Covid 19 coronavirus: Teddy bear hunt keeps Northland kids busy

They're going on a bear hunt and they're not scared.

In fact, it's quite the opposite really.

In the windows of homes, caravans and cars around Northland, teddy bears and their fellow stuffed friends have been waiting for excited children to spot them on their walks around the neighbourhood.

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It is an isolation game which has taken the region - and country - by storm. Teddy bears and other soft toys are placed where they can be spotted by the public, and children who are going for strolls with their parents keep their eyes peeled for them.

Whangārei mum Erika Ford said the activity has kept her two boys - 4 and 6 - entertained.

She saw the bear hunt idea on Facebook and thought it was great but wanted to make sure there were bears her boys could spot before heading out for a walk.

So she posted on the Tutukaka Coast Facebook group asking locals to pop bears in their windows.

"The Ngunguru community have been amazing. There's so many who have participated and it's become our daily morning routine to go on a bear hunt so that's really cool.

"I didn't think it would maintain its excitement but it certainly has. They're now looking to see if bears have changed position. So it's very cool."

Fellow Ngunguru mum Tia Lord spotted the post and thought it was a cool idea so got her kids - aged 6 and 9 - to put their toys in the windows.

"The kids got right into it and were coming up with funny ways to put the teddies in the windows to get noticed.

"I think it's important to do things like this to keep people connected even though they can't be close together."

Meanwhile, two 4m tall hay bale bears in Waipū - made by Stephanie Coc-Kroft and Tony Connell - have captured the attention of passers by.

Connell said he hadn't even heard of the bear hunt, he just made them for "a bit of a laugh" for Waipū.

"I've seen pictures of them made in the States and I've always wanted to make them. I've got nothing to do now so me and Steph made them."

He and Coc-Kroft started working on them on Saturday and were finished within a couple of hours.

He didn't expect the bears to be as popular as they have been.

"If it makes people happy with what's going on at the moment it'd be pretty cool," he said.

■ Send us pictures of your teddy bears and from around your neighbourhood email to: editor@northernadvocate.co.nz

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website