Some things in life are just better when built with your own two hands, like teddy bears, sandwiches, and the inverted roller coaster you donated to a community college last summer. Enjoy handmade happiness with today's Groupon to Build-A-Bear Workshop. Choose between two animal-stuffing options:

• $10 for $20 worth of bear making and accessories at any Build-A-Bear Workshop location or online
• $25 for $50 toward any Build-A-Party at any Build-A-Bear Workshop location

The Build-A-Bear Workshop features a customized companion-making process that allows parents to work with children to create a timeless toy. Kids hop in the friend-assembly line and choose an animal (anything from bears and bunnies to fennec foxes is available), add sounds and messages, then stuff it with huggable stuffing and a special satin heart. The Stitch Me station seals seams and inserts a special barcode used to locate lost bears, and the Fluff Me station optimizes huggability. Clothing options appear, then bears are named and released to their makers. Full-sized friends cost $10 to $25, sounds range from $4 to $8, and bearcessories start as low as $2 for socks.

Build-A-Party allows groups of kids to share the fun of bear-making. There are multiple levels of fuzzy making; six children can all make bears for around $60, or they can each make a bear and endow it with custom clothing, tiny fashion accessories, and squeezable sounds for around $156 (pricing varies based on the animal and accessories chosen). Each party includes a free gift for the guest of honor and party favors for every child. Though a Bear Builder associate coordinates the festivities, a supervisory adult must oversee a Build-A-Party, and every child under age 3 must be supervised by one parent or two plush veterinarians. Click here to see the party FAQ.

Reviews

Yelpers give Chicago's Navy Pier Build-A-Bear Workshop® a near-perfect 4.5-star average, and nine Judy's Book reviewers give it an average of 4.8. Eight lilaguide reviewers give it a three-star average:

• My son absolutely adored this store. He found a bear that looked exactly like the character in on of his favorite books. He loves animated toys, so we picked a sound box to place inside. He was able to stuff the bear by stepping on a little pump, pick a heart to place inside, and then take it to the bath station to clean off the excess fuzz. – Amaliya L., Yelp
• If you are looking for a unique and thoughtful gift for your special someone, try making your own bear at Build-a-Bear! This place is just awesome! … Your personalized bear will be a huge hit! You personalized bear will be much more meaningful than most generic bears because its customized appearance will be unique and special forever! This is definitely one cool gift! – ambreen a., Judy's Book