Who Are the Original Care Bears? A Character Guide

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Plus, discover the Care Bear Cousins

Co-authored by Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: April 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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Original Bears

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Other Bears

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Care Bear Cousins

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History

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Where to Buy

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If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, you probably remember the Care Bears. These magical, colorful bears have been relaunched several times throughout the years, introducing new characters to be enjoyed by different generations. But which characters were the originals? In this article, we’ll introduce you to the first 10 Care Bears, as well as other bears and the Care Bear Cousins. We’ll also provide a brief history of the franchise and tell you where you can buy original Care Bear plushies.

The 10 Original Care Bears Characters

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An illustration of the original 10 Care Bears characters.

When the Care Bears were created in 1981, there were 10 original characters: Tenderheart Bear, Cheer Bear, Funshine Bear, Grumpy Bear, Good Luck Bear, Love-a-Lot Bear, Bedtime Bear, Friend Bear, Wish Bear, and Birthday Bear. Each is a unique color with a special belly badge that gives them special powers.

Section 1 of 5:

The Original Care Bears

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Tenderheart Bear Tenderheart Bear is brown or orange with a big red heart on his belly, which symbolizes his kindness. He’s known for his caring personality and is generally considered to be the main character and mascot for the Care Bears franchise.^{[1]
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- Originally, Tenderheart was brown, but in later relaunches of the series, he became more orange.
- Tenderheart also has the ability to give new Care Bears their own belly badges.
Cheer Bear is a pink Care Bear with a rainbow belly badge, which symbolizes hope. She’s a cheerful leader who helps her friends look on the bright side, and she spreads joy and optimism wherever she goes. Depending on the TV series, she is sometimes the main character.^{[2]
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Funshine is a bright yellow bear who has been portrayed as both male and female depending on the series. Funshine has a smiling sun on their belly, which represents their fun-loving personality. They’re always outgoing and ready for adventure.^{[3]
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Grumpy Bear Grumpy Bear is a medium shade of blue, and his belly badge is a storm cloud with raindrops and falling hearts, symbolizing that it is okay to feel negative emotions like sadness and grumpiness. As his name suggests, he’s the grumpiest of the bunch, but he still shows kindness in his own way.^{[4]
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- Grumpy’s belly badge can generate clouds to bring or stop rain as needed.
Good Luck Bear is green with a 4-leaf clover on his belly, symbolizing his good luck. He has a knack for finding the positive moments in life and does his best to boost his friends’ self-confidence. Good Luck Bear can use his belly badge to send luck to others, though sometimes that luck needs to be paired with hard work.^{[5]
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Love-a-Lot Bear is another pink bear and has two hearts on her belly, which symbolize her belief in the power of love. She has the unique ability to cause others to fall in love, and she’s known for being cheerful and supportive.^{[6]
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Bedtime Bear is a blue or aqua bear with a moon and star on his belly. His belly badge represents rest and sweet dreams. He helps children and his fellow bears feel calm so they can get a good night’s sleep, and he can even enter Dreamland to change their dreams.^{[7]
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Friend Bear Friend Bear is a light orange Care Bear with two crossed daisies on their belly, which symbolize the importance of having a friend. Friend Bear knows there’s no greater gift in the world than a good friend, and they’re willing to stand by anyone who needs a companion. They’re a total social butterfly!^{[8]
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- Like Funshine Bear, Friend Bear has been depicted as both a boy and a girl.
Wish Bear has turquoise fur and a belly badge of a shooting star, which symbolizes the magic of making dreams come true. She is supportive, gentle, and always tries to make dreams come true, even if she isn’t always successful.^{[9]
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Birthday Bear Birthday Bear is yellow-orange with a cupcake on his belly, which symbolizes the celebration of birthdays. He makes sure everyone feels special on their birthday and is a fun-loving character who embodies the spirit of celebration.^{[10]
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- The Care Bears were invented to help sell birthday cards, so it’s no surprise there’s a Birthday Bear!

Section 2 of 5:

Other Care Bears from Movies & TV

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Share Bear Share Bear is a purple bear with either an ice cream soda and two straws or two crossed lollipops on her belly badge, depending on the series. She is incredibly selfless and would gladly give up her last possession to make someone happy. She’s willing to share anything—including laughs, fun, sweets, and advice.^{[11]
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- Share Bear’s belly badge was changed due to concerns that sharing drinks can spread bacteria and viruses.
- Share Bear debuted in The Care Bear Movie in 1985.
- Note: There have been a ton of unique Care Bears who have made appearances over the years. This is an incomplete list featuring some of the most notable characters other than the original 10. For a full list, check out our “All Care Bears” article!
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Secret Bear Secret Bear has orange or magenta fur and a heart-shaped lock belly badge. They only confide in their closest friends, and they often whisper or pantomime to get their point across. Friend Bear can understand their charades and often talks for them.^{[12]
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- Secret Bear is typically portrayed as female, but has been male in earlier series.
- Secret Bear debuted in the 1985 Care Bear Movie.
Depending on the series, Champ Bear has yellow or blue fur with a trophy belly badge. He’s super sporty, but he knows that having fun, staying fit, and learning to be your best are better than any trophy. He loves playing all kinds of sports with his friends.^{[13]
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True Heart Bear True Heart Bear is a pink or multicolored bear, and her belly badge depicts a heart in the center of a multicolored star. According to Care Bears lore, she is the very first Care Bear and founded the Kingdom of Caring with Noble Heart Horse. She is kind, affectionate, and attentive, and sets the standard for all Care Bears to follow.^{[14]
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- Despite being the founder of the Kingdom of Caring, True Heart Bear was not one of the original characters. She first debuted in Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation in 1986.
Baby Hugs Bear is a pink bear with a star inside a heart on her belly. She is one half of a set of twin bears who first appeared in The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings. She’s playful and curious, and she’s hardly ever seen without her brother, Baby Tugs Bear.^{[15]
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Baby Tugs Bear is a blue bear with a heart inside a star on his belly. He is the twin brother of Baby Hugs Bear, and he wants to be as brave as the grown Care Bears. He and his sister are both mischievous and are often a handful to take care of.^{[16]
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Grams Bear is a gray or gray-blue bear, portrayed to be older than the other bears. Her belly badge is a pink flower tied with a yellow ribbon. She’s often shown watching after Baby Hugs and Tugs, which is a pretty tough job! She’s always willing to share a story, a warm treat, or a patient ear.^{[17]
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Section 3 of 5:

Care Bear Cousins

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Brave Heart Lion Brave Heart Lion is an orange lion with a heart wearing a crown on his belly. He is similar to Tenderheart Bear in that he is the leader of the Care Bear Cousins. He stands for courage and caring, although he tends to be a bit reckless at times.^{[18]
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- The Care Bear Cousins are animals in the Care Bears franchise that are not bears.
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Lotsa Heart Elephant Lotsa Heart Elephant is a pink elephant with a pink weight on their belly, which was given to them by Tenderheart Bear. Lotsa Heart is known for their strength and determination, and they’ll always pitch in when needed.^{[19]
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- Lotsa Heart has been depicted as both a boy and a girl throughout the years.
Gentle Heart Lamb is a green lamb with a lace-edged heart on her belly. She’s very shy and often hesitates to join in certain situations because she’s scared. Still, her heart is in the right place, and she cares greatly for others.^{[20]
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Bright Heart Raccoon is a purple raccoon with a heart-shaped lightbulb on his belly. He’s known for being very bright and intelligent, and he’s a serial tinkerer. He’s often found working on new gadgets and inventions with Grumpy Bear.^{[21]
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Swift Heart Rabbit Swift Heart Rabbit is a blue rabbit with a winged heart belly badge. They’re the fastest of all the Care Bears and Cousins. They can be overconfident and impatient at times, but they’re always quick to help others (and use their speed to do so).^{[22]
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- Swift Heart Rabbit is often portrayed as female, but has been male in some iterations of Care Bears.
Playful Heart Monkey is brown, orange, or yellow (depending on the media) with a belly badge featuring a heart-shaped balloon and party favors. He’s known for his fun personality, and his love of practical jokes often lands him in hot water. Playful Heart is willing to do almost anything just to make people smile.^{[23]
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Cozy Heart Penguin is a purple penguin with a heart wearing a winter beanie on her belly badge. She has the power to make people feel warm and cozy, and she’s at her happiest when swimming in the chilly waters of the Forest of Feelings. She loves making friends and spreading happiness.^{[24]
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Treat Heart Pig is a yellow pig with an ice cream cone belly badge. She loves snacks, and she’s always willing to share! She encourages everyone to celebrate all victories, big or small, with a treat.^{[25]
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Proud Heart Cat has been a variety of colors (most notably orange and turquoise), and her belly badge features a heart inside a pink star. She’s one of the more serious Care Bears characters, and she’s prone to perfectionism—which sometimes puts her at odds with Playful Heart Monkey. Still, she reminds everyone to do the best they can.^{[26]
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Loyal Heart Dog is a blue dog (sometimes with a white heart-shaped spot around his eye). His belly badge is a red heart-shaped medal. Loyal Heart is always willing to help someone out in their time of need or be their best bud if they need a companion. Like a real dog, he’s loyal and faithful.^{[27]
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Noble Heart Horse is a purple horse, and his belly badge is a multicolored heart around a small star. He is a gentle, protective leader, and the co-founder of the Kingdom of Caring (alongside True Heart Bear). He often acts as a father figure to the Care Bear Cousins.^{[28]
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Section 4 of 5:

Care Bear History

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The Care Bears were originally created for American Greetings greeting cards. In 1981, artist Elena Kucharik designed the Care Bears, and Jack Chojnacki, the co-president of the toy and licensing design division of American Greetings, introduced the characters to American Greetings and the toy company Kenner. The franchise officially launched in 1982, and a toy line was developed the following spring.^{[29]
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- The Care Bears appeared in their first animated feature film, The Care Bears Movie, in 1985. A sequel, Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation, and a television series, The Care Bears Family, premiered in 1986.
- The franchise has been relaunched several times throughout the years, including in 1991, 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2019.
- In addition to movies and TV shows, the Care Bears have appeared in books, comics, and video games.

Section 5 of 5:

Where to Buy the Original Care Bears

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Look on auction sites like eBay. If you want to buy the original Care Bear plushies from the 80s, your best bet will be to look on sites like eBay or Etsy. Depending on the condition and rarity of the bear, you may be able to buy one for as little as $15 or as much as $350.
- Additionally, check out your local thrift stores, antique stores, and garage sales to see if you can get a good deal.