As we were nearing the end of the school term I was looking for a treat that my girls would enjoy, and despite being 10-years old, they still love cuddly toys. I knew they would thoroughly enjoy making their own teddy, so I took them to Sunshine Bears and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Both girls loved every minute of it, and I recommend it to anyone looking for something to do with their child(ren) this summer.
Sunshine Bears
Sunshine Bears is located at Oatlands, just next to the entrance of Oaty & Joey’s. My girls were super excited when I told them what their surprise was, and that excitement only increased as they entered the shop and didn’t know where to look first…the talking tree, the outfits covering 2 walls or all the teddies in the centre of the room!
1. Choose a teddy
Lindsay (the owner of Sunshine Bears) introduced herself and explained to the girls that first they needed to choose a teddy that they will stuff. I had told the girls they could have a 16” plush (which are £21), but there is also the choice of an 8” plush (for £15).
In hindsight, I’m not sure why I thought choosing a teddy would be a 2-minute job, because it was anything but. Lottie, who is bad at making choices at the best of times, pulled nearly every teddy out of the neat display box, to the point it looked like it had been ransacked, until she narrowed it down to 2 dogs, but even then, the final choice took ages. Lindsay was exceptionally patient and said it was fine for Lottie to look at every single teddy!! Lottie finally chose a pug, which was the first teddy she looked at!
Tilly, on the other hand, is super decisive and chose a spotted leopard in about 1 minute and then shifted her focus to looking at all the outfits on display.
2. Choose an outfit
The clothes are an additional cost, at £9.50 for an 8” outfit and £12 for 16” outfits. I agreed with my girls that I would cover the cost of the teddy, and they had to pay for clothes if they wanted any. The good thing is that Lindsay does not try and up-sell, so if you just want to buy a teddy then you can, you won’t feel pressured to have to spend more. My girls have been saving their pocket money so they both wanted to buy an outfit but decided to stuff their teddies first and then choose clothes.
3. Stuff your teddy
Now this is where excitement went to a ridiculously high level. Lindsay operates the stuffing machine but the kids have to keep their foot on the pedal. They were fascinated watching their teddies take shape.
Next is the really cute part. They get to choose a heart to go inside the teddy and some magic sparkles!
4. Add Sound
Being completely honest, I didn’t tell my girls that there was the option to add a sound, as it was one choice too many. I knew we already had the outfit choice ahead of us and if we had any chance of getting out of the shop before closing time then listening to all the sound choices was off the table!
5. Make a Wish
Once the heart and sprinkles have been put inside the teddy, they are asked if they want more stuffing or if they are happy with them as they are. Both my girls kept theirs quite soft so they could cuddle them. Before Lindsay handed them over, she asked if they would like to make a wish. They could think of something themselves, or they could read the Sunshine Bear wish about caring for and loving their Sunshine Bear. Both my girls read the Sunshine Bear wish and took it very seriously!
They both absolutely loved their finished teddies…
6. Outfit time
If Lottie appeared indecisive when it came to choosing a teddy, that was nothing to her choosing an outfit! When I popped into the shop before taking the girls, I saw that they can print personalised t-shirts for the bears so I ordered a t-shirt for each of my girls with their name on (£3 each), and they loved them, however, it didn’t stop them wanting to buy more clothes. The outfit choice is amazing from dressing gowns to full on outfits. They also stock shoes and accessories (mine loved the sleeping bags). Again Lottie tried most outfits on her pug and settled on a dungaree set and a dressing gown whereas Tilly chose a skirt and top set for her leopard.
7. Making it official
Outfits chosen, Lindsay then took the girls to the far end of the shop where she showed them a choice of 2 birth certificates that they could pick from and complete for their teddies. Choosing a name was another big decision and Lottie settled on Wilfed for her pug and Tilly chose Spots.
8. Photo time
There is a lovely photo backdrop at the back of the store, so children can have a photo with their bear. Both my girls smiled happily with their finished teddies and thoroughly enjoyed their time in Sunshine Bears.
9. Home time
All that remained was for the girls to pay for their outfits (both adding a dog lead for £3.50) and our time in Sunshine Bears was over.
Extras
Sunshine Bears is a great addition for kids in Guernsey and will appeal to both boys and girls. I was conscious that the cost could mount up, but you are very much in control of what you spend. You can spend £15 for an 8” bear and your child will have a great experience, or you can add on extras (clothes, sound chip, laminated birth certificate, gift box etc). When you pay you are given a loyalty card, buy 5 Sunshine Bears and you get your 6th for FREE!
You can’t visit Sunshine Bears without mentioning Karaoke Oaky, the amazing singing tree, which I’m sure is a big hit with every kid that visits.
Sunshine Bears is open Tuesday to Sunday 11:15am to 5:30pm and you don’t need to book, just turn up! They also offer children’s parties in conjunction with Oaty & Joey’s. For more information, visit their Facebook page HERE.
