Let’s embark on an adventure with We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen! This beloved story is perfect for encouraging creativity, movement, and imagination in young children.
These Bear Hunt activities for EYFS support Early Learning Goals across all Areas of Development while bringing the story to life through hands-on play and exploration.
Blossom’s Recommended Bear Hunt Activities for Early Years:
Activity 1: Bear Hunt Sensory Trail
Recreate the scenes from the story with sensory stations, such as grass (green tissue paper), mud (playdough or brown paint), and water (a shallow tray). Let children walk through each station and describe how it feels as they “hunt” for the bear.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Understanding the World
- The Natural World:
- Exploring textures introduces children to sensory experiences.
- The Natural World:
- Physical Development
- Gross Motor Skills:
- Walking through the sensory trail improves coordination and balance.
- Fine Motor Skills:
- Picking up and manipulating materials enhances hand control.
- Gross Motor Skills:
- Communication and Language
- Speaking:
- Describing each sensory station builds vocabulary.
- Speaking:
Activity 2: Retell the Story with Props
Provide toy bears, a map, and story-specific props like blue fabric for the river or sticks for the forest. Encourage children to retell the story using the props, either as a group or individually.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Literacy
- Comprehension:
- Retelling the story helps children understand sequencing and plot.
- Comprehension:
- Communication and Language
- Listening, Attention and Understanding:
- Following the story enhances focus.
- Speaking:
- Narrating the story builds confidence and storytelling skills.
- Listening, Attention and Understanding:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
- Role-playing with props fosters creativity.
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
Activity 3: Bear Hunt Obstacle Course
Create an outdoor or indoor obstacle course inspired by the story’s journey. For example, children can crawl under tables for the cave, jump over a “river” of blue fabric, and tiptoe through “mud” (brown mats or paper).
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Physical Development
- Gross Motor Skills:
- Crawling, jumping, and balancing improve strength and coordination.
- Gross Motor Skills:
- Communication and Language
- Listening, Attention and Understanding:
- Following instructions to navigate the course builds focus.
- Listening, Attention and Understanding:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
- Pretending to be on a bear hunt adds excitement to the activity.
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
Activity 4: Make a Bear Cave Craft
Provide cardboard boxes, paints, and decorations for children to create their own bear caves. They can paint the boxes to look like caves and use them for imaginative play.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Creating with Materials:
- Designing caves encourages creativity and problem-solving.
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
- Children use their caves for role-play.
- Creating with Materials:
- Physical Development
- Fine Motor Skills:
- Painting and decorating strengthens hand-eye coordination.
- Fine Motor Skills:
Activity 5: Make a Bear Mask
Provide templates or blank masks for children to create their own bears. Use paints, crayons, and craft materials like cotton wool for fur. Encourage the children to think of any other materials they could use for fur too.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Creating with Materials:
- Decorating masks encourages creativity and exploration.
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
- Wearing the masks sparks role-play and storytelling.
- Creating with Materials:
- Physical Development
- Fine Motor Skills:
- Cutting and gluing helps build finger and hand strength.
- Fine Motor Skills:
Activity 6: Create a Bear Hunt Map
Ask children to draw or paint a map of the journey in the story, including grass, rivers, and the bear’s cave. They can label each part of the map with simple words or symbols.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Literacy
- Writing:
- Labelling the map introduces early writing skills.
- Comprehension:
- Mapping the story reinforces understanding of sequencing.
- Writing:
- Mathematics
- Numerical Patterns:
- Using shapes and symbols introduces pattern recognition.
- Numerical Patterns:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Creating with Materials:
- Designing maps encourages creativity and imagination.
- Creating with Materials:
Activity 7: Bear Hunt Counting Game
Use toy bears or bear cut-outs for a counting activity. Hide them around the room and ask children to “hunt” for the bears, counting how many they find.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Mathematics
- Number:
- Counting bears supports number recognition.
- Numerical Patterns:
- Sorting bears by size or colour introduces patterning.
- Number:
- Physical Development
- Gross Motor Skills:
- Moving around to find the bears develops different gross motor skills.
- Gross Motor Skills:
Activity 8: Read and Act Out the Story
Read We’re Going on a Bear Hunt aloud and encourage the children to join in with the actions and sound effects for each part of the journey.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Communication and Language
- Listening, Attention and Understanding:
- Following the story builds comprehension.
- Speaking:
- Joining in with repetitive phrases develops language skills.
- Listening, Attention and Understanding:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
- Acting out the story inspires creativity and engagement.
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
Activity 9: Make Bear Paw Prints
Use brown paint and large paper for children to create bear paw prints with their hands and feet (if you want to get messy!). Add claws or fur details for fun.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Creating with Materials:
- Painting paw prints encourages creativity and artistic skills.
- Creating with Materials:
- Physical Development
- Fine Motor Skills:
- Painting and adding details strengthens hand muscles.
- Fine Motor Skills:
These Bear Hunt activities for EYFS bring the classic story to life while supporting children’s development in fun and creative ways. From sensory trails and obstacle courses to crafting maps and masks, these activities cover all EYFS Areas of Learning and help children build confidence, imagination, and essential skills.
For UK nurseries and early years providers, these activities are a fantastic way to engage little learners and encourage hands-on exploration. Let the bear hunt adventure begin!
