Build A Bear Stuffin' Station Craft Set

Product Information

When you have used all of the wool, it's time to choose a picture or message to place inside your heart. Half the fun of these toys is getting to be part of the process of making them, pumping in the stuffing, placing a loving heart inside and then of course you need to name your new companion. It is very easy to use, the instructions are clear and precise and because there are no batteries required you can get to work as soon as the stuffing station is taken out of the box and even that is simple, no fiddly tags to contend with. if you are not going to purchase anymore bears afterwards, the station is a little redundant afterwards but I’m sure most Build-A-Bear lovers will be after some more at some point!

Attach one of the bears to the side of the stuffing station (see photo below) and start turning the handle. My nine year old actually has a bigger version of the teddy she picked so of course she got named Rainbow Junior. To stuff your bear you empty a bag of stuffing material into the stuffing machine, and then place your bear ‘skin’ on the output of the machine, before turning the handle to wind the stuffing into your bear.At first I was worried Lamb would need a lot of assistance, but he actually managed to do most of it himself. They both have their bears on the pillows of their bed and love knowing they have a special heart inside and that they made the bears themselves! The instructions are really clear and helpful, with a step by step guide to stuffing and completing your bears, including tips if you run into any issues with the stuffing or zip. I could see younger children needing a helping hand with pushing the stuffing into all of the limbs though. When the bear pops off, you manipulate the stuffing with your fingers into the arms, legs and head of the bear, before putting back on the machine to add more stuffing.

It was quite tricky to keep the bear attached / hooked onto the nozzle of the stuffing station where the stuffing comes out.You also get some pop out cardboard accessories and birth certificates for your bears, and of course the stuffing station itself. What I immediately love about this toy is the fact that no batteries are needed, a big plus from a parent point of view. The only other thing that bothered me about the stuffing station is that once you have made the two bears that come with the stuffing station it is kind of redundant unless you go out and spend more money on more bears to stuff and fill. The bear will pop off occasionally but this is a sign for you to use your fingers to push the stuffing into smaller areas of the bear such as the hands and legs.

I am a mum of two (aged 13 and 8) and I started Tantrums to Smiles with the aim of being able to help others by sharing lots of hopefully helpful information, advice and reviews. This added an extra element to the toy, giving it a learning aspect as well as the fun side of it all.My nine and seven year olds were able to do the majority of this by themselves, the only thing that they needed help with was popping the bears back on the nozzle on occasion. use the station to stuff 2 furry friends, make a wish in the hearts, dress them in unique outfits, and name them on their birth certificates. The machine is suitable for those who are interested in creating a unique plush toy that can be used as a gift or a keepsake. My eldest was bought her first Build-A-Bear by her Grandpappy, she's now twelve and this bear still sits at the end of her bed. This may be quite obvious to other people but I was feeling a bit frazzled that day and hadn’t noticed.