Mama bear teaches her cub how to use a playground (Video)

Humans aren’t the only species that enjoy slides. Two bears, including one cub, made an impromptu visit to the playground of Isaac Dickson Elementary School in Asheville, North Carolina. Fifth-grade teacher Betsie Stockslager Emry spotted the bear duo — which she believes is a mother and baby bear — while leaving the school at the end of the day and decided to film the playful pair. “We often have bears visit: our school is in downtown Asheville, and the students are used to going into a perimeter lockdown when the families show,” Emry told McClatchy News. “ The voices in the video are teachers enjoying the moment.”

In the clip, mother black bear and her baby can be seen clambering around on a deserted jungle gym. She uses one of the playground’s slides and then appears to encourage her baby to do the same. Mama bear encourages her baby to give it a try. When he gets to the bottom, she proceeds to smother him with snuggles. All of a sudden, mama bear travels down the big slide headfirst while the school’s faculty cries out in amazement off camera. Upon seeing mom stick the landing, the seemingly FOMO-stricken toddler makes as if he’s going to follow her, only to have their concerned guardian guide them over to the baby slide — just like a human mother would.

Mama gives cub a big bear hug

The baby successfully — albeit somewhat clumsily — slides down the little ramp, at which point the proud parent smothers her cub in snuggles. “I love how the mama goes down the big slide and quickly runs to the smaller slide- only to bear hug the little one as they make it to the bottom,” said Emry. Watch the video, you would think we built these playgrounds just for them.