Teddy Bears Picnic
If you go down to the woods today
Toddlers and small children love to take part in a teddy bears picnic. |
Send teddy shaped invitation cards to the children and their teddies.
Make small teddy shaped sandwiches and biscuits or cookies and serve homemade lemonade.
Have the children and teddies all sit on a brightly coloured picnic blanket. Serve the teddies in toy-sized cups and plates and the children in plastic picnicware.
Read a story about bears or animals and picnics.
For craft projects make teddy bear masks or glue bear cut-outs onto sticks.
Hide teddy bear pictures in low trees and bushes for the children to find and give them teddy bear stickers when they find them.
Give them a template to take home, such as one that makes a split-pin teddy bear with moving arms and legs.
And, of course, you have to sing THE teddy bear song! ...
An Irishman named Jimmy Kennedy wrote the words of Teddy Bears Picnic at the age of 30. Jimmy was from Omagh in Co. Tyrone. He was born in 1902 and died in 1984.
The music had been composed earlier by an American named J.W. Bratton in 1907. It was originally called the Teddy Bear Two Step.
Jimmy Kennedy also wrote Red Sails in the Sunset, which was inspired by a sunset over the strand (beach) at Portstewart in Co. Antrim. (A lovely beach, which I know fairly well, coming from Co. Antrim myself.)
Here are the words then. If you'd like to download the music and/or words onto your MP3 player, there are some suggestions at the bottom of the page.
If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
Every teddy bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today.
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play.
Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
’Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
It’s picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily gad about They love to play and shout;
They never have any care;
At six o'clock their mummies and daddies
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little teddy bears.
