Albany Community Kindy’s annual teddy bear walk colours town

With their rainbow teddies in tow and beaming smiles on their faces, children from Albany Community Kindergarten spread joy along York Street on Tuesday.

It was the 11th year of the kindergarten’s Teddy Bear Walk where the class of four-year-old students show off their handmade creations on a journey through town.

They started at the Albany Library for story time and a tour, before walking down to the York Street Post Office where they bought stamps to post their letters to Santa.

Students were treated to an ice-cream at Dylan’s on the Terrace before taking a tour of the Aboriginal artefacts display at the Museum of the Great Southern to finish off their big day.

Teacher-in-charge Karen Marshall said the Teddy Bear Walk was a celebration of the students’ hard work, with the walk holding a special place in the memories of the many families that pass through the school.

“The reason we take the children on a Teddy Bear Walk is to show off their wonderful work to the community,” she said.

“It takes several months of tracing, drawing, painting, sewing and stuffing to complete these beautiful bears and it makes sense to have a big celebration once they are finished.”

The children are set to walk with the bears once again alongside their families and friends in the Albany Christmas Pageant on December 4. Last year’s class will also join the parade after missing out due to COVID-19 restrictions.