How to Host a Birthday Party at Build-A-Bear

 

Planning a party at Build-A-Bear Workshop is a fun way to celebrate birthdays, holidays, or just about any special occasion! This family-friendly venue offers a unique hands-on experience that guests of all ages will enjoy.

Hosting a party at Build-A-Bear means you get a dedicated party host, private space, and personalized stuffed animals for each guest. You’ll have everything you need to create lasting memories while the staff handles most of the work.

The best part is how simple it is to arrange! You can customize your celebration with different party packages, themes, and add-ons to match your budget and vision.

Your guests will love creating their own furry friends to take home as special souvenirs from your event.

Planning Your Build-A-Bear Party Spectacular

Getting ready for a Build-A-Bear party takes some thoughtful planning! Your special celebration will be even more magical when you pay attention to the key details that make these plush-making parties so much fun.

Choosing the Perfect Date

When picking a date for your Build-A-Bear party, think about both weekends and weekdays!

Weekends are usually busier at stores, but more guests might be able to attend. Meanwhile, weekdays after school can mean a quieter store experience with more attention from staff.

Book your party at least 3-4 weeks in advance, especially during busy seasons like holidays and summer break.

Most Build-A-Bear workshops offer party slots at these times:

• Morning: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Afternoon: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
• Evening: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (weekdays only)

Call your local store directly to check their availability. Some locations might need extra time to prepare for larger groups, so mention your expected party size when booking!

Sending Out Irresistible Invitations

Create bear-themed invitations that get everyone excited! Digital invites through email or text work great, but paper invitations shaped like teddy bears are super cute too.

Make sure to include these important details:

• Date, time, and location of the Build-A-Bear workshop
• RSVP deadline (about 1 week before the party)
• Cost information (if guests are paying for their own bears)
• What to expect during the party

Send invitations 2-3 weeks before the party date. This gives families enough time to plan. Don’t forget to mention any special theme you’ve chosen!

Follow up with a reminder text a few days before the big event. This helps parents remember and gives you a final headcount for the store.

Selecting a Party Theme

Picking a theme makes your Build-A-Bear party extra special! You can coordinate everything from the bears to the outfits around your theme.

Popular theme ideas include:

• Pajama Party – Bears dressed in sleepwear with a mini sleepover
• Superhero Adventure – Capes and masks for brave teddy protectors
• Princess/Prince Celebration – Royal outfits and tiaras
• Sports Team – Bears dressed in your favorite team colors

Your theme can even match the birthday child’s interests! Love dinosaurs? Choose dinosaur bears! Crazy about unicorns? Sparkly unicorn plushies it is!

Remember that Build-A-Bear offers seasonal and movie character bears too. Check their website before your party to see what special bears might be available during your event date!

A Tour of the Build-A-Bear Workshop Experience

Build-A-Bear Workshop offers a magical experience where you create a personalized furry friend through a series of fun, interactive stations. The process combines creativity, personal choices, and heartfelt moments that make each bear uniquely yours.

Understanding the Bear-Building Stations

When you enter Build-A-Bear Workshop, you’ll immediately notice several colorful stations arranged in a specific order.

First, you’ll visit the Choose Me wall where dozens of unstuffed animal skins await! Pick your favorite character – from classic teddy bears to popular licensed characters like Pokémon or Disney friends.

Next, you’ll move to the Sound Station where you can add special sound effects or recorded messages to your bear.

Want your bear to play a giggle, roar, or even your own voice saying “I love you”? This is where the magic happens!

The Scent Station lets you add delicious smells like cotton candy, chocolate chip, or strawberry to make your bear extra special.

These scents last for months and make your furry friend even more huggable!

The Heart of the Matter: Stuffing and Stitches

The stuffing ceremony is the most exciting part of your Build-A-Bear adventure!

At the Stuff Me station, a friendly Bear Builder will help you bring your new friend to life. You’ll use a foot pedal to control the stuffing machine – making your bear as squishy or firm as you want!

Before your bear gets stitched up, you’ll participate in the heart ceremony.

Choose a small satin heart, make a wish, and place it inside your bear. Many Bear Builders add fun touches like:

• Warming the heart between your hands
• Giving it a kiss for love
• Rubbing it on your heart for friendship
• Jumping up and down to give your bear energy

Finally, your bear gets stitched closed with a hidden barcode that helps identify your bear if it ever gets lost. The perfect bear is almost ready!

Personalizing Your Party with Add-On Activities

Take your Build-A-Bear party to the next level with these amazing activities that will make your celebration extra special! Your guests will love these creative options that add fun and excitement beyond the standard bear-making experience.

Crafting Bear-y Special Accessories

Create your own special accessories for your new furry friends!

Ask about DIY collar making where you can use colorful beads, ribbons, and charms to make unique necklaces for your bears.

Build-A-Bear also offers special craft stations where party guests can decorate tiny t-shirts with fabric markers or make special friendship bracelets that match their bears’ accessories! How fun is that?!

Some locations provide seasonal craft options like making tiny holiday ornaments or decorating bear-sized sunglasses for summer parties. These take-home crafts become extra special souvenirs!

Don’t forget to ask about the scrapbook station where you can document your bear-making journey with photos, stickers, and colorful paper to create a memory book of your beary special day!

Games That Enchant and Delight

Spice up your party with bear-themed games that will have everyone giggling!

Try “Pin the Heart on the Bear” where blindfolded guests try to place a felt heart on a bear poster – a fun twist on a classic party game!

Play “Bear, Bear, Teddy” (like Duck, Duck, Goose) where kids circle up with their new bears for a lively chase game. Your party host can lead everyone in the Bear Builder Pledge with special bear movements and poses!

Set up a bear fashion show where each child can showcase their newly created friend on a mini runway.

You can even add fun music and announce each bear’s name and special qualities!

Many stores offer a bear scavenger hunt where kids search for hidden bear accessories throughout the workshop. Winners get special bear-themed prizes that add to the excitement!

Delectable Eats and Sweet Treats

Food makes any Build-A-Bear party extra special! The right snacks and treats will keep your guests happy while they stuff their new furry friends.

Catering to Every Taste Bud

When planning your Build-A-Bear party menu, think about options that work for everyone!

Pizza is always a hit—order a few varieties like cheese, pepperoni, and veggie to please all your guests.

Many Build-A-Bear locations partner with nearby restaurants for special group packages. Call ahead to ask about these deals!

Don’t forget to provide some healthier options too. A colorful fruit tray with strawberries, grapes, and apple slices gives guests something fresh to enjoy.

For drinks, individual juice boxes or water bottles work best to prevent spills around the stuffed animals.

You can even add cute paper straws with teddy bear flags for a festive touch!

Adorable Bear-Themed Snacks

Make your party food extra fun with bear-shaped treats!

Use a teddy bear cookie cutter to transform sandwiches into adorable bear faces. Peanut butter and jelly works great for this!

Cupcakes topped with teddy graham cookies or chocolate bear ears make the perfect sweet treat.

You can also arrange a platter of teddy graham cookies with different dipping sauces like chocolate and caramel.

Bear-shaped fruit kabobs are both cute and healthy! Just use a melon baller for the head and add smaller fruit pieces for ears.

For an extra-special touch, serve “Build-A-Snack” cups where guests can add their favorite toppings to vanilla pudding or yogurt—just like they customize their bears!

Creating Unforgettable Party Favors

Party favors make your Build-A-Bear celebration extra special! These take-home treasures will remind guests of the fun they had and create lasting memories beyond the party itself.

Custom Adoption Certificates

Each Build-A-Bear comes with its own adoption certificate, but you can make these extra special for your party!

Ask the store if they can add a custom message like “Thank you for celebrating with [Birthday Child’s Name]!” on each certificate.

You can also personalize them further by:

• Adding the date of your party
• Including a cute photo of the guest with their new furry friend
• Using colorful markers to decorate the borders

Some Build-A-Bear locations offer special certificate holders or frames for an additional fee. These protect the certificates and make them even more gift-worthy!

Goodie Bags Filled with Joy

Create goodie bags that complement the bears your guests made! Fill small, colorful bags with bear-themed treats and accessories.

Great items to include:

• Mini plush keychains
• Bear-shaped cookies or candies
• Small clothing items for their new bears
• Teddy bear stickers or temporary tattoos
• Bear-themed coloring pages

You can also add non-bear items that match your party theme!

If you had a princess party, include tiaras. For superhero themes, add small capes or masks.

Don’t forget to add a personalized thank-you tag to each bag! This small touch shows you appreciate each guest celebrating with you.

Capturing the Memories

Taking photos at your Build-A-Bear party is a must! These special moments deserve to be saved forever. Ask the store if they have a designated photo area with cute backdrops.

Bring your own camera or smartphone to snap pictures throughout the experience. Capture the excitement when each child picks their unstuffed friend. Then, take photos of the joy on their faces during the heart ceremony!

Don’t forget to take photos of these key moments:

• The bear selection process
• The stuffing machine in action
• Making wishes on the heart
• The birth certificate creation
• Final group photo with all the new furry friends

Create a fun photo prop station with silly hats, glasses, and signs. Kids will love posing with their new stuffed pals and these fun accessories!

After the party, send digital copies to parents as a thank-you. You could also print small photos to include in your thank-you cards.

Consider making a simple scrapbook page for each child with their photo and birth certificate. What an amazing keepsake they’ll treasure!

Some Build-A-Bear stores offer professional photography services for an additional fee. Ask about this when you book your party if you want extra-special photos.