Stacking Bear Set

Inspired by real life Jeanie, a famous black bear in the mountain resort town of Whistler, B.C., these stacking bears invite children and adults from 6 months to 99+ years old to see how many bears they can balance on each other, while fostering everything from early math and engineering and language skills to first conversations about diversity.

THE SKILLS

Can wooden bears teach early engineering skills?
You bet they can.

Stacking 10 bears seems easy until you try. Very young children will enjoy just sorting the bears from one area to the next as they begin the first stages of classification and ordering - skills needed later on for math. Little ones will enjoy sorting them at an early age into two groups or piles: dark and light. As they grow to toddlers they will start to pile the bears on one another. At first they will stack the bears on their sides, but later they will stand them up. Perhaps they will line them up like dominoes and knock them over, exploring spatial relationships. As preschoolers they will start to stack the bears on their feet, and this is where the magic begins. They'll begin to problem solve and demonstrate a desire to figure out how it works, wondering if it's easier to balance the bears on their rumps, feet, snouts, or backs. Right there is where they're beginning to develop early engineering skills.

Challenge them by stacking all 10 yourself. Will you have the bears face each other and touch noses? Lie on their backs as if they're looking up at the sun? Or perhaps you'll mix it up and get acrobatic with them.

Communicating, taking turns, planning, discussing, concentrating, testing, exploring, and best of all - never giving up - are key skills developed with the stacking bears.

Examine the different colours and grains of the wood together and springboard a conversation on diversity.

The set of bears also pairs perfectly with our Black Bear and Spirit Bear Nature Study, our Black Bear Body Language Flash Cards and our Bear Camping Safety freebie.

NOT JUST FOR LITTLE ONES: AGES 6+ to 99 YEARS OLD

The challenge doesn't end once you're in kindergarten. There is a trick to getting all 10 bears into one tower. Can you figure out what it is?

Leave a set on your coffee table for dinner guests to explore and challenge themselves (Can they get their bears to look like they're doing back flips?) while they're waiting for dinner.

We've even had 20-ish-year-olds buy the set as a drinking game!

THE IMAGINATION

The possibilities are endless with the bears as you create your own small world. Are you going on a bear hunt and finding a bunch of bears that have been hidden around the house? Are you going on a teddy bear picnic? Going over a mountain to see what you can see? Tell the story of the Three Little Bears. Or perhaps these are Berenstain bears going to school.

THE BEARS

Each bear is 3 x 2 1/4". Because they are hand made and hand sanded, no two bears are identical to one another. This is what makes them unique and heirloom pieces.

Each set includes 10 bears. Five of them are made of Canadian maple, and the other 5 are made from rich walnut wood. We are proud that our wood is locally sourced and our offcuts go to heat local homes in the winter. The maple shavings go to local rabbit and chicken homes.

While the bears are safe for children of all ages to play with no child should be left unattended.

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A note about wooden toys: Wood is a natural material and as such, has various unique markings. Variations in wood grain, color, knots, or texture are all natural occurrences in these hand-crafted wooden products. These unique variations and markings are proof of quality, not defects. Enjoy the markings that make your toy unique!

There may be a difference in colour between what you see on your screen and what you receive in real life. This is due to different monitors and displays, and while we wish there was just one universal monitor for everyone, that isn't the case.

If you have any concerns or problems with any of our products, please do not hesitate to contact us. We want you to be entirely satisfied with what you have received and will do everything possible to make it right.

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SHIPPING

CANADA: Basic shipping is tracked and can take up to 10 business days, depending on where you are within the country (sometimes it can be as short as 2 days). If you would like to receive your package sooner please choose a faster shipping option when you check out.

USA: Basic shipping is untracked air. If you would like your package to be tracked please select a different shipping option when you check out. PLEASE include your phone number in a note when you make your purchase; our customs form requires it and not including it may delay shipping to you.

Europe, Australia and around the world: Basic shipping is untracked surface and can take up to 8 weeks (which is why it is so affordable). If you would like to receive your package sooner please select Air when you check out. If you would like tracking on your package please choose that option. Regardless of the method you choose, PLEASE include your phone number in a note when you make your purchase; our customs form requires it and not including it may delay shipping to you.

Please, please note: you may or may not have to pay customs fees if you live outside of Canada. I have no control over this as it is the result of trade agreements from the leaders of our countries.