building bears

Last spring we were lucky enough to be invited to review the Build-A-Bear experience

and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing and raved about it to anyone who would listen. 

Our beautiful boy was at an age where he was just big enough to understand some of the excitement

but his little sister was still a baby, who smiled the whole time but had no idea what was going on.

So when Build-A-Bear Workshop offered us a chance to review for them again,

I was absolutely thrilled to accept,

knowing that they would both get so much more out of it this time around.

We were looked after in store by Ben

who right from the start was so enthusiastic and welcoming.

Build-A-Bear Workshop is very much focused on getting the children involved at every single stage

and the staff in there are fantastic at targeting all the questions and decision making at the children.

Ben helped the children to cuddle a variety of the stuffed toys

to help them choose what they would like to make;

our little guy chose a cute fluffy bear...

and the little miss chose a cute bunny rabbit…

And once they had chosen their new friends to make

the fun really starts.

The beautiful boy chose a sound affect to go in his bear

after deliberating for some time

and pressing the test buttons a lot while he decided.

(We decided against a sound for his sister's

so that the rabbit could go in her cot with her at night.)

And then it's time to bring the toys to life

by filling them with stuffing…

… which is very fun indeed.

Especially when you get to press the pedal

to stuff the bear yourself.

It's important to give your new friend a cuddle

to make sure that they are just plump enough with stuffing

to be the perfect cuddle partner.

Then it's time to choose a heart for your new buddy,

so that they are packed full of love.

The little man even chose a special charity heart for his bear,

which sees money going to the Starlight charity.

The little man had so much fun 

as Ben lead him through a fun activity to fill his heart full of lots of lovely attributes

by jumping and cuddling and rubbing the heart.

And then in the hearts went...

...before the new toys were stitched up tight;

under the little man's watchful eye.

I think both my children were absolutely thrilled at this point

and would probably have quite happily stopped there

with their newly made friends.

But of course

a huge draw of Build-A-Bear is getting to dress your toy

and really personalise it.

So after a quick bath for the two new stuffed toys…

… it was outfit selection time.

A super man outfit for a bear,

and a trendy vest and skirt for the rabbit.

Then the final step in proceedings is to name your toy

and register it

so that you get a birth certificate to take home.

Sitting at the computer like a big boy

while Ben patiently spelled out what to type

was a definite highlight for our letter-mad little man.

The beautiful boy's bear is named Clark

after his Superman outfit

(do you see what Daddy did there?)

And the beautiful girl's rabbit is called Daisy

after the flower hair accessories she wears.

Then it's into a new box house for your toys,

ready to take them home.

I love that the boxes can be coloured and decorated

so the fun with your new toy continues

even when you get home.

Our experience at Build-A-Bear Workshop

was just as amazing and fun as it was the last time.

In fact maybe more so 

because it felt like the children could really be so much more involved

with them both being a little older.

They absolutely adore their new toys.

Daisy the rabbit gets a snuggle each night at bedtime

and Clark the bear gets played with all. the. time.

And I'm sure part of the reason they are so loved

is because the children know that they are special

because they were involved in bringing them to life.

We really cannot rate the entire Build-A-Bear Workshop experience highly enough,

they really do make the whole thing so special and exciting for the children

and pretty fun for the adults too I have to say.

We were looked after fantastically by Jack the first time around,

and just as brilliantly by Ben second time around.

So if you are in the Colchester area

and fancy building a bear,

then they both come highly recommended by us.

We were given two stuffed toys and all their clothes and accessories free of charge

for the purposes and writing this review.

But all words and opinions are my own.