The youths mauled by bears in 2 Kings 2 were not small children but likely young adult men mocking Elisha's prophetic authority.

Mike has done a word study: the Hebrew term translated little children (na'ar / ne'arim) is a flexible diminutive. Solomon uses it of himself when he becomes king — clearly not meaning a small child. The crowd were punks or young adult men. Go up, bald man is not playground taunting — it is a theological challenge using height or ascent terminology associated with holy places; they were claiming their place was holy and Elisha's was not. This is a direct challenge to Elisha as God's representative. As a revival prophet called to bring Israel back to the God of Israel, Elisha's response (calling down bears) must be read against that theological provocation.