With schools closing and people warned to stay home due to the coronavirus, parents and caregivers are working extra hard to keep their children engaged and not climbing the furniture. Fortunately it’s still safe to take brief, socially-distanced walks outside, provided there aren’t many others out and it’s done responsibly.
Just be careful — there are bears out there. To heighten the fun of these jaunts, and keep local community spirit alive, people around the world are putting stuffed toys in their windows for children to spot on “bear hunts.” This idea appears to have been inspired by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s 1989 children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, with many using the hashtag #GoingOnABearHunt. In the book, a group of brave children overcome obstacles in a quest to “catch a big one” on a beautiful day.
Currently, it looks like there are only a few here in Minnesota, but now might be a great time to jump in that neighborhood Facebook group or hop on the Nextdoor app to help bring your community together … especially with school spring break just around the corner! If you want to see if there are any neighborhoods near you or add your neighborhood to the list, click HERE.
My neighborhood is asking families to put a teddy bear in the window so families can go on a walk for a “Bear Hunt”. Such a great way to get people out of their homes at staggered times to get fresh air. Our little ones need this distraction and so do adults#InThisTogether pic.twitter.com/25LOeRT9Ss
— Tracey smith (@Tracey030507) March 19, 2020
More than 50 homes in our neighborhood have put bears in their window so parents can drive younger kids around to find them. The activity pairs with the Bear Hunt book. #NKlearnsathome #goingonabearhunt pic.twitter.com/G6HnyIjgPF
— Lauren (@LOpett_VA) March 24, 2020
To the parent (it’s gotta be a parent) who came up w/ this idea, THANK YOU. Explaining to a 4yr-old why playdates aren’t allowed anymore is heartbreaking, so “Going on a Bear Hunt” during our walks is the distraction we needed. Our street right now:#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/aOhSlmJsVJ
— Daniele Hamamdjian (@DHamamdjian) March 22, 2020
