Finding a Less Expensive Way to Build-a-Bear in Mineola

Mineola Children’s Librarian Meredith Minkoff knows the dilemma parents face of finding creative yet inexpensive ways of entertaining their children.

Often some of the most desired toys are expensive and difficult to come by.

Keeping this dilemma in mind, Minkoff, set out to create an event around the simple act of creating what for many children is their best friend: the Build Your Own Teddy Bear event.

Taking place in the large meeting room on the ’s lower level, about 20 children clamored to reach their seats last week as DJ Chris Doyle, of 2X-Treme Entertainment, wearing a suit and hat took his position in the center and began distributing materials with his assistant.

“We tried to take inspiration when creating this event from things we know kids already like,” Minkoff said. “Build-a-Bear has been popular with kids for years so we wanted to create something similar. We just wanted to do the less expensive version.”

Always eager to boost membership, programs such as these often grow a child’s interest in books and reading.

“Children often come to the library for the first time to come to a program,” Minkoff said. “But, because they’re waiting in the Children’s Room, they become curious about the books and activities that are in there.”

Explaining that the programs are reciprocal in boosting literacy, Minkoff expressed hopes that such events would interest even greater amounts of children to frequent the library, not just for events but simply to read.

While Doyle began to hammer away at the basic instructions for teddy bear making, parents sat in the back, amused as their children let their creative juices flow.

Not only utilizing fine motor skills, children who attend social events like this tend to be more socially aware and better able to navigate – and excel in social emotional situations.

“Children who come here tend to end up learning that they have to be nicer, they have to share, they have to listen, because the other children teach them,” one parent quietly explained to another.

As boys sat next to girls, and one small girl handed some of her fluffed bear filling to another girl with less, the truth of such words were truly evidenced.