Theodore Roosevelt was the inspiration behind the first teddy bears, all due to a comic strip. When he refused to shoot a bear cub on his hunting travel word got out and a cartoonist drew a picture of him and the bear, this inspired a store owner. Mooris Mitchom had his wife create a teddy bear and this began the journey of the teddy bears.
1906 Americans used the word "teddy bear" instead of "Teddy's Bears" in an advertisement, after that it just stuck.
In 1912 the very first black teddy bear was introduced by Steiff in honor of those that died on the Titanic. She manufactured 500 of these teddy bears to pass out to the families mourning their loved ones.
Walt Disney produces first teddy bear cartoon in 1924, "Alice and the Three Bears." This would begin a whole collection of Alice and her many adventures. In 1926 the first edition of "Winnie the Pooh" by A. A. Milne come out, later Disney would buy the rights.
Winnie the Pooh was originally a girl bear named, "Winnipeg." The bear that inspired Milne to write all his stories was a gift that came from J.K. Farnell & Company that he'd given his son on his first birthday. Farnell was the first British manufacturer to make teddy bears.
Almost all teddy bear companies would close their doors in 1929, some would reopen while others never saw the light again.
In 1944, Smokey the Bear became a National symbol for putting out forest fires. Every year he goes to schools to talk to children about fire safety, during the summer you can find him at campsites giving lessons on the forest.
Wendy Boston made the first lock-in eyes and later would create the first washable teddy bear in 1954.
Teddy bears have come a long way from what was once a wooden toy to the soft, delightful things we cuddle up with at night. Teddy bears continue to expand in the market and will continue for years to come.
Teddy bears aren't just for girls anymore. Boys can enjoy them just as much as a girl can. Granted many men would argue the fact that a boy does not need one. Instead of purchasing a doll for your little boy you can buy him a teddy bear. There are a ton of different types of teddy bears out there to choose from, the only problem will be deciding on only one.
If you are in doubt about what color teddy bear to pick for a boy, go with blue, black, brown or green. These are definitely safe colors to get and no one should pick on him for having them and if they do you'll know they are just jealous.
Personalized teddy bears are great because he gets to pick out what interests him the most. There are all types of things from a motorcycle bear, sports bears to even military bears. Character bears are another type you can pick out especially if they like a certain cartoon. While your child might not take them outside all the time like a girl would, you'll probably find them sitting right beside their bed.
There are a few fun things boys can do with their bears, no not blowing them up. But a boy might want to try attaching a parachute type cloth to him and watch him drop down. There are also teddy bears out there that will read to them, which can encourage them to read back if your child is a slow reader or just starting out.
There is nothing wrong with a boy having a teddy bear, in fact it may actually help them show that they can be gentle. Boys are born rough, sometimes they need a little guidance to show them how to be a little gentler. Find a teddy bear that suits your child's personality and let him have fun.