Find out what MNers and their DC’s got up to at the Build-A-Bear Workshop! NOW CLOSED!

[AaronMumsnet]

We were asked by Build-A-Bear Workshop to find 150 Mumsnetters to visit the stores closest to their homes in order to trial their bear-building service. Read on to see what they thought of the in-store experience.

Here’s what Build-A-Bear have to say: “CeleBEARate Easter with Build-A-Bear! From birthdays and holidays to good behaviour or an A+ at school, there are so many moments to #celeBEARate with a new furry friend from Build-A-Bear Workshop! Help us #celeBEARate Easter this year.

As we approach the Easter holiday and half term break, parents are always looking for fun, unique and personalized activities and traditions for the family. Bring your kids to Build-A-Bear Workshop to share a fun, heart-filled experience. Document your experience in photos and let us know about your experience with your kids and what made it memorable and meaningful.”

Testers, please share your photos and answer the following questions on the thread below:

1. Please upload a photograph of your bear and any other photos of your in-store experience.
2. Please tell us all about your DC’s new bear. We would love to know the name of the bear, the reason that your DC chose this name, in addition to any other background details regarding your child’s bear selection process such as their reason for choosing particular clothes, scents or accessories?
3. Would you recommend Build-A-Bear Workshop to a friend or family member? If so, why?
4. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

Everyone that shares their feedback and fills in a short survey as required will be entered into a prize draw where one tester will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

My son chose the black panther bear. He is in love with all superheroes. He chose a range of costumes such as Ghostbusters, TMNT, Ninja and Batman.
He named the bear Mikey, as he wanted to call his new baby brother that. He loved the heartbeat because he made his bear seem real.
I would definitely recommend build a bear to anyone. We had never been into the store and to be honest I felt it didn't look like something my son would enjoy, but he has loved it. Changing outfits and playing with the bear.
We found it to be a great day out and it was nice to work together to create a special you for him. I found the staff helpful and the store bright and clean. The only problem was the massive choice!!
At first I thought it seemed quite pricey, but the quality is great and definitely worth it. Will go again.

DD chose the name Dolly, it was one suggested by the computer and she loved it. She picked a cat which makes fairy sparkle noises and and some clothes/shoes. She didn't like the scents and only wanted a soft heart as opposed to the vibrating one.

I would recommend Build a Bear if I was specifically asked, however wouldn't go out of my way to send people there as it can quickly become expensive.

The store we visited was busy and we had a bit of a wait for stuffing, also there appeared to be an issue with the sound recording gadgets, however the staff were very friendly and good with the children. DD enjoyed helping to fill up the bear and choosing the clothes the most.

Please tell us all about your DC’s new bear. We would love to know the name of the bear, the reason that your DC chose this name, in addition to any other background details regarding your child’s bear selection process such as their reason for choosing particular clothes, scents or accessories?

My DD (5yo) chose a Rabbit called Carrot, A Lilac Bunny Bunch Rabbit called Sparkle and a Tiger called Tetris! She could not choose just one bunny she liked, so got both, as they were on offer (two for £28) and also wanted to get something for her 7yo sister who was too ill to come with us, so chose the Tiger, she called Tetris as her sister had been playing it recently. DD spent a lot of time looking around at the outfits, she wanted something to match the colour of Sparkle so settled on a little T-Shirt with sparkly flowers (This swayed the name choice!) and really liked the cute carrot onesie for her classic Pawlette rabbit (This time the name choice came before the outfit!).
She chose a Strawberry Scent for Carrot and Cupcake for Tetris but did not want anything for Sparkle.

Would you recommend Build-A-Bear Workshop to a friend or family member? If so, why?
Yes I would, it is a fun experience for kids and great for a treat or special occasion. It can get a bit pricey with all the add on items to choose from, but they have some brilliant offers and the toys are good quality. We are planning to go back again around DD's birthday and have bought a gift voucher for a friend for their birthday.

1. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

We had to wait quite a while before making our toys as there was a Party going on in the store, but luckily we had some time on our hands, so spent the time having a good look around and even popped off for a drink (while staff kept an eye on our chosen items) before returning when the party had left. It was a bit awkward looking around with the party there as I felt like we were in the way a bit at times. On the whole it was good and the staff were really lovely and helpful. DD particularly enjoyed the Heart Ceremony and stuffing the toys. The member of staff who helped us was lovely and really engaged DD which made the making of each toy really special. She also enjoyed using the computer to print out a birth certificates for each toy.

Another pic!

. Please upload a photograph of your bear and any other photos of your in-store experience.

1. Please tell us all about your DC’s new bear. We would love to know the name of the bear, the reason that your DC chose this name, in addition to any other background details regarding your child’s bear selection process such as their reason for choosing particular clothes, scents or accessories?

My son choose chewbacca bear because he looked really cute and fluffy. He choose the chewbacca sound to match. He also selected the honey scent as he didnt like the other scents at the store. He choose a beating heart and was asked to perform a little ritual when putting the heart into the bear. For accessories he choose the crossbow to match chewbacca. It was a difficult choice in selecting the bears and several were picked up and put back down again.

1. Would you recommend Build-A-Bear Workshop to a friend or family member? If so, why?

I think The price point is quite high, but for a very special occasion I would consider it. I wouldn’t choose a bear for a child without them being in store.

1. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

It took longer than I thought it would take, due to all the choices available. My 5 year old son loved it and having the range of choices. He loved choosing the sounds, smell, beating heart and helping with the stuffing machine. The shop assistants were attentive and the shop was busy (Saturday lunchtime) Thank you for the opportunity for my son and I to visit a store I had not been in before.

We went to Silverburn in Glasgow. It was rather disappointing and over-priced. No-one greeted us or approached us at any point, despite 4 staff being there and at one point three of them were having a lovely chat in the middle of the shop whilst another customer had to ask them for help. She left without buying anything as would I have had I not had the voucher. When the staff did engage they were pleasant but absolutely doing just exactly what their job of the 'building a bear' process. was. We had to ask questions and guess bits of the process ourselves e.g we had to ask for a heart and ask about a beating heart and if we could have one ( my son had heard about this from a friend) I would have expected to be offered these things- if my son hadn't known about a beating heart it was not an option. Although at a previous station we were offered a sound.When we finished at the stuffing bit, no one told us what to do next. We walked next to the stuffing machine and my son played with his new Squirtle on a kind of bath type area with a shower head thing and some brushes. We don't know if he should have been-was it to do with certain purchases? Was it for all purchases? Was it for parties? Who knows, as no one guided us. We were all but ignored if we did not approach a person at a station. The shop was almost empty when we arrived- so even when the staff out-numbered the customers they did not engage.
We spent £49 , for that we got Squirtle, a pair of shorts, toy phone, a Pokemon hoodie for him and a birth certificate. The whole process was disjointed, with us guessing what to do and where to go next. It was not a good 'experience ' (sadly) and def not worth the money. It would be helpful if their staff were trained to guide customers asking them if they have been before and know how it works and if not a simple "Pick a bear from here, then go here, next go here," etc. Would be a start. I am sure this would make it less uncertain and more enjoyable for the customer. On a positive note, my son liked Squirtle and the staff were very pleasant once I approached them and they seemed nice enough, just need to help the customer through the process better.

Sorry, forgot the photo!

1. Please upload a photograph of your bear and any other photos of your in-store experience. My son chose the Minion his two sisters were with us so they joined in the experience and chose a bear each including their sounds, accessories and outfits.

1. Please tell us all about your DC’s new bear. We would love to know the name of the bear, the reason that your DC chose this name, in addition to any other background details regarding your child’s bear selection process such as their reason for choosing particular clothes, scents or accessories?

We had a lovely visit to the Doncaster Build a Bear store this morning. The staff were very nice been on hand to welcome us and tell us about the range of bears available and what to expect from our experience as it was the first time we had visited. We had a good look at all the bears available. My son chose the Minion bear as he enjoyed watching the movie for the first time at the weekend. He recognised it was a Minion and picked it up. I asked him if he wanted to look at any others no he said. He remembered the name Kevin from the film. We choice the Minion sound which my son enjoyed listen too. The member of staff asked him to press the pedal to fill his teddy and he enjoyed joining in. His sisters enjoyed watch him ready for their turns. The member of staff asked him to chose a heart and made a story for the kids to join in involving kissing the heart to show your bear love. Unfortunately there were only two choices of outfit for Kevin and we had to ask where they were as it was difficult to tell which outfits went with which bears. One outfit was in the sale section and the other was still in storage that the member of staff went to get. My son chose one with a hat as he loves hats and said Kevin’s hat when he chose the outfit he preferred.

1. Would you recommend Build-A-Bear Workshop to a friend or family member? If so, why?

Yes definitely it was a lovely child friendly and family experience that the kids can enjoy choosing a bear, be involved in making the bear and making choices for sounds, accessories and outfits.

1. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

It was very enjoyable experience thank you. The highlights were my son getting excited when I said we were going to a teddy bear shop, smiling when he saw the Minion, taking part when the member of staff asked him to kiss the heart, rub it on his cheek, rub the heart with his finger etc, choosing the outfit and getting excited to pay to take his new bear home.

Ive name changed! Please upload a photograph of your bear and any other photos of your in-store experience.

1. Please tell us all about your DC’s new bear. We would love to know the name of the bear, the reason that your DC chose this name, in addition to any other background details regarding your child’s bear selection process such as their reason for choosing particular clothes, scents or accessories?

This is Dragon (belongs to an 18mth old :)), Articuno and Moltres. Pokemon mad pair! Dh1 was very interested in the scents and opted for strawberry- think he just liked the novelty of being able to make them smell. None of the three were interested in any clothes or sounds but the older two had a lightsaber each and thought they were great.

1. Would you recommend Build-A-Bear Workshop to a friend or family member? If so, why?

I would if they had a lot of money- its quite pricey especially if you have a large family. We went slightly over budget.

1. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

They really enjoyed picking the bears and stuffing them. 18 mth old was hypnotized by the stuffing machine

Willow my granddaughter chose this bear as she said it was soft lovely. We named him chedley - Willow wanted him to have a dress and a t-shirt! We named him chedley after my Dad as Willow asked me the other day who the man was in the photo I had on the wall and she said she wanted her bear to have this name.
Willow enjoyed the experience of choosing items for her bear and I would recommend this to people, it is a little expensive however the please Willow got from this experience was priceless.

I took my 2 children to the Milton Keynes Build a bear store. My 3 year old daughter and 6 year old son. They both loved picking the bears and opted for the classic bear and the multi coloured kitten, We were approached by staff member who was helpful and friendly and offered to assist with process. We spent a long time choosing outfits and accessories. Was a really good range of accessories. I found some of the branded outfits like the Frozen Elsa dress were quite overpriced but overall the other accessories were quite reasonable. Both my children loved the whole experience of being able to stuff the bear and add heart and clothes. I found the staff very helpful without being pushy and even on a Saturday afternoon when it was busy we didn't feel rushed or cramped. The naming and birth certificate was a nice touch. I would definitely recommend to friends as a treat for their kids. We came away happy and with two new editions to the family Sparkle and Fred.

We duly trotted along to our local Build-a-Bear in Norwich. I say trotted, we rode in the car with an over-excited six year old who asked if we were nearly there at least 17 times during the 30 minute journey. There was no possible way that the experience could live up to the anticipation, we thought. Of course, we hadn’t counted on the Black Panther bear which was so prominently displayed outside the Norwich store. That was The Bear. The One. An extremely lovely and friendly member of staff named Jessica offered to show us all of the available bears but DS was not remotely interested in them. He might have afforded them a cursory glance but his heart already belonged to Black Panther. I was quite taken with the number of available sounds and smells you could add to personalise your bear and I have to say, I did try and subliminally sway him towards a Black Panther bear which uttered a saccharine “I love you” every time you pressed his right paw. Similarly, I did make a very convincing case for a cheerleading outfit for the black as night, Marvel assassin. The 6 year old duly pointed out that we weren’t there for my amusement, Black Panther (Blackie for short) doesn’t need costumes and he wouldn’t say anything as trite as I love you. So, our bear – sorry, DS’s bear - makes battle sounds and has an alarming beating heart which is only slightly terrifying when you lean on the bear whilst making the beds. He also reeks of strawberries which apparently is a suitable scent for a ninja stealth bear. I long ago stopped arguing with the logic of a 6 year old.

Our favourite bit was the stuffing of the bear. Turning the carcass of Black Panther into an animated and more pleasing shape seemed rather fitting – if a little blasphemous – for a rainy Easter weekend. The aforementioned very lovely Jessica made the mistake of telling DS that if you accidentally turn on the machine with no bear attached, the stuffing fires 20 feet across the room. DS was rather disgruntled that she refused to prove this was the truth but he soon cheered up when he was allowed to “wash” and brush Black Panther to within an inch of his life. DS didn’t want any costumes or accessories and insisted on giving the rest of his voucher to his big sister, entirely unprompted. So, Black Panther came home with a friend. She’s called Japonica Kindraston (because she LOOKS like one according to the ten year old) and is a brown bear with her own built in scent and a black Superman vest.

We signed up for the Build-a-Bear club while we were there. I think the children are under the impression that this means they get to go again one day. I might even consider it as long as I can choose the sounds next time (I’m getting a Chewbacca which sings Uptown Funk by the way).

The children absolutely loved it. The staff made the experience. Jessica who patiently took us through the process seemed genuinely thrilled to be dealing with fickle and sticky children on a daily basis. She also admitted she has SIXTY bears of her own at home. I am not sure what to make of this but she made a six year old boy feel very special and has almost certainly ensured that we will go back. We have already recommended it to a family member and would happily recommend it to anybody else.

I think it’s probably quite pricey for an average family and definitely a treat, but I didn’t at any point feel that we were remotely pressured into spending money and the focus at all times seemed to be on making sure that the children were creating memories.

Thank you Build-a-Bear for such a lovely opportunity and a special thank you to AaronMumsnet for his hard work chasing up the missing voucher. You are responsible for DS's favourite bit of the holiday so far, although we are going to Aldi later, it could all change...

Here is a photo of DS choosing his bear, Tony.

We went along with 5yo DS and decided that as £50 was quite generous we'd get two bears and pay whatever extras for DD.

1. Please tell us all about your DC’s new bear. We would love to know the name of the bear, the reason that your DC chose this name, in addition to any other background details regarding your child’s bear selection process such as their reason for choosing particular clothes, scents or accessories?

So, DS chose a Camo Bear and his name is Tony. God alone knows how DS came up with Tony, but Tony it is! 2.5yo DD also got a pink cat that she has called Rosie. DH suggested that, and I don't love it as it's too close to DD's own name, but whatever, it's Rosie now. They're both wearing 80s roller disco chic. I will say that DS was particularly taken with the roller skates as the first thing he saw when he walked in so the bear had to have them. And of course the shoes to go with them! They and we (the adults) had great fun choosing accessories. I've never laughed so much as when we put Tony in high heels, really. I know that sounds childish of me but it was great fun. Both kids really wanted the toy armchair/bed they found in a corner, but I didn't get it as a) DD already has a toy bed which is Rosie-sized and b) £50 between two only goes so far!

1. Would you recommend Build-A-Bear Workshop to a friend or family member? If so, why?

Yes, definitely. We had a great time and it was a special event. There were some little girls having a party when we were there and I thought the enthusiasm of the staff leading it really made the process of choosing a bear really special.

1. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

Ah. Well, we had massive tears at one point as DS decided he didn’t like the scent he’d chosen for Tony. However, the staff were very kind and helped us choose a new one - we had to smell them all - and DS was much happier. The kids loved choosing a song or sound and had great fun with those. I loved the stuffing process and the little spiel they do with the heart but my kids weren’t really paying attention and just wanted the bear done.

Big thanks to Simon and the gang at Bromley. They couldn’t have been kinder especially when DS was sobbing his heart out over the forest fruits scent...!!

Some of our many photos attached of our fab trip to Build a Bear.

DS has wanted to go for months since he watched YouTube videos of other people visiting. He spent a long time trying to decide which bear those choose, and ended up with Toothless from how to Train Your Dragon and a Stormtrooper bear. He had his heart set on Toothless before our visit (thanks to said YouTube videos!).

This was our first visit, but we found our way round the choosing process fairly well. He included a scent in Toothless (bubblegum of course, what else do dragons smell of?!) and chose an outfit for his Stormtrooper.

I would definitely recommend this shop to anyone with children. It was so different to anywhere else we had been, and the kids loved it from start to finish. I would warn people to be aware of the prices beforehand, as obviously it is not just the price of the bear itself. The extra bits like the scents, sounds and outfits are lovely and very appealing to children, but they quickly add up (especially with 2 more than 1 child there!!). Saying that, the store we visited was York designer outlet as it was closest to us, which was great as all items there are reduced from RRP.

I found the whole experience great from start to finish. The staff there are a real credit to the brand, the customer service, enthusiasm and seemingly genuine interest in children and what they are doing was amazing. They turned an essentially straightforward process of choosing a bear and stuffing it into a magical experience for us, and we can't wait to go back.

1. Please tell us all about your DC’s new bear. We would love to know the name of the bear, the reason that your DC chose this name, in addition to any other background details regarding your child’s bear selection process such as their reason for choosing particular clothes, scents or accessories?

The bear is called Batty Bear! 😂 he chose the batman sounds and a the heart but no other accessories or scents as it comes with the batman costume. This meant we had sufficient money leftover to buy his newborn sister a bear, complete with shiny pink tutu skirt and a purple tshirt chosen by DS aged four. In addition they ran a promotion to get the batman bear without sounds etc for another 50p. We ended up with two batman bears, we paid to add sound to the extra one and one pink fluffy bear bigger than the newborn! 😂

1. Would you recommend Build-A-Bear Workshop to a friend or family member? If so, why? Yes. We loved it. Although we went to a small concession within a department store it was a great experience. The staff were fantastic (Kingston) and really helped make it a lovely experience for DS
2. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

As above. We enjoyed it. I'm not sure whether we would do it again due to the overall cost but we would consider it. Highlights were watching him have free reign over his choices.

• Please tell us all about your DC’s new bear. We would love to know the name of the bear, the reason that your DC chose this name, in addition to any other background details regarding your child’s bear selection process such as their reason for choosing particular clothes, scents or accessories?

Even before we arrived, she had said she wanted "a rainbow bear". She saw this one and couldn't be swayed. She clutched it and didn't let go! She named it Paris as it was one of the suggestions on the computer. The clothes were also rainbow clothes, and she chose purple sparkly shoes because she's desperate for a pair of purple sparkly shoes herself!

1. Would you recommend Build-A-Bear Workshop to a friend or family member? If so, why?

Yes. Without the voucher it has potential to be a pricey trip, particularly if you have more than one DC. But it's definitely a lovely "special" outing. DD really really loved choosing her own bear and outfit etc, and it made it special in a way her other toys aren't. Everyone that has walked through our door since has been shown the bear first thing.

1. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

I wish I remembered the lovely staff members name that showed us round so I could comment on her amazing customer service, but sadly I can't remember it. From the moment we walked through the door she stayed with us and talked us through the whole process. A particular highlight was putting the little heart in the bear and the little routine that went with that "rub the heart on your knees so it will always need you, rub the heart on your arms so it will be strong like you, rub the heart on your toes so it will be toe-tally awesome etc". It all felt a bit magical and it was lovely watching the awe in DD's face. Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity to be part of the product test - we will definitely recommend and definitely be back!

Hi, we had a great time with DD7. She chose a dog from paw patrol and kitted it out in a full outfit! Called it Donald. 🤔. The staff were great and we were made to feel very special and welcome. They let Dd help with the stuffing and didn't mind when she took AGES choosing hearts and clothes. It came to £56 in all so I put a few pounds towards it. I would never in a million years have spent so much on a teddy so thanks mumsnet from me and dd for such a wonderful treat. We went for hot chocolate and cake after so made a lovely morning of it. I don't think dd will forget it in a hurry. Brilliant product test. Thanks again.

My 7 year old son really enjoyed his first Build-a-bear experience.
He is Pokemon mad and so chose a Squirtle. He chose a beating heart and to record a sound to go inside and as it was busy in the store - a rainy Saturday afternoon in Bluewater, we were taken into a back room for him to record his message. He wasn't rushed in doing this despite a queue and a party going on..

For a teddy bear it was very expensive and although The staff were friendly, the upselling to the child rather than the parents would have been a bit annoying if we hadn't gone in with a voucher.

The highlight for me was being able to say yes to everything he wanted rather than telling him he'd have to choose to keep costs down. I think having a pokemon range and hearing his teddy speak with his voice was the main highlight for my son..

Thanks for a lovely afternoon out.

My 7 year old son really enjoyed his first Build-a-bear experience.
He is Pokemon mad and so chose a Squirtle. He chose a beating heart and to record a sound to go inside and as it was busy in the store - a rainy Saturday afternoon in Bluewater, we were taken into a back room for him to record his message. He wasn't rushed in doing this despite a queue and a party going on..

For a teddy bear it was very expensive and although The staff were friendly, the upselling to the child rather than the parents would have been a bit annoying if we hadn't gone in with a voucher.

The highlight for me was being able to say yes to everything he wanted rather than telling him he'd have to choose to keep costs down. I think having a pokemon range and hearing his teddy speak with his voice was the main highlight for my son..

Thanks for a lovely afternoon out.

We went to the branch at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol. The staff were all incredibly welcoming, cheerful and helpful. The store was really well set out. We were assigned a member of staff who took us through the process. I had the voucher for one DD and was paying for her sister. They chose their teddies and both went for branded ones. DD1 chose Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon and DD2 had the official Frozen Anna bear. These bears were expensive choices (£18-£19.50)which was ok due to the voucher but much cheaper options were available. They were then taken to the sound station where they were allowed to listen to lots of options (again and again!) before choosing. DD1 chose Star Wars Chewbacca sounds for Toothless. DD2 chose the official Frozen Fever song for Anna. Again, these were the expensive options (£4/£5) but you could get others for much cheaper or even record your own message. The girls were allowed to handle the sound pod thingies and press the computer buttons to transfer the sounds. Next stop was scents and the lovely staff member let my DDs smell every single scent available. We were not rushed along at any point and my DDs were engrossed. Before stuffing they had a choice of padded hearts and then followed a lovely section where they had to chat about their bear's personality and talents. The heart was held in the air, rubbed on their cheek and kissed before being placed in the bear. The girls could choose whether they wanted a cuddly bear or a really well stuffed one before pressing the pedal to start the stuffing machine. We were then off to choose clothes. DD2 copied the Anna bear on display so she got the official shoes, dress and wig! DD1 went rogue and chose Toothless 2 pairs of boxer shorts, red wellies, denim shorts and a t-shirt. When we went to pay the guy on the till chatted away to my DDs about their choices and packed the bears carefully into the fantastic FREE cardboard carriers. These are still used at home to hold all the clothes. Finally we got to create birth certificates on the touch screen computers and had them printed off. These were free. We left the store feeling like we had been in an alternate universe where everyone is happy, friendly and helpful!! It was the most amazing experience. Much more than just shopping. My girls were buzzing. We all felt so special and important in the store and it was busy but we weren't rushed at any point. All the staff treated my DDs well. I have already recommended Build a Bear to my friends and family. We went for it and chose expensive options. DD1 spent £49 and DD2 spent £51. This was for branded bears, branded sounds, branded outfit for one bear and scents. We could easily have spent MUCH less and still come out with dressed bears. We now have the option of going there to buy an accessory for the existing bears as a pocket money treat. I would absolutely return. The products are of a high quality and the customer care was perfect. A massive thumbs up to the Bristol store and staff. Thank you so much mumsnet and Build a Bear.

Thanks so much for sending us the voucher! My girls were very excited to get a visit to Build a Bear and I was very happy that I didn't have to worry about what it cost.

My older daughter made a dog called Rufus (not sure where that name came from, he just looks like a Rufus, apparently!), and my youngest decided she wanted one of the smaller ready-made toys - a bunny called Rainbow. We also got a lead and dog bowl, blanket and pillow, and a couple of little tops and a carrot for the bunny.

We visited the Bromley store on Good Friday. The store was very busy and there was also a birthday party happening, so we did have to wait in a queue to for the stuffing process. Once the party had finished it was much quicker. The staff were all very friendly and made the process clear. They gave us all the options for the sounds etc but weren't aggressive with the upselling.

The accessories and clothes do all add up very quickly but my two were happy with what we got for our voucher. My youngest really likes the smaller toys and would have liked more choice of clothes and accessories for them, and also the chance to make a birth certificate like with the big bears (though I realise the stuffing bit is kind of the main point of the shop and everything is geared to these).

I think everyone of my acquaintance who has children is probably already well aware of Build a Bear, but yes I would recommend it as a special treat, although I think most parents would need to set a budget and be aware of how much it all adds up as you go. You can take your time and make it an experience as well as a purchase, although I would recommend avoiding really busy times and come back later if a birthday party is running when you arrive!

We had a great time and my children are very grateful for their new toys, so thanks again!

So my dds chose a bear each. Dd1 chose a Husky dog (She's obsessed with them!) Which she called Spyro and he wears a blue and white football kit! Dd2 chose a dog with floppy ears, who wears a very pretty raindow themed outfit! Dd2 called her dog, Lucy- a name plucked from thin air!!
We would definately reccomend Build a Bear to everyone! The girls had so much fun choosing their bears, helping with the stuffing machine and kissing the heart. All the staff in the Bridgend branch were so attentive and welcoming to my Dds. One main highlight was getting to stuff their own bears! My dds got to help use the foot pedal a d help use the stuffing machine, they got to decide how hard or soft to make the bears and both girls cbose to make their bears super snuggly!
The next best part for the girls was choosing the outfits! There was just so much choice and I think we went through every outfit before they made their final selections!!

So my dds chose a bear each. Dd1 chose a Husky dog (She's obsessed with them!) Which she called Spyro and he wears a blue and white football kit! Dd2 chose a dog with floppy ears, who wears a very pretty raindow themed outfit! Dd2 called her dog, Lucy- a name plucked from thin air!!
We would definately reccomend Build a Bear to everyone! The girls had so much fun choosing their bears, helping with the stuffing machine and kissing the heart. All the staff in the Bridgend branch were so attentive and welcoming to my Dds. One main highlight was getting to stuff their own bears! My dds got to help use the foot pedal a d help use the stuffing machine, they got to decide how hard or soft to make the bears and both girls cbose to make their bears super snuggly!
The next best part for the girls was choosing the outfits! There was just so much choice and I think we went through every outfit before they made their final selections!!

My 6 year old and 4 year old daughters were soooo excited to be choosing their bears - I advised them that if they went for the ‘2 for £28’ deal, we’d be able to get outfits and an accessory too. I did end up spending £25 on top of the voucher, as the girls seem to have expensive taste in shoes! DD4 was pretty quick in choosing a purple HB Cat with cool hair and DD6 took a lot longer to finally choose the sweetheart bear. They called them Loveheart and Elsa. My 4 year old chose the full on bridal outfit and a voice recording, and my 6 year old chose a Disney princess dress and a heart beat.

I would definitely recommend the experience as a special occasion. It was quite expensive, but we made a day out of it and visited Yo Sushi and other favourite shops we don’t get to unless we are visiting London or Kingston. It was a memorable day and the children still treasure the bears and memories.

The store experience (Kingston) was great - we were the first customers and we got a great service from all the staff. Highlights were all the little ‘ceremonies’ like kissing the fabric hearts before putting them in the bears, pushing the peddle to stuff the bears and writing the birth certificates.
Unfortunately when we got home from our day out, my 6 year old’s bear’s stitches came undone, stuffing escaping from her gaping back...DD was horrified! I quickly (and clumsily) repaired the bear with needle and thread and Loveheart was in one piece again by bedtime so the day was saved. I was quite annoyed by it at the time, but a week later, the bear is well loved -mummy stitches and all - so her grievous injury just adds to her unique charm..!

We went to the Build-A-Bear outlet at York Designer outlet centre. This was great because everything was cheaper and it meant both my DS and DD could get one each.

The rabbit is called Bunny, for obvious reasons. DS didn’t want any accessories or scents as he was attracted to the cuddliness of Bunny as a bedtime toy and he didn’t want anything to detract from that. The bear is called Princess Aurora bear as Dd went to town and chose a princess dress, shoes, a handbag and a dressing gown for bedtime. She absolutely loved the frills, sparkles and colours of everything and was just in her element. And when I said she could choose what she wanted it was a dream come true! The Disney branding of the dress was a big draw as she loves that Princess stuff.

Yes, although it’s quite expensive it’s more of an occasion than just grabbing a toy off the shelf and the toys have definitely been more treasured because of it. I also like the idea that you can get more accessories for future birthdays or treats.

1. How did you and your DC find the overall in-store experience? What were the highlights?

It was kind of overwhelming at first and we weren’t sure what to do, and had to ask an assistant, who was helpful but could have talked us through it more. For example, I wasn’t sure if all the clothes fit all the toys and it could be an expensive mistake if not! We liked watching the building process but both DC shrank a bit watching the child in front do the kissing the heart routine and wouldn’t take part in it - I think they felt a bit self-conscious about it. In fact DS said “just sew it up please!” and wouldn’t even choose a heart. However they really both enjoyed working the stuffing machine and the assistant doing it with them was very kind and patient so it didn’t put me off going again.