Build-A-Bear Workshop Franchise Engages Parents and Kids During Oct. Internet Safety Month

By: Build-A-Bear Workshop | 0 Shares 103 Reads

ST. LOUIS (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Build-A-Bear Workshop®, the interactive entertainment retailer of customized stuffed animals, is continuing to encourage Internet safety by providing education for kids as well as resources and recommendations for parents. For the second consecutive year, the company is supporting Internet Safety awareness month in its stores and online in its virtual world, buildabearville.com®,as part of the company's commitment to working with parents and kids to ensure that the virtual world is a safe place to play.

"Keeping kids safe online is an ongoing priority for our company," said Dave Finnegan, chief information bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop. "It takes all of us working together to maintain a safe online environment for children - a company that cares, parents who are engaged and aware of their children's online activities, and children who are educated. We are pleased to take part in this important initiative."

During October, Build-A-Bear Workshop will promote Internet safety with Public Service Announcements from ChloeRocks(TM), the star of the Build-A-Bearville® Chloe Show, in stores. There will be featured special guests in Build-A-Bearville who will discuss the importance of playing safe online. An anti-bullying song by up-and-coming pop stars will also be played in buildabearville.com.

In addition, throughout the month, there will be a meter in the Town Square of Build-A-Bearville,counting citizens taking the Safety Pledge.Once the meter is filled, all citizens of the virtual world will receive a unique move for their online characters. Citizens can also take the Cyber Safety Quiz to learn more about steps they can take to keep safe online. Tips for kids include:

Be creative with passwords - easy to remember but hard to guess.
Always be kind online.
Follow the Golden Rule: don't do anything online that you wouldn't do in real life.
If you are every cyberbullied, STOP, BLOCK, and TELL a trusted adult.

The company aims to engage both children and parents in cyber safety, particularly during the month of Oct. When citizens of Build-A-Bearville take the Internet Safety Quiz during the month, an email alert will be sent to their parents congratulating and encouraging them to get involved in their children's online safety. Tips for parents can be found on buildabearville.com including information on:

Helping kids play safe online
Identifying cyberbullies
Protecting Passwords
Setting Rules for online behavior
Getting involved

Parents can get involved by joining the Build-A-Bearville Parent Advisory Panel - a parent group that from time to time is asked to review and give input on products, services and online features. The Panel has been a source of important input since the company launched its online community. To join the Panel, please send an email to parentadvisors@buildabear.com.

Year round, kids have the opportunity to join the Jr. CyBearGuide® program in buildabearville.com to help keep the Build-A-Bear Workshop virtual world safe. The program allows qualified members of the online community to act as guides by answering questions, providing information and even giving tours. In addition to providing assistance and answering questions for buildabearville.com visitors, the Jr. CyBearGuidemembers are asked from time to time to lend their opinions and suggestions on improvements that can be made in the virtual world.

In 2010, Build-A-Bearville received the Inaugural StopCyberbullying Award from StopCyberbullying.org. In 2009, Build-A-Bearville earned the WiredKids Best of Web Award sponsored by WiredSafety.org and in 2008, the virtual world received the I-Parenting award. To learn more about Internet safety, please visit buildabearville.com.

About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. The company currently operates more than 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and France, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, and Mexico. Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop is the leader in interactive retail. Brands include make-your-own Major League Baseball® mascot in-stadium locations, and Build-A-Dino® stores. Build-A-Bear Workshop extends its in-store interactive experience online with its award winning virtual world Web site at buildabearville.com®. The company was named to the 2009 and 2010 FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® lists. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $394.4 million in fiscal 2009. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company's award-winning Web site at buildabear.com®.

Parental permission may be required to access buildabearville.com. Visit buildabearville.com for details.

TRADEMARKS

We would like to thank you for your interest in covering our business. As you write your story, we wouldask that you use our full Name: Build-A-Bear Workshop®and that when referencing the processof making stuffed animals you use the word "make" not "build."

Build-A-Bear Workshop is our well-known trade name and our registered trademark of Build-A-Bear Retail Management, Inc.Build-A-Bear Workshop®should only be used in capital letters to refer to our products and services and should not be used as a verb.

SOURCE: Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. Jill Saunders, 314-423-8000, ext. 5293 Cell: 314-422-4523 jills@buildabear.com or Shannon Lammert, 314-423-8000, ext. 5379 Cell: 314-556-8841 shannonl@buildabear.com

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