Are you looking for ways to delve deeper into your bear unit? Why not do a hibernation-themed unit next? Teach children all sorts of hibernation facts - like how a bear's heart rate slows to 8-19 beats per minute when it's hibernating! Use the activities provided in this list to teach them all about how our furry friends sleep throughout the cold winter.
Hibernation Videos for Preschool
1. Why Do Some Animals Hibernate?
A great way to introduce preschoolers to hibernation is with this fun, informative video. It is a great introduction to the different reasons animals have for sleeping during the winter season - which is so much more than the animals being tired!
Learn more: Sci Show Kids
2. Hibernation Song
This cute song teaches children about hibernation through fun lyrics and cute illustrations. While we mostly think of bears when we think of hibernation, a variety of animals is covered in this video, from bats to skunks!
Learn more: Mr. R.'s Songs for Teaching
3. Where is Bear?
Children will recognize the tune to this song and be singing along in no time. This simple song is great to cement what bears do during hibernation--sleep! It is also a good song to listen to before naptime to get kids to wind down.
Learn more: The Kiboomers - Kids Music Channel
4. Animals in Winter
This fun hibernation song goes over multiple animals and what they do in the wintertime. Teach children about all of the different things animals do throughout the winter, including the sleeping bears! This song is a great way to teach children about how animals eat a lot before hibernation and wake up hungry.
Learn more: Eric Chandler
5. Hibernation Theme Ideas
This video gives multiple ideas on how to do a bear hibernation-themed week. It includes which books will be read as well as multiple stations that are set up around the classroom for the young learners. If you are looking for great ideas, this video has plenty!
Learn more: Teaching 2 and 3-Year-Olds
Hibernation Books for Preschool
6. What is Hibernation? by John Crossingham and Bobbie Kalman
Through engaging text and interesting photography, introduce kids to the idea of hibernation with this educational book. They will get to learn about the different animals that hibernate and where they choose to do their long sleep!
7. Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows
This is great to add to your collection of books about hibernation. It introduces the concept of hibernation by relating it to sleep by using wonderful illustrations and a simple, fun storyline. And it's even good for getting kids to wind down before nap or bedtime!
8. Winter Sleep by Sean Taylor, Alex Morss, and Cinyee Chiu
This cute story about a child and his grandma taking a walk through the woods introduces children to what the outside world is like during the winter months. Teach them the different characteristics of winter and how it affects the world around us, including all of the different animals who hibernate during these months. At the end of the book, there are even illustrated facts about all of the different hibernating animals!
9. Winter Survival: Animal Hibernation, Migration, and Adaptation by L.R. Hanson
This book goes beyond just hibernation and teaches children about all the different ways that animals survive the cold winter months. From rabbits to bears, this book covers a wide variety of animals.
10. Hibernation Hotel by John Kelly
Looking for bear books to teach children about hibernation? This is a cute book about a sleepy bear who cannot get any rest because his friends are too distracting, so he books a room at the Hibernation Hotel. But when he gets there, he discovers he can't sleep there because something is missing--his friends!
11. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
One by one, the bear cave in this book is filled with different animals who wonder why the Bear is still sleeping no matter what they do. Add this to your collection of hibernation books, as it is filled with wonderful illustrations, rhyming verses, and alliteration!
Hibernation Activities for Preschool
12. Clay Hedgehogs
Looking for hibernation crafts that teach children that not only bears hibernate? Look no further than this cute clay craft that has children create hedgehogs! Using clay and scissors, any child can be an artist!
Learn more: Rainy Day Mum
13. Hibernate or Migrate?
This hibernation animal sorting activity is a perfect way to gauge whether or not children are understanding the concept of hibernation by having them group animals into categories--those who hibernate and those who don't. They can also practice their fine motor skills by cutting out and gluing the different animals to the paper.
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
14. Bear Snores On Art Activity
Another great way to teach hibernation to preschoolers is to read the story Bear Snores On and then have them create their own bear cave pictures. They will have so much fun coloring and gluing on cotton balls that they won't even realize they are learning.
Learn more: Explore and More
15. Hedgehog Hibernation Basket
If you are looking for hibernation sensory activities, this activity is perfect! Children will have fun creating little hedgehogs and gathering items to put in their baskets.
Learn more: The Imagination Tree
16. Winter Playdough Activity
Children love hands-on activities, and why not? They are fun and engaging and educational all at the same time! After making "winter playdough" using the recipe on the linked page, you can have children build burrows for each of the animals that hibernate during the winter.
Learn more: Raising Up Wild Things
17. Graham Cracker Bear Caves
This adorable bear cave snack project will have all children engaged as they use peanut butter and graham crackers to create bear caves! The best part? They get to eat their creations!
Learn more: Miss Carrie's Corner
18. Hibernating Bear Craft
Using a paper plate, create a bear that goes from hibernating to awake! After they paint two paper plates brown, help them add on eyes and secure the plates together to create their sleepy bear craft!
Learn more: Still Playing School
19. Hibernating Bear Cave Craft
Another great activity to add to your collection of preschool hibernation activities is this craft project that uses materials found around the house to create bear caves! Students will have fun creating different animals to put inside the bear's cave using toilet paper rolls!
Learn more: Pink Stripey Socks
20. Hibernation Habitat Craft
Have children make their very own hibernation habitats using materials that bears and other animals actually use! This will teach them all about the natural world around them while also teaching them about the deep sleep these animals go into every winter.
Learn more: Pre-K Pages
21. Bear Snacks
Another fun snack idea to use during a hibernation unit is these cute bear snacks! To practice fine motor skills, provide children will have the ingredients and have them put together these snacks on their own.
Learn more: Ink Blots and Polka Dots
22. Hibernation Play Center
Using colored paper and cardboard boxes, create a hibernation play center in your classroom. When a student feels like they need to calm down, they can go to the hibernation center to re-center themselves!
Learn more: Pinterest
23. Over and Under Winter Habitat Project
This is a great project for students that are a little older that can be modified to work for preschoolers. To do this project, have them create a sky, snow, and underground area on their papers. Then work with them to put each animal in the area it belongs, with the animals that hibernate going underground for the winter!
Learn more: Deep Space Sparkle
24. Paper Bag Puppets
Another guided project idea is to create paper bag bear puppets! This is the perfect time for students to practice fine motor skills as they cut and paste and color on their paper bags! After they can use their paper bag puppets to practice retelling their favorite bear hibernation story!
Learn more: Crafty Morning
25. Winter Collage
Introduce your preschoolers to creating collages by having them create winter collages that focus on hibernation. Provide them with plenty of old nature magazines and have them cut out images that go along with the theme of hibernation!
Learn more: Education
26. Cut and Paste Worksheet
At the end of your hibernation unit, have children color these animals and their habitats and have them cut out and then paste the animals in the places in which they hibernate. This is a great way to assess their knowledge!
Learn more: Kiddy Charts
27. Writing Practice Worksheet
In preschool, children need to practice tracing letters. To solidify the fact that bears hibernate, have them trace the words on this worksheet and then color in their bears!
Learn more: Twisty Noodle
28. Teddy Bear Hibernation and Picnic
At the beginning of winter, have children bring in teddy bears they don't mind parting with through the winter months. And then when it is time for the bears to wake up in spring, they can have a picnic! This is a great way to show children how long hibernation truly is!
Learn more: Just Teachy
29. Are You Hibernating? Game
This is a great game to play during your hibernation unit to help kids get their energy out. The best part? There is zero prep required! With one student as a hiker and another as the bear and the rest as sleeping bears, this game is played much in the same way as duck, duck, and goose and will have all children engaged!
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
30. Handprint Hedgehogs
Remind children that bears aren't the only animals that hibernate by creating these cute hedgehog handprints! Hang them on the classroom windows or walls throughout winter as a reminder of how long hedgehogs hibernate.
Learn more: Rainy Day Mum
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