Animals handle cold winter weather in different ways. Some, such as birds, butterflies and whales, migrate to warmer climates. Some animals like deer, fox and moose, grow thicker fur coats so they can stay warm during the winter. However many animals hibernate during the coldest weather – they spend the warmer months of the year eating and storing as much body fat as they can and then live off this extra weight as they sleep in the winter. Bats, some mice, frogs and many squirrels sleep all winter. Others, including chipmunks and raccoons wake up once in a while to eat and then they go back to sleep. Have fun learning about the art of hibernation with your children during this cold time of the year.

At the library!

Look for books about animals in winter.

• The Story of Jumping Mouse: A Native American Legend by John Steptoe
• Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming
• When Will It Be Spring? By Catherine Walters
• The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting
• Bearymore by Don Freeman
• Bernard Bear’s Amazing Adventure by Hans de Beer
• Wake Me in Spring by James Preller
• Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky
• Chipmunk Song by Joanne Ryder

Watch for animals in your neighborhood. Are there more or less than in the warmer weather?

Play “hibernation” – pretend to be one of the animals you have researched. Curl up and “sleep” and then wake up HUNGRY for snack time!