Barnaby Bear is a character developed in the early 2000s by the Geographical Association and the Department for Education and Schools, and was cemented in the National Curriculum unit 'Where in the World is Barnaby Bear?'. He is a teddy bear who travels the world, meeting people and discovering more about the planet. He appears as a puppet for use in the classroom, in books and DVDs and in a BBC series.
A bear is suitable for accompanying children round the world, being both exotic and familiar, and a common travelling companion for young children. The shared use of a single character around the country has also enabled the development of networks and partnerships between schools, and global geocaching projects have also grown up arouund Barnaby Bear.
Barnaby is interesting as a character developed with a primarily educational function, and demonstrates a successful partnership between a national organisation, schools, and the media.