Take a Closer Look
What material is this toy made of?
Do you think this bear is cute?
How is it different from teddy bears you have at home?
What do you think children played with before teddy bears were invented?
The History of the Teddy Bear
Teddy bears were invented in the early 1900s and named after the American president at the time, Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt. Roosevelt famously refused to shoot a tied up injured black bear on a hunting trip. Soft toys were made representing ‘Teddy’s bear’.
Originally teddy bears were made of real goat’s hair and stuffed with straw or sawdust to make them softer. They were made to look like realistic bears with long snouts and small eyes, but these were thought too frightening and they were redesigned to look cuter and more friendly to appeal to children.
Before teddy bears were invented children played with toys made mainly of wood, rags, or clay. Victorians even made toys out of clothes pegs which you can learn how to do yourself on our Schools’ Hub.
