All The Deets On This Year's Build-A-Bear Pay Your Age Day

Build-A-Bear’s huge deal is back, but this time, there’s an additional catch

If you read the headline and your eye started uncontrollably twitching, you may be remembering the Build-A Bear Pay Your Age event (the first ever) that went horribly wrong last year. But fear not stuffie-lovers, the company says they learned their lesson and have made some big changes this year that (hopefully) leaves customers and their kids smiling.

Build-A-Bear workshops all across the U.S. had to shut down early during last year’s event because crowd sizes were so massive that there was literally no way of getting everyone in and out during the store’s business hours. Yes, that meant thousands of people were turned away after waiting hours in line with their kids in tow, so you can imagine how that went down.

This year, it seems, they’ve learned from past mistakes. This year’s program will be in sweepstakes form where folks can sign up online through the Build-A-Bear Bonus Club rewards program between June 11-16. Not only will there be 200,000 Pay Your Age winners, but participants can also enter a Count Your Candles Birthday Party Experience Sweepstakes for a chance to have a birthday party at a local Build-A-Bear during the next 12 months, a value of around $250.

According to their website, winners will receive an email on or about June 21, 2019, and if chosen, you pay your child’s age (up to two furry friends) at a Build-A-Bear Workshop during one of two redemption periods during the week of June 24-28.

If you’ve ever taken your kid to a Build-A-Bear store, you know these suckers aren’t cheap. The animals themselves will run you anywhere between $10-25, but the accessories really add up and you just know your chances of walking out of there with a naked bear are slim because OMG, look at this 3-piece hula skirt set.

But if you’re a winner, whatever animal your little one desire’s will only cost the age they are in dollars. So, if your kid is two years old, you pay $2. Have twin three-year-olds? That’ll be $6 total. Have a two, four, and seven-year-old? No problem, they can each get a fluffy friend and you only shell out $13 total. I’m no mathematician, but that sounds like a cracking deal to me.

To sign up, participants have to join their Bonus Club (which is free) and then fill out birthday profiles for their kids, which is a small price to pay for the opportunity to bring home a stuffed sloth because LOOK AT HIM.

In addition to all their classics, Build-A-Bear has some new adorable friends like Secret Life Of Pets 2 swag and two stuffies from the film — Snowball and Gidget. They’ve also got How To Train Your Dragon The Hidden World plushies because everyone needs a little toothless in their lives, I don’t care how old you are.

God speed to all the winners — may your building be pleasurable and the lines, short.