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Throughout the 80s, it would have been pretty hard to find a little girl's bedroom that didn't have a Care Bear in it. These teddy bear-like, colourful cuddlies were on hand to comfort you after a hard day at school. What's more, there was an array of Care Bear characters to collect... But lets start at the beginning, like with Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears started out as a greetings card character. Then in the mid-80s, Kenner Toys released them to the toy world. Despite only reaching 12in high, the 10 Care Bears available all had big personalities - something mirrored by the names they each had. These included: Funshine, Good Luck, Cheer, Tenderheart, Friend, Grumpy, Wish, Bedtime and Love-a-lot. What united them was the plastic heart embedded in their tummies as a sign of Care Bear authenticity. As time went on and Care Bears' popularity blossomed, new lines were released, including mini hard-plastic figures, Care Bear Cousins, duvet covers, colouring books and loads more bits and bobs with which to adorn your bedroom. There was also a TV programme eventually, which really helped bring Care-a-Lot (the place Care Bears come from) to life. Mickey Rooney even lent his voice to The Care Bear Movie. What a wonderful message Care Bears sent out to children: love can conquer anything, and friends should stand side-by-side to help each other.

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Do You Remember Care Bears?

Do You Remember Care Bears?

  • tdickensheets
    on
    They came out 25th Care Bears.
  • skaterbun
    on
    so glad you can still buy care bears, I'll buy some for my little girl :)
  • sandie76
    on
    I always wanted Birthday bear, but my Mum got me Wish Bear instead - which I was over-joyed with. I still have him 25 years on, keep promising my daughter I'll get him down from the loft. I've since bought her a Birthday bear and she has a couple of the new small poseable bears, which she loves.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    Care Bears were cute overweight cuddly teddybears that helped children throughout the world to cope with their problems. It kept my 5 year old daughter very quiet on her first flight to the USA looking for Care Bears on the clouds. She never saw one. Wish it still worked!
  • kagomeshuko
    on
    I have a stuffed toy Cheer Bear I got . . . and have quite a few of them. Then, I found one of those plastic funshine bears at a garage sale.
  • mummieto2
    on
    I have an original Birthday Bear that I have managed to locate. He has Pride of Place in the lounge and the children are not allowed to play with him. I'm 29 now and know he was one of my first. Hes the small plastic one. Also have a bundle of the minatures that I keep in Cornwall for the children to play with when we visit my Dad. I did have the house too. Some of the best toys ever.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    we have most of the original carebears cuddly teddies all sizes ,as well as the figures incl evil cold heart,but grumpy is the favourite,hes spent the last 13 years resting in my daughters bed ,i still have to wait till shes out to sneakly give him a clean.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    I had a blue coloured care bear with a moon on his stomach. I also had the care a lot house which was heart shaped.
  • Anonymous user
    on
    awww i loved the care bears ive still got the birthday care bear that i have had for 23 years i love it!!
  • Anonymous user
    on
    my fav. : Grumpy. still is. i still have 4 glasses with grumpy, cheer, funshine and someone else. I still have the dolls of funshine, cheer and one more...oh! and lionheart, but my brother stole him from me and now i cant find it to take it back. Almost every shirt i see with carebear with a sweet saying/pic i buy it. Except for the grumpy bear at HotTopic...that one just scares me.

Do you remember these?