for bringing a favorite teddy bear along to class, where stuffed companions sit in on lessons, reading time and show and tell.

National Bring Your Teddy Bear to School Day falls on Thursday, October 14, 2027. That is 352 days away.

A teddy bear riding to school in a backpack, one ear poking out of the zipper, is the whole idea. Kids bring a favorite stuffed bear to class, and for a day the room has a second, quieter set of students.

The bears tend to get busy schedules. Some sit on desks during math. Some listen at story time, propped up so they can see the pictures. Teachers often fold them into the lesson, with kids writing a short description of their bear, measuring it with a ruler, or reading a book aloud to it. A shy child who would rather not speak to the class will sometimes speak easily on behalf of a bear.

The bears themselves are rarely new. Many arrive with flattened fur, a mended seam, or a name that made sense to a three year old. Those details make good show and tell material, because every worn spot comes with a story.

Older students and grown ups take part too. A bear on an office shelf or a college dorm desk gets noticed, and it often starts a conversation about the stuffed animal someone slept with as a kid.

The teddy bear is named after President Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was Teddy, which means a lot of classrooms are quietly hosting a small piece of history in plush form.

Ways to celebrate

• Pack a favorite teddy bear in a backpack for the school day.
• Share the story behind your bear's name with classmates.
• Read a picture book aloud to your bear at quiet time.
• Measure your bear with a ruler and compare sizes with friends.
• Set an old childhood bear on your desk at work.

Dates

All national days on October 14

Also on October 14

• National Dessert Day
• National Chocolate-Covered Insect Day

Categories: Fun daysFamily days