If a Cat and a Bear Can Work Together, So Can We

The Catbears is a brand that creates gentle, playful resources to help children learn how to work together. We offer free printable social stories and craft activities, plus interactive apps like Felt and Guided Activities. Everything is designed with a simple idea: Bear and Cat are different — and that's perfect. They show children that different doesn't mean incompatible, and that we can find ways to interact without harming each other.

Yes! All our social stories and activities are completely free to download and print. No sign-up required. We believe these resources should be accessible to everyone. We also offer interactive apps (Felt and Guided Activities) with free trials, so you can explore them before deciding if they're right for your family.

Our resources work best for children ages 3-6, though many activities adapt well for slightly older or younger kids. The content focuses on early social-emotional development — those important moments when children are learning to share, take turns, and create together. We believe these skills are easier to practice when children are young, in focused situations where adults can guide gently.

Bear and Cat are friends who don't always agree — but they always figure it out together. Through their stories, children see that being different is perfect. They see how friends can disagree but still work together, share, take turns, and solve problems collaboratively. Bear and Cat don't change who they are — they learn to interact without harming each other, to compromise when needed, and to trust each other.

Free resources are printable PDFs you can download immediately — social stories and activity pages you can use right away. Our apps (Felt and Guided Activities) offer deeper, interactive experiences. They guide you through predictable moments where conflicts might arise, help you see them coming, and show you how to guide children through them positively. Think of free resources as tools you can use anytime, and the apps as guided experiences that help you practice together.

Guided Activities is an online craft course that helps children practice working together. It's called "Build a Cardboard Theatre" — a complete project with video tutorials, printable activity pages, and step-by-step guidance. What makes it different is that it's designed to create predictable moments where something natural surfaces. The course shows you what to expect, when conflicts might arise, and how to guide children through them positively. It's not about preventing conflicts — it's about seeing them coming and guiding through them with care.

Felt is an interactive feelings chart app that helps children talk about emotions when words are hard. Kids choose characters and emotions on screen, then add their own words — making it easier to express what they're feeling. It's designed to reduce pressure and create a safe space for communication. Parents, educators, and therapists use Felt to help children identify emotions, navigate conflicts, and express themselves through guided stories with visual emotion choices.

Our activities aren't just places where conflicts might happen — they're designed to create predictable moments where something deep in our nature surfaces. Take the glue stick example: one resource, many children, a moment of waiting. Suddenly you see something very human revealed. The same impulse that looks natural at 4 becomes harder to manage at 14, at 40. We have an opportunity to learn how to work with this inner force when we're little. Our activities help adults see these moments coming — maybe even set them up intentionally — and then guide children through them positively.

Absolutely! Many educators, therapists, and parents use our resources in schools, therapy sessions, and at home. The materials are designed to be flexible and work in various settings. Whether you're working with one child or a group, the activities adapt to your needs. We believe these resources should be accessible wherever children are learning to work together.

Most activities use common household materials like paper, cardboard, crayons, glue, and scissors. We always list what you'll need before starting an activity. The idea is to keep things simple — so you can focus on the experience of creating together, not on gathering supplies. Some activities, like the Creative Chain, are designed to be the most basic craft project anyone can do without any preparations, but with a strong concept that brings the group together.

Craft activities create focused, confined situations where we can guide children gently. Spontaneous conflicts arise naturally — and that's actually helpful. When children are creating together, sharing materials, taking turns, they're practicing real social skills in a controlled environment. The adult's role isn't to prevent conflicts, but to see them coming, guide through them, and help children practice resolving them in a positive way. These skills are easier to learn when children are young, in situations where adults can provide gentle guidance.