Children have great imaginations. Give them a pile of toys on their birthday, and if they’re very imaginative, they’ll play with the boxes more than the toys themselves. You can encourage this creativity by using imagination games. How about a teddy bear’s picnic?

What’s a teddy bear’s picnic? Actually there was a children’s song by that title written in 1907 by John Walter Bratton. Lyrics were added in 1932 by songwriter Jimmy Kennedy. The song is still recorded and used on children’s albums today.

A teddy bear’s picnic, however, often has nothing to do with the song. Preschools, kindergartens, and libraries around the country often have teddy bear picnics for young children. These picnics are often geared toward 3-8 year olds.

Your child doesn’t have to be in school to have a teddy bear picnic. Sit down with your child and decide when would be the best time for their picnic. If you plan on having the picnic outside, you’ll want to wait for warmer weather. This will give you ample time to plan as well.

Help your young children design and make invitations to send to their friends’ teddy bears. (The owner will be invited, too, of course.) Don’t forget to request an RSVP so you’ll know how many to prepare for. You can use this picnic as an excuse to help your child with their penmanship, learn how to properly write an invitation, and encourage them to use social skills.

Be sure to have your child help plan the menu for the picnic. You could have small sandwiches, neat ones to keep the teddy bear’s paws clean, a dessert like cupcakes, and drinks. If you happen to think about it, see if you can buy tableware – table cloth, napkins, plates, and cups – with a teddy bear theme. Teddy bear cookies or graham crackers would also be good idea in keeping with the theme of the picnic.

You can set up a blanket on your lawn for the teddy bears to have their picnic. Nearby you can set up a small table or larger blanket for the teddy bears’ owners to enjoy their own party.

Consider having games that your children can play with their teddy bears. Teddy bear hide-and-seek is one option – one child hides all of the bears and the others try to find them.

Of course you can go all out with the teddy bear’s picnic, or you can plan a simple get-together for your young children and their friends. Take advantage of the time when your children will enjoy their picnic. Ask the moms to stick around and enjoy some “mom time,” too.

You and your child can enjoy using their imagination when planning and hosting their picnic. With a little help, your child, their friends, and their friends’ teddy bears can enjoy an afternoon in the sun. Encourage them to thank their guests for coming to the teddy bear picnic.