Build a Bear type party at home?

[vigglewiggle]

Can anyone recommend a good company for this? DD (6) wants an official BAB party but I have baulked at the cost - especially as you would still need to provide food! I thought having one at home was a good idea to reduce costs etc. Has anyone used a company they would recommend and I am tempted to pay for a host as I'm not very arty/crafty - what do you think?

[vigglewiggle]

Bumping for the late shift!

[missmapp]

My friend had one of these- blackberry bear- i think. They had it in a hall, but had the packs delivered before hand and the children made them their, they were easy to do and it was a great party- not sure about the cost, but friend said it was much cheaper than BAB

[missmapp]

there even- oops!!

[missmapp]

just googled it - blackberrie bear - looks good.

[vigglewiggle]

I looked at Blackberrie but we are oop North and I think that is just darn sarf! Thank you though, it's good to know they go down well.

[vigglewiggle]

The location matters because I'm thinking of getting them to come and make the bears for me as I'm lazy not very handy!

[5madthings]

I used bearfactoryparties.co
Uk i yhink? I have recomended them on here before they are fab.

Tbey dont host but it was fine i just got a friend to help me.

[vigglewiggle]

Thanks 5mad. Is it really easy to do? How did you decide which bears to order or did you just order the same for everyone?

[5madthings]

It was very easy and yes i ordered the same bears for everyone so no arguments.

They sell lotd of clothes but also plain t-shirts and fabric pens so i got each child a plain t-shirt for the bear and some fabric pens and they got to decorate the t-shirts :)

[5madthings]

Btw lots of my friends have used bearfactoryparties.co.uk and also been.very happy with them :)

[vigglewiggle]

That's great! I've had a look at their website and they have a party organiser in my postcode, so I think I'll give her a ring and see what the cost is like and if it's too steep I'll brave it alone!

[5madthings]

Oh they do party organising as well? I didnt know that! They do send you a two sided a4 leaflet with party ideas and games and full instructions for the bears etc.

Each bear comes with a birth certificate and a box like the ones from build a bear and a little star to go inside the bear.

[seventynil]

We used bemybear for DDs party last year. Just ordered bears from their website and they arrived the next day. Lovely service. Each bear came with a birth certificate and bag to take it home, bag of fluff to stuff it with and a magic star to make a wish and stuff inside... I roped in SIL and a couple of friends and divided the room into 'stuffing station' (big sheet on the floor to contain the fluff), 'make a wish zone' (where the bears were fastened up with their magic star inside), and 'naming station' (where they decided on a name and filled out the birth certificate). A few 'bear related' games filled about another hour, then a quick party tea, and home...the girls loved it...! It was a fairly stress-free party...:-)

[KittiesInsane]

We combined BemyBear with a sleepover party. Only one I've ever hosted where thy were actually KEEN to go to bed because of their new furry friends.

[chicaguapa]

I did a bemybear party and it was DD's best ever! We had a teddy bear's picnic on a blanket on the floor once the bears were made with mini food (small pieces of pizza, mini fingers, mini dodgers etc). Then we all stood around the table and everyone had a fairy cake with a candle in it and they sang happy birthday to DD and to their bears, then blew out the candles. They also made a birthday card for their bears.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

We did Be My Bear. The bears are very loveable and very easy to make. We got different colours (so as to be able to tell them apart) and gave each guest a "treasure map" of our garden (it was summer) with a star where their bear-making kit was hidden. They loved the hunt and there were no arguments about who got which bear, because they had each had the fun of finding them.

Another friend of ours actually asked each guest to choose a colour before she ordered the bears, but she is much more organised than me!

KittiesInsane - bear-making plus sleepover is a genius of a party! I have images of them all suggled up with their new friends!

[vigglewiggle]

Great ideas! I contacted the two party organiser near to me - one has stopped doing parties and the other hasn't returned my call. So, spurred on by your success stories, I shall build my own bears!

[3birthdaybunnies]

I helped at my friend's be my bear party. There were about 18 4/5 year olds, I stayed because dd2 only really knew the birthday girl, so just two adults (unless you include her dh lurking with camera). It was fine, really easy. They had fun fluffing the filling all up first, it was pooled in the middle. Then they stuffed their bears. The bears were all identical, so we had asked them to write their names on tags first so we knew whose was whose.

Doing similar for dd1's 8th birthday - 7 guests plus my 3. Going to get the smaller 8 inch ones, they are fine for a smallish bear and fairly pricey party bags! I think probably only ds (3) will need any help, dd2 was just 5 at the last party and she managed fine, you just need to check that they stuff the feet + head enough before the body. We did the wish altogether, put it in, zipped them up and velcro them shut. We're combining with a pyjama party with dvd etc. Hope it goes well.