The Care Bears live in Care-a-Lot, a kingdom in the clouds. Their job is to help people, especially children, put their feelings into words and look after one another. Each bear has a colour, a personality and a belly badge that sums up what they care about. Cheer Bear has a rainbow, Grumpy Bear a rain cloud, Good Luck Bear a four-leaf clover. When things go wrong, they stand together and use the Care Bear Stare.
The bears started as greeting-card art for American Greetings in the early 1980s. They became toys, TV specials and three feature films in the space of a few years, and they've been revived several times since. This guide covers the original bears, the later ones, the Cousins and the villains, with a belly badge table in the middle.
- Created by
- American Greetings (c. 1981)
- Original card artist
- Elena Kucharik
- Home
- Care-a-Lot; the Cousins live in the Forest of Feelings
- First film
- The Care Bears Movie (1985)
- Latest major series
- Care Bears: Unlock the Magic (2019)
The original Care Bears
The first ten bears launched as toys in 1983. Most of them have been in every version since, and they're still the ones on the merchandise.
Tenderheart Bear
Brown · Big red heart
Tenderheart is the closest thing the bears have to a leader in the classic cartoons. He's calm, kind and good at spotting when someone is hiding how they feel. His job is helping people express their love and feelings, and he's usually the one who decides when it's time for the Care Bear Stare.
Cheer Bear
Pink · Rainbow
Cheer Bear is upbeat, energetic and determined to cheer up anyone who's feeling low. She can be a little relentless, but she means every bit of it. She leads the team in several later series and is probably the most recognisable bear after Grumpy.
Grumpy Bear
Blue · Rain cloud
Grumpy Bear complains about everything and cares deeply anyway. He's the bears' inventor and handyman, keeping Care-a-Lot's gadgets and cloud cars running, and his job is to show that it's fine to feel grumpy sometimes. Fans tend to love him most, because he's the one who sounds like a real person.
Funshine Bear
Yellow · Smiling sun
Funshine Bear is all about fun, jokes and play. He'd rather be outside having a good time than doing anything serious. He can be careless and overconfident, which gives the cartoons plenty of easy lessons about thinking before you act.
Good Luck Bear
Green · Four-leaf clover
Good Luck Bear brings good fortune, but the stories usually make the point that you make much of your own luck. He's cheerful and quietly confident, and in the newer series he's often the hopeful one who expects things to work out.
Love-a-Lot Bear
Pink · Two hearts
Love-a-Lot Bear is all about love in every form: friends, family and the occasional crush. She's warm and a little romantic, and she's especially good at helping two people patch things up after a falling-out.
Wish Bear
Teal · Shooting star
Wish Bear helps wishes come true, often with the help of her friend Twinkers, a little star. She's dreamy and hopeful, and her stories tend to be about wanting something badly and working out what you really need.
Bedtime Bear
Aqua blue · Sleeping moon and star
Bedtime Bear watches over children's sleep and keeps bad dreams away. He's almost always drowsy, mid-yawn or nodding off, but he's dependable when he's needed. He's a favourite for nursery merchandise, for obvious reasons.
Birthday Bear
Golden yellow · Cupcake with a candle
Birthday Bear makes sure nobody's birthday is forgotten, and that the celebration is a good one. He's a natural party planner and a gentle reminder that being remembered matters.
Friend Bear
Peach · Two smiling flowers
Friend Bear helps people make friends and keep them. She's sociable, encouraging and good with shy children, and she's often paired with Secret Bear in the classic cartoons.
Later Care Bears
New bears joined from the mid-1980s on. A few, like Share Bear and Harmony Bear, have become core members. Others belong to a single era.
Share Bear
Purple · Milkshake, later lollipops
Share Bear teaches the value of sharing. She's generous to a fault and happiest when everyone has enough. Her original belly badge was a milkshake with two straws. It was changed to two crossed lollipops in the 2000s, which is why fans remember her differently.
Champ Bear
Tan · Trophy with a heart
Champ Bear is the sporty one, a coach and team player who cares more about effort and fair play than about winning. He's a natural fit for stories about trying your best.
Secret Bear
Heart-shaped padlock
Secret Bear keeps secrets and helps others keep theirs. He doesn't speak; he whispers into a friend's ear or mimes. That makes him one of the more charming oddballs of the classic cast.
Harmony Bear
Purple · Music and togetherness
Harmony Bear is about getting along and appreciating differences. Music runs through her stories. She was a minor bear in the 1980s and became much more prominent in later series, and her design and belly badge have changed between eras.
Grams Bear
Grandmother of Care-a-Lot
Grams Bear is the bears' grandmother figure: wise, patient and usually wearing a shawl. She looks after the cubs and dispenses advice, and she's the calm adult presence in many classic episodes.
Baby Hugs & Baby Tugs
The cubs
Baby Hugs (a girl) and Baby Tugs (a boy) are the youngest Care Bears, still in nappies and always getting into mischief. They give young viewers someone their own age to identify with, and they're often looked after by Grams.
True Heart Bear
Founder · Multicoloured star with a heart
True Heart Bear is one of the two founders of the Care Bears family, shown in Care Bears Movie II raising the first cubs. She's warm, motherly and determined, and she works alongside Noble Heart Horse.
Oopsy Bear
The bear without a badge
Oopsy Bear, introduced in the 2000s, is clumsy, accident-prone and doesn't have a permanent belly badge, so he sometimes draws one on. He became a lead in Care Bears: Adventures in Care-a-Lot and is a nice addition about not fitting the mould.
Wonderheart Bear
The curious cub
Wonderheart is a young, curious cub who takes centre stage in Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot (2012). She's always asking questions and wandering into trouble, and she gave that series a child's-eye view of the bears' world.
Care Bears belly badges
The quickest way to identify a bear is the picture on its tummy. Here are the classic badges. Some were redesigned in the 2000s, and later series made small changes.
| Bear | Belly badge | What it stands for |
|---|---|---|
| Tenderheart Bear | Big red heart | Expressing love and feelings |
| Cheer Bear | Rainbow | Cheering people up |
| Grumpy Bear | Rain cloud with raindrops | It's OK to feel grumpy |
| Funshine Bear | Smiling sun | Fun and play |
| Good Luck Bear | Four-leaf clover | Good fortune |
| Love-a-Lot Bear | Two hearts | Love in all its forms |
| Wish Bear | Shooting star | Wishes and hopes |
| Bedtime Bear | Sleeping crescent moon with a star | Good sleep and sweet dreams |
| Birthday Bear | Cupcake with one candle | Celebrating birthdays |
| Friend Bear | Two smiling flowers | Making and keeping friends |
| Share Bear | Milkshake with two straws (later two lollipops) | Sharing |
| Champ Bear | Trophy with a heart | Sportsmanship |
| Secret Bear | Heart-shaped padlock | Keeping secrets |
| True Heart Bear | Multicoloured star with a heart | Caring for everyone |
| Oopsy Bear | None (draws his own) | Being yourself |
The Care Bear Cousins
The Cousins are animals who share the bears' mission. They were introduced in The Care Bears Movie (1985), where they live in the Forest of Feelings before joining the bears in Care-a-Lot. Each one is named for a kind of heart.
Noble Heart Horse
Founder · Multicoloured heart with a star
Noble Heart Horse is the gentle, wise leader of the Cousins and, with True Heart Bear, one of the founders of the whole Care Bears family. He's the steady, fatherly figure of the films.
Brave Heart Lion
The Cousins' leader in the field
Brave Heart Lion is bold, loyal and quick to lead the charge. He's the Cousins' counterpart to Tenderheart and the one who rallies the group when things look bad. His courage is the caring kind, standing up for others rather than showing off.
Bright Heart Raccoon
Heart-shaped light bulb
Bright Heart Raccoon is the clever, inventive one, always working out a plan or a gadget. He's the Cousins' answer to Grumpy Bear's handiness, without the grumbling.
Cozy Heart Penguin
Cousin
Cozy Heart Penguin is warm, snuggly and loves to make everyone comfortable. She's gentle and homely, and she was added to the Cousins a little later than the first group.
Gentle Heart Lamb
Cousin
Gentle Heart Lamb is shy, soft-spoken and caring, and she's always the first to comfort someone who's upset. She's the Cousins' quiet nurturer.
Lotsa Heart Elephant
Cousin
Lotsa Heart Elephant is strong and big-hearted, though occasionally self-conscious about her size. She's the one who shows up with muscle when a job needs it.
Loyal Heart Dog
Heart-shaped medal
Loyal Heart Dog stands for faithfulness. He sticks by his friends no matter what, and he's a dependable, slightly old-fashioned gentleman of the group.
Playful Heart Monkey
Cousin
Playful Heart Monkey is a joker and prankster who keeps everyone laughing. He's the Cousins' version of Funshine Bear, though he sometimes has to learn when a joke has gone too far.
Proud Heart Cat
Star with a heart
Proud Heart Cat takes pride in doing things well and encourages others to do their best. She can tip into perfectionism, which gives her stories their lesson.
Swift Heart Rabbit
Winged heart
Swift Heart Rabbit is the fastest of the Cousins, energetic and always ready to dash off and help. She's often the one sent to fetch help or check on a friend.
Treat Heart Pig
Ice-cream cone with a heart
Treat Heart Pig loves treats and loves sharing them even more. She's sweet-natured and a little shy, and she's often paired with the younger characters.
Villains
Care Bears villains all want the same thing: a world where nobody cares. Most are comic, but the films had some properly unsettling ones.
Professor Coldheart
Early specials and first series
Professor Coldheart is a cold-hearted schemer who tries to freeze feelings out of the world. His henchman, Frostbite, is about as competent as you'd expect. He's the villain of the 1980s specials and the first TV series.
No Heart
The Care Bears Family
No Heart is a shape-shifting wizard who lives in a castle in the clouds and wants to wipe out caring for good. He's genuinely menacing for a children's villain. His bumbling henchman Beastly and his niece Shreeky provide the laughs.
The Spirit
The Care Bears Movie (1985)
The Spirit is an evil presence trapped in a magic book. It manipulates a lonely boy, Nicholas, into helping it remove all caring from the world. Its eerie face in the book frightened a generation of small children.
Dark Heart
Care Bears Movie II (1986)
Dark Heart is a shape-shifting demon who hunts the young Care Bears and Cousins. He's eventually redeemed by the kindness of a girl he tried to use. He's the franchise's most complex villain.
Grizzle
Adventures in Care-a-Lot (2007)
Grizzle is a small, grouchy bear-like villain who uses robots and machines in his schemes to take over Care-a-Lot. He's much more comedic than the 1980s baddies.
Bluster
Unlock the Magic (2019)
Bluster is the main antagonist of Unlock the Magic. He's a self-important schemer whose plans the bears keep foiling, and he's played mostly for laughs, in the tradition of the franchise's sillier villains.
Care Bears timeline
- 1981 American Greetings introduces the Care Bears on greeting cards.
- 1983 Kenner launches the toys, and the first TV special, The Land Without Feelings, airs.
- 1985 The Care Bears Movie is a hit and introduces the Cousins. A TV series begins.
- 1986 Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation tells the origin story. The Care Bears Family series runs into 1988.
- 1987 The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland, the third film.
- 2002 A 20th-anniversary relaunch brings new toys and direct-to-video films.
- 2007 Care Bears: Adventures in Care-a-Lot and the film Oopsy Does It! introduce a CGI look.
- 2012 Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot.
- 2015 Care Bears & Cousins on Netflix.
- 2019 Care Bears: Unlock the Magic sends a core team of bears (Cheer, Grumpy, Funshine, Good Luck and Share) out beyond Care-a-Lot.
What the Care Bears are really about
Under the pastel colours, the Care Bears were an early attempt to teach emotional literacy on children's TV. Each bear is a feeling or a value you can name and point to. Grumpy Bear is the clever part: by giving bad moods a lovable mascot, the show tells kids that feeling grumpy isn't something to hide.
That design-led approach, where a character is defined by one clear symbol, is shared with Strawberry Shortcake (another American Greetings creation) and the Japanese characters of Sanrio. Fans of the 1980s toy-to-TV era will also want My Little Pony, which grew from the same decade into a far more story-driven show. For younger viewers today, the closest modern heir is probably Bluey, which teaches the same lessons about feelings through ordinary family life.
Every Care Bear and Cousin A–Z
Bears from all eras, including the less common later releases.
A–B
- America Cares Bear — later bear
- Amigo Bear — later bear
- Baby Hugs Bear — cub
- Baby Tugs Bear — cub
- Bedtime Bear — original ten
- Best Friend Bear — later bear
- Birthday Bear — original ten
- Brave Heart Lion — Cousin
- Bright Heart Raccoon — Cousin
C–F
- Champ Bear — 1980s
- Cheer Bear — original ten
- Cozy Heart Penguin — Cousin
- Daydream Bear — later bear
- Do-Your-Best Bear — later bear
- Friend Bear — original ten
- Funshine Bear — original ten
G–L
- Gentle Heart Lamb — Cousin
- Good Luck Bear — original ten
- Grams Bear — 1980s
- Grumpy Bear — original ten
- Harmony Bear — 1980s
- Hopeful Heart Bear — later bear
- Laugh-a-Lot Bear — later bear
- Lotsa Heart Elephant — Cousin
- Love-a-Lot Bear — original ten
- Loyal Heart Dog — Cousin
N–S
- Noble Heart Horse — Cousin, founder
- Oopsy Bear — 2000s
- Play-a-Lot Bear — later bear
- Playful Heart Monkey — Cousin
- Proud Heart Cat — Cousin
- Secret Bear — 1980s
- Share Bear — 1980s
- Surprise Bear — later bear
- Swift Heart Rabbit — Cousin
T–W
- Tenderheart Bear — original ten
- Thanks-a-Lot Bear — later bear
- Treat Heart Pig — Cousin
- True Heart Bear — founder
- Wish Bear — original ten
- Wonderheart Bear — 2012 cub
Frequently asked questions
What were the original Care Bears?
The first ten Care Bears were Bedtime Bear, Birthday Bear, Cheer Bear, Friend Bear, Funshine Bear, Good Luck Bear, Grumpy Bear, Love-a-Lot Bear, Tenderheart Bear and Wish Bear. Champ, Share, Grams, Baby Hugs and Baby Tugs followed in the mid-1980s.
What is a belly badge?
A belly badge (also called a tummy symbol) is the picture on each Care Bear's tummy. It shows that bear's job or personality, like Cheer Bear's rainbow or Grumpy Bear's rain cloud, and it's the source of their power in the Care Bear Stare.
Who are the Care Bear Cousins?
The Cousins are animals who share the Care Bears' mission and have their own belly badges: Brave Heart Lion, Bright Heart Raccoon, Cozy Heart Penguin, Gentle Heart Lamb, Lotsa Heart Elephant, Loyal Heart Dog, Playful Heart Monkey, Proud Heart Cat, Swift Heart Rabbit and Treat Heart Pig, led by Noble Heart Horse. They first appeared in The Care Bears Movie (1985).
Who is the leader of the Care Bears?
Tenderheart Bear usually acts as the leader in the original cartoons. In the 1986 film Care Bears Movie II, True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse are shown as the founders who raised the first Care Bears and Cousins.
Who is the Care Bears' main villain?
It depends on the series. Professor Coldheart is the villain of the early specials and the first TV series. No Heart, a shape-shifting wizard, and his bumbling sidekick Beastly take over in The Care Bears Family. Each film has its own villain too, such as the Spirit and Dark Heart.
What is the Care Bear Stare?
The Care Bear Stare is the bears' signature move. They stand together and beam light from their belly badges, using it to drive off villains or to fill someone with caring feelings. The Cousins have their own version, the Care Bear Cousin Call.