Our family can't get enough of the Berenstain Bears. We read the books, we watch the cartoon, we even play with the decades-old Happy Meal toys. Not only are Daddy and I nostalgic about the beloved books we grew up with, but our kids are downright crazy about this lovable bear family. My husband has even wistfully mentioned that he wished we could all move to Bear Country and live down a sunny dirt road.
The pictures are cheerful and the stories are engaging, but what I love most about these books is their ability to teach a lesson without seeming pedantic. Instead of feeling like they've just 'learned something' my kids come away laughing at the silly antics of Papa Bear or the temper tantrums thrown by the kids. But days later I'll catch them saying things like "we shouldn't bite our nails, it's a bad habit" or "we need to be polite or we'll have to do extra chores." As young as they are, the get it and because they learned from the Bear family instead of from their own Mama and Papa, they are much more likely to incorporate those ideas into their own lives.
We hardly miss a bedtime without reading at least one of these books - and with 0ver 30 years worth of stories to choose from, we haven't grown tired of them yet! Don't forget to check out the Berenstain Bears' Almanac, Nature Guide and Science Fair to add a little dose of academics to your day as well! I have a feeling these bears will be handed down to the next generation some day - and maybe many more to come.
The pictures are cheerful and the stories are engaging, but what I love most about these books is their ability to teach a lesson without seeming pedantic. Instead of feeling like they've just 'learned something' my kids come away laughing at the silly antics of Papa Bear or the temper tantrums thrown by the kids. But days later I'll catch them saying things like "we shouldn't bite our nails, it's a bad habit" or "we need to be polite or we'll have to do extra chores." As young as they are, the get it and because they learned from the Bear family instead of from their own Mama and Papa, they are much more likely to incorporate those ideas into their own lives.
We hardly miss a bedtime without reading at least one of these books - and with 0ver 30 years worth of stories to choose from, we haven't grown tired of them yet! Don't forget to check out the Berenstain Bears' Almanac, Nature Guide and Science Fair to add a little dose of academics to your day as well! I have a feeling these bears will be handed down to the next generation some day - and maybe many more to come.
