In a time of social distancing, Anchorage families delight in neighborhood teddy bear hunts

You might have seen them while driving or walking through your neighborhood — cute, fuzzy teddy bears, sitting on window sills as if they’re keeping an eye on things.

People across Anchorage have been placing teddy bears in the widows of their homes during the coronavirus outbreak so walkers young and old can count them.

The “teddy bear hunt” phenomenon is somewhat patterned after Michael Rosen’s 1989 children’s book, “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.” It has been sweeping through neighborhoods around the country for weeks, giving families a fun activity to do that still allows for social distancing from other households.

“We go bear hunting every day," Emily Groves said while on a walk with her daughters Maddie, 4, and Isla, who is almost 2, in Anchorage’s Turnagain Heights subdivision on Thursday.

"It’s such a great way to bring the community together,” she said.

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