I'm a freelance writer/photographer/filmmaker living in stunning Lake Macquarie. I am always on the look out for budget things to do for large families.
Published May 6th 2015
Build-a-Bear Build a Friend
Well, it has finally happened. Build-A-Bear has come to Newcastle.
On a recent family holiday interstate my daughters discovered this store and instantly fell in love. Recently while we were shopping at Westfield Kotara they discovered that Build-A-Bear was opening up. After weeks of constant asking, the store has finally opened and, much to my daughters delight, we ventured in.
The concept of the store is pretty simple, you pick your soon-to-be-filled-with-stuffing bear. You then go over to the stuffing machine - that looks like a big fairy floss maker - and you stuff the bear. Then you take a little red heart and insert it into your bear to bring it to life. The bear is then sewn up and given a dry bath. That is the easy part.
Stuffing machine that looks like a fairy floss maker.
Now here comes the hard part, deciding which outfit, what shoes and accessories to put on your bear.Tthe options are endless. My daughters spent hours, and I mean hours, deciding what fashion their new friend would wear.
There were constant questions such as, Can we have more than one outfit? Can my bear wear pyjamas? Can my bear have its own little bear to sleep with? With so many options you are only limited by your budget. It can cost as little as $16 for the cheapest bear without accessories, or you can spend $100 on a bear fully decked out.
Lastly you need to officially adopt your bear, give it a name and register it. You can do this in the store, they will issue you with a birth certificate and then you are ready to take your new friend home.
The store is bright, the staff are friendly and it is fun. They even have a party option. If you are looking to hold a party or event for kids, this is definitely worth considering. You can also purchase gift vouchers. No matter what your budget the kids will love it. My daughters had a great time and have been talking about it ever since. It is well worth the visit.
