The New Car

The teddy bears have lots of grown-up friends, like Katy who came to visit them recently. They always enjoy her visits because she has time for a chat, or perhaps to play a game with them, and sometimes helps them with their crafting.

This time, though, she surprised them by arriving in a brand new car! It was lovely. Very big, very silver and with a 'new car' smell inside.

The teddy bears were asked if they wanted to go for a little drive with her. Silly question! Of course they did! Scary suddenly called out "Shotgun!"

"Why are you shouting that?" asked James.

"It means I get to sit in the front passenger seat alongside the driver and get the best view of the journey" replied Scary. And then he explained further. Apparently the reason that word works is because the stagecoaches in the old Wild West used to have a driver and then the person next to him would be the one with a rifle or shotgun who would look out for any danger. So if you shout 'Shotgun' then you get to sit in that seat next to the driver (although nowadays it is probably more comfortable than it was in the Wild West!).

The rest of the bears piled into the back seat on lots of cushions so they could see out the windows. They all had their seatbelts on too. They don't need special child-seats as some of you probably do, because they're bears!

It was a nice, sunny day and they had a trip round the town and out into the countryside, which whizzed by. They saw lots of trees and hedges, and houses going past really fast. Everything goes by very quickly and you can't see as much detail as you can when you are walking - but, of course, you can travel much further! Katy's car was very comfortable and they glided smoothly along. It was probably even big enough for all of the bears to actually live in!

The bears love to walk around wherever they are, but of course they can't travel very far that way because they only have little legs. So going by car allows them to get much further afield to other places they would like to visit but which would take too long to walk to. And they would never get to the seaside at all if they had to walk there!

This time, Katy took them to a lovely spot out in the countryside, next to a big wood with a tinkling stream nearby.

"I like it here!" exclaimed Edward. "May we get out and go for a walk in the wood?" he asked, as the bears know that, although cars were very useful for getting you to places quickly, actually walking is still the best way to look round and see all the little wildflowers, or touch the knobbly bark on the trees, or explore hidden paths and see the local rabbits and birds.

"Of course," said Katy. "And after your walk we can have a picnic down by the river. I've brought some rugs and cushions and a big picnic basket filled with lots of your favourite food."

That was a nice surprise and the bears ran off towards the wood but they weren't away very long. Not when they knew there was a picnic waiting for them!

Afterwards they all got back into Katy's car - Scary kept quiet this time and let someone else shout 'shotgun' first so they could have a turn sitting in the front!

The teddy bears discussed whether walking or driving was best all the way home, finally deciding that they were actually both equally as good because they got to easily travel to distant places using the car, giving them time to do their favourite walking around those places too.

When they arrived home they were sure to thank Katy for their lovely trip out.