My children have often walked past a Build a Bear store and been quite fascinated by the huge bear stuffing machines on show. Build a Bears are lovely but when you have three children, it can work out very expensive to buy them one each along with the clothing and accessories.
Spinmaster toys have bought out this unique Build a Bear workshop which is based around the actual stuffing machines seen in stores. It gives a cheaper option to make bears and all in your own home too.
With the Build a Bear workshop, your child/children get to make two bears. The kit includes the stuffing station, 2 bags of stuffing, 2 bears, clothes, note hearts and accessories. As well as the workshop we also got an extra Bear kit meaning we could make three bears - one each and I guess that makes me Goldilocks!
The bears start off looking very flat and not much like teddy bears at all.
The stuffing machine is manual operation so no batteries to worry about or leads. The stuffing goes in the top and the back of the bear on the device, turn the handle and the stuffing goes in.
The bears are smaller than the ones you would probably purchase from the store but each one comes with the Build a Bear logo plus a certificate which you fill out for your child with names and dates.
Each one also comes with a t-shirt and the heart. The heart is a small heart shaped trinket where a child can write their wishes on paper, fold it up and place the heart inside the bear.
My children really enjoyed the Bear workshop and are happy to all have a bear each (even Ryan). The workshop costs between £20-£25 depending on the store and extra kits around £13.00. It is fun, however once the bears have been made the stuffing station becomes a little useless unless you go out and buy multiple extra kits, and kids don't need too many teddy bears. I think it would be a lovely idea to perhaps buy it for small birthday parties and maybe let guests make a Bear rather than a party bag. The bears are quite small too and once the novelty wears off will probably end up at the bottom of the toy box. It is really one of those one use type of toys but lots of fun while it lasts.
