SHARJAH, UAE- Young students crafted their own cuddly cats at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026), where a hands-on workshop introduced them to the art of making their own weighted hug buddies.
The ‘Weighted Hug Buddy: Build Your Own Comfort Creature’ workshop brought together more than 20 children aged 8–10 to create their own weighted soft toys. The activity involved choosing a pre-sewn fabric animal shell, then scooping and weighing plastic pellets until they reached the desired weight.
During the session, participants learnt about the calming effect that weight can have on the nervous system, similar to the effect associated with weighted blankets. The children then sealed and squeezed the colourful cat-shaped fabric shells to make their own personalised, pocket-sized soft toys.
As the children engaged with the materials used to make their hug buddies, they explored different textures through a hands-on sensory experience.
“The children are keen to create with their hands, and this activity satisfies their personal creative urges, and they are left with a comforting result in the end,” said Fatima, one of the SIBF collaborators involved in the activity.
Mernie, one of the organisers of the session, explained that the workshop was designed to encourage children to explore creative crafts. He emphasised that they wanted to “create a space to enable healthy interaction amongst children, and to encourage them to engage in crafts in their own time”.
As the session came to a close, each child had a personalised cat-shaped hug buddy to take home. Alongside their finished creations, the workshop gave participants an opportunity to experiment with materials and interact with other children.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), SIBF 2026 hosts 3,212 publishers and exhibitors from 126 countries, showcasing more than 1.7 million titles. The 12-day event features 1,500 cultural, creative and artistic activities, including literary discussions, author interactions, workshops, theatrical performances, the Thriller Festival and the Cookery Corner.
