BEAUMONT, Texas — If you're out this week enjoying a walk in your neighborhood, you may notice some bears!
Well, some teddy bears.
With kids out of school and so many families practicing social distancing due to coronavirus, neighborhoods across Southeast Texas are organizing bear hunts.
The idea is that while you're out on a walk or bike ride, your kids can be on the lookout for teddy bears in the windows of homes. It's something families can do without interacting with others.
"I have three excited kiddos who would be thrilled to go on a bear hunt," one person posted in the app Nextdoor.
"Our little ones need this distraction and so do adults," a post in the Port Neches Bear Hunt Facebook page said.
"We'll have bears hanging in our windows," another person posted in Nextdoor.
The idea is based on the award-winning classic book "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michae Bosen and Helen Osenbury.
Viral 'teddy bear hunts' Southeast Texas neighborhoods as activity for families
People have been posting bear hunt locations across Southeast Texas in Nextdoor. There have also been Facebook pages started to alert parents where bears are located.
Families are putting teddy bears and other stuffed animal in their windows, in rocking chairs on their front porch and other unique locations.
The viral scavenger hunt is growing in popularity. One parent even organized a bear hunt for her son's birthday and solicited help from her neighbors.
The bear hunt scavenger hunts have been a distraction for families who are stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic. The number of cases of COVID-19 are growing across Southeast Texas as testing becomes more readily available.
#ShareTheLove | If you are out on your bear hunt, send 12News some pictures and/or video! We would love to feature your bear hunt on air and online! You can text your pictures or video to 409-838-1212! Please include your first name and city.
