If You Go Down To The Woods Today….

Teddy Bears’ Picnic

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.

Picnic time for teddy bears;
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch us 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 cares.
At six o’clock their mummies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they’re tired little teddy bears.

But….do you know how the “teddy bear” got its name?  

White it was not when the teddy bears were having their picnic in the woods, they did get their name from an incident in the woods!  Yes, the story goes that in 1902 President Theodore Roosevelt was invited by the Mississippi Governor to go bear hunting with his friends in the woods.  There were several people on this hunting trip and most of the other hunters had managed to get a bear.  President Roosevelt had not yet caught one so some of the men with him decided that they would catch a bear and tie him to a tree.  They did this and then invited Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt to shoot it.  Upon hearing about this, Teddy Roosevelt said that he could not possibly do that as it would be unsportsmanlike but he asked one of his men to shoot the bear to put it out of its misery.

When a cartoonist heard about this incident, he quickly created a cartoon depicting the event which got many laughs.

Cartoon of Teddy Roosevelt with the bear

Not only did the cartoon create many laughs.

The cartoon was seen by a toymaker, Morris Michtom, who, after asking President Teddy Roosevelt’s permission, created a soft cuddly toy bear and put it in his shop window with a sign reading, “Teddy’s bear”.  The craze took off – ladies carried teddy bears with them, children were photographed with them and Teddy Roosevelt used one as a mascot in his bid for re-election.

American educator Seymour Eaton wrote the children’s book series, “The Roosevelt Bears” and composer John Bratton wrote “The Teddy Bear Two Step” which, with the addition of Jimmy Kennedy’s lyrics, became “The Teddy Bear’s Picnic”.

The Teddy Bear has become unquestionably one of the most beloved and cherished toys, if not companions, of children.

Teddy Roosevelt could not have realized what he started!  He added to the joy and love of every child’s life!