A round-up of awesome bear gifts for kids and adults.
To many people, the bear is a true symbol of the wild. Fearsome yet majestic, bears inhabit some of the planet’s last wildernesses. They remind us both of the freedom that many of us yearn for, and also of our weaknesses. Few other animals inspire in us the same respect … and fear.
On this page we’ve curated a selection of gift ideas with a bear theme. We’ve included books and movies that are both factual and entertaining. We’ve also put together an awesome selection of bear-themed toys and other gifts for kids.
Page Index
Bear Gifts: Top Choices
In a hurry? Here are our top choices for awesome bear gifts!
Disneynature Bears: Best Bear Movie
A beautifully-shot film that will appeal to the whole family.
Bear Almanac – A Comprehensive Guide To The Bears Of The World by Gary Brown: Best Bear Book
There are many beautiful bear books, but few can rival the depth of information contained within The Bear Almanac.
National Geographic Readers – Bears: Best Bear Gift For A Child
National Geographic’s Bears is a fact-filled picture book aimed at younger readers.
Bear Books
A selection of books about bears.
Bear: Spirit of the Wild by Paul Nicklen
If you know someone who likes bears, then you need look no further for the ideal gift for them. Bear: Spirit of the Wild is a collection of stunning photographs and informative text by acclaimed wildlife photographer Paul Nicklen.
The book concentrates on North American bears, namely the polar bear, black bear, grizzly bear and the ‘spirit bear’; the ghostly pale-coated subspecies of American black bear. Nicklen’s breathtaking images will ensure you’ll see these magnificent animals as you’ve never seen them before.
Bear Almanac: A Comprehensive Guide To The Bears Of The World by Gary Brown
This thorough reference book contains just about anything you could ever want to know about bears. It covers the eight living bear species in detail, and also includes information on bear evolution and extinct species.
Although aimed at adults, plenty of teenage (and younger) wildlife fans will enjoy pouring over the information and photos in this book; there’s a fascinating bear fact on every page!
Great Bear Wild: Dispatches from a Northern Rainforest Hardcover by Ian McAllister
When most people think of a rainforest, they think of a sweltering hot tropical South American forest, complete with howler monkeys, tapirs and poison arrow frogs. In fact, rainforests can also occur in temperate regions – the defining factor being high rainfall. One such rainforest is the Pacific temperate rainforests ecoregion in North America.
In Great Bear Wild, photographer and conservationist Ian McAllister explores the Pacific coast and its wildlife. On the way he meets not only bears, but also wolves, whales and many other animals and plants.
Not only is this book a stunning photographic record of this incredible region, it also contains an important conservation message.
The Mountain Find 10 Bears T-Shirt
There are no shortage of bear T-shirts on Amazon. This, in our opinion, is one of the best. High-quality print and hard-wearing material. Show the world how much bears mean to you!
Bear Movies
A selection of awesome family films about bears.
Disneynature: Bears
Disneynature’s Bears follows a year in the life of Sky, an adult female brown bear and her two cubs. The film is set in Alaska and features absolutely spectacular photography.
Narration is by the always excellent John C. Reilly and is informative and entertaining. The bears are given human voices which helps with the storyline and keeps kids interested.
Disneyland’s Bears has an MPAA rating of G (General Audience). There is no bloodshed and this is very definitely a family friendly film. If you want to inspire a love of the great outdoors in your kids, then look no further.
The Bear 25th Anniversary
This is the 25th Anniversary collector’s edition of director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s The Bear. The film tells the story of an orphan bear cub who is befriended by an adult grizzly bear, and their pursuit by a group of hunters.
First released in 1988, the film features breathtaking scenery and truly remarkable animal shots. This is no Hollywood C.G.I.-fest; real bears were used and there is no dialogue. The way the story is told is a true filmmaking feat. If you don’t fall in love with the bear cub then your heart must be made of stone!
Parents are advised that the film does include some blood and animal violence, and has a naturally sad storyline. Despite this the film will captivate the hearts and minds of wildlife fans both young and old.
A beautiful film that every member of the family will love. Heart moving and highly recommended.
Paddington – The Movie
Whether or not you’ve read the book, the most recent film adaptations of the Paddington stories are must-see family films.
Like all good family entertainment, Paddington manages to entertain on several different levels. Kids will love the cute CGI bear, adults will appreciate the quality of the acting, and the whole family will laugh at the many predicaments the kind-hearted but accident-prone bear finds himself in.
Bear Gifts For Kids
Inspiring bear gifts for kids
National Geographic Readers: Bears
National Geographic’s Bears is a fact-filled picture book for younger readers. It introduces all 8 species of bear. By the end of the book you’ll know all kinds of interesting facts about all of the world’s bears. You’ll also find out what the future is likely to hold for the world’s bear population.
Polar Bears by Mark Newman
Packed full of polar bear photos and facts, Polar Bears by wildlife photographer Mark Newman would make a good gift for a young bear enthusiast.
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
Before you let the kids watch the film, why not get them reading about the world’s most famous bear? A Bear Called Paddington is Michael Bond’s first Paddington book. It tells the story of how the orphan bear is first taken in by the Brown family. This edition also features the original illustrations by Peggy Fortnum.
The Complete Tales of Winnie-The-Pooh by A. A. Milne
This hardback book contains every one of A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh tales, which were originally published as two collections in the 1920s. It is testament to the strength of the characters that their popularity has endured to this day.
The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh is a wonderful bit of escapism from modern life. Take your kids on a journey to 100 Acre Wood with Winnie and his friends!
Huge Teddy Bear
A wonderful gift for bear lovers – and not just kids! This teddy bear is super soft, plush and, according to reviews, well made. Oh, and it’s huge! At around 38″ it will make a great addition to a children’s bedroom. We get the feeling looking through the reviews on Amazon that these aren’t just being bought for kids!
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr
Suitable for children aged 2 to 5, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is one of many animal books written by acclaimed U.S. children’s author Bill Martin Jr. .
The simple text and large, colorful illustrations in this book have been enjoyed by millions of kids. It appears in a 2012 “Top 100 Picture Books” poll by School Library Journal and in 2013 ranked 21st on a Goodreads list of “Best Children’s Books”.
The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland
Written and illustrated by Nick Bland, The Very Cranky Bear tells the story of a group of animals who take shelter from a storm in a cave. Here they discover a bear who isn’t too happy with being woken up. How will the friends get the irate Ursid back to sleep?
Featuring lovely illustrations and a funny story, The Very Cranky Bear also teaches the importance of kindness and empathy.
Bear Gift Ideas: Conclusion
We hope that you have enjoyed this bear gift ideas selection. Let us know which product you chose … or perhaps you can suggest a bear product that isn’t on our list. We’d love to hear about it!
In many ways, bears are like us; they’re mammals, they can stand on their hind legs, they’re omnivorous. For this reason, bears have a special place in our hearts, and are often portrayed as furry, cuddly, humans. Bears appear in this way both as toys – in the form of teddy bears – and in books and films – e.g. Winnie the Pooh and Paddington.
Bears are also a symbol of the wild. They serve as a reminder of why it is vitally important that the world’s wild places are protected. They may be among the world’s largest carnivores, but even an animal as mighty as a bear can fall victim to habitat loss.