Preparing for Winter

In November, many animals get ready for winter. Today we read picture books about some of them. In Mousekin's Golden House by Edna Miller, a mouse finds a discarded jack-o-lantern and works to make it his home for the winter. Denise Fleming's Time to Sleep told of bear and his animal friends, all getting ready to hibernate for the winter. And Hibernation Station by Michelle Meadows showed events on a train, as sleepy animals were taken away in their pajamas as snowflakes began to fall.

Our wonderful helper, Brandie, had this fingerplay for us:

Here is a cave. (Bend fingers on one hand)

Inside is a bear. Now he comes out, to get some fresh air. (Pop out thumb.)
He stays out all summer 
In sunshine and heat 
He hunts in the forest for berries to eat. (Move thumb in a circle.) 
When snow starts to fall 
He hurries inside 
His warm little cave and there he will hide. (Put thumb inside fingers.) 
Snow covers the cave 
Like a fluffy white rug. 
Inside the bear sleeps all cozy and snug. (Place one hand over the other.) 

Our hibernation craft was a creature hidden in a cozy paper plate den, with only googly eyes peeking out! Some children made bears, some made chipmunks, some made mice. They added a paper tree, some fall colors for leaves, and even a few snowflakes! After all, winter's coming!

Here's the chorus of our hibernation song, with the rest of the words below, so you can sing it at home!

listen to ‘Hibernation song’ on audioBoom

Hibernation. Time for Hibernation.
Hibernation. Time to go to sleep.

In the winter where's the bear?
Sleeping in its log or lair.
Where's the bear? Log or lair. OH!
(chorus)

In the winter where's the frog?
Sleeping by a pond or log.
Where's the frog? In the log. OH!
(chorus)

In the winter where's the snake?
In the mud beside the lake.
Where's the snake? Beside the lake. OH!
(chorus)

In the winter where's the bat?
In a cave is where it's at!
Where's the bat? Cave it's at. OH!
(chorus)

In the winter where’s the skunk?
Underneath a fallen trunk.
Where's the skunk? Fallen trunk. OH!
(chorus)

In the winter where’s the mouse?
Sleeping in his cozy house.
Where's the mouse? Cozy house. OH!
(chorus)