Cut a paper plate in half. Sketch a half-circle hole at the bottom center of one plate half. Have a child cut out the sketched hole. Save the cutout piece of paper plate.
Place the two plate halves with the rounded bottom side facing upward. Have a child paint both plate halves brown. Let the paint dry.
Trim the leftover piece of plate that was created from cutting out the cave hole. Cut the piece into any desired shape.
Encourage the child to use his or her imagination to draw a sleeping bear on the shape. Provide brown pompoms for the child to glue onto the bear to make a fluffy bear.
Place the two painted plate halves together with the painted side outward. Staple or tape the bear cave in several places along the round portion. Leave the bottom edge open.
Punch one hole in the bear cutout. Tie a piece of string through the hole. Make a hole in the cave along the bottom edge. Tie the other end of the string through the hole on the cave to keep the bear close to the cave so the pieces will not become separated or lost.
Show the children how to stand the cave up on a table or floor surface. Have them move the bear in and out of the cave to play.
Place a large appliance-size cardboard box on its side. Use a box cutter to cut a half-circle cave opening hole in one side of the box. Consider using the open end of the box for the cave entrance rather than cutting the box, if desired.
Put paint coverups on the children. Have them place their hands into a shallow pan of glue. Encourage the children to spread glue onto parts of the box with their hands. Spread the group of children around the box so each child has a place to work.
Help the children tear pieces of paper from a roll of brown wrapping paper. Tell the children to place paper onto the glue on the box. Continue until the sides and top of the box are covered with paper. Let the covered box dry.
Allow the children to decorate the outside and inside of the "cave" with crayons or markers.