Winter is a great time to learn about hibernation with your little ones! Lots of animals are down for hibernation, so I have gathered fun and cozy preschool books about hibernation for you and your littles to study!
Why should you read to your preschooler?
Reading to your improves many of their skills such as:
- language development
- concentration
- improving imagination
- fostering creativity
- helps to learn about how a story flows
How do you select preschool books about hibernation?
Selecting the right book for your preschooler can be challenging, especially because there are so many out there. You should choose a variety of books that fit one of these categories:
- fun
- engaging
- rhyming
- require their input
- educational
Teaching Littles Top Picks for Preschool Books about Hibernation
Here are my top picks for preschool books about hibernation! ENJOY!
Winter Sleep: A Hibernation Story
In the frosty, quiet forest, the snow blankets the ground and the trees have shed their leaves. Where have all the animals gone? Are they asleep too?
Over and Under the Snow
A charming story and beautifully rendered illustrations invite readers of all ages to explore and learn about the “subnivean zone” (the space between the colder snow and the warmer ground) where many animals live in the winter, opening a fascinating window into the natural world.
Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter
A poetic and informative exploration of the many ways animals face the challenges of winter. When the autumn days grow shorter and the temperatures cool, animals prepare for winter.
Why Do Animals Hibernate?
This book is a great educational and engaging book about animals that hibernate and the reason behind it!
Related Post: 35 Must have Books for 3 Year Olds
Best Educational Preschool Books about Hibernation
Winter Survival: Animal Hibernation, Migration, and Adaptation
Winter is approaching, and the animals are busy preparing to survive the cold weather. The birds are flying south, the squirrels are busy gathering food, and the rabbit’s fur is turning white. Why are some animals preparing for winter so differently? Whether to avoid extreme weather, conserve energy, or survive on sparse resources, animals survive in some clever ways!
Hibernation
During the cold winter months, some animals go into a deep sleep called hibernation. You’d be surprised to learn about all of the other animals that hibernate besides bears, like squirrels, woodchucks, chipmunks and bats. Children will learn how an animal prepares for hibernation by stuffing itself with food so that it can survive in its dormant months and how animals prepare safe spots, like dens and burrows, so that they will be protected from predators as they sleep.
What Is Hibernation?
Hibernation is one of nature’s greatest miracles, allowing animals to sleep through periods of extreme cold (and heat). From the tundra to the desert, this ability enables animals to live in some of Earth’s harshest climates.
Related Post: Books about Feelings for Preschoolers
How and Why Animals Prepare for Winter
Explore how and why different animals prepare for the harsh winter months!
Most Engaging Preschool Books about Hibernation
A Bed For The Winter
Stunning photographs combine with lively illustrations and engaging, age-appropriate stories in DK Readers, a multilevel reading program guaranteed to capture children’s interest while developing their reading skills and general knowledge.
Under the Snow
When snow falls, we go home where it is warm and safe. But what about all those animals out there in the forests and fields? What do they do when snow blankets the ground?
Winter Lullaby
Geese are calling, a chilly wind is blowing, and the sky is turning gray. Winter is on its way. For Mama Bear and Small Bear, that means it’s time to tuck into their den for a long sleep. But Mouse is scurrying by, and Chipmunk is still gathering nuts beside the lake. And look at Hare and Skunk, still romping through the leaves! Why can’t Small Bear stay up, too?
A Warm Winter Tail
Do you ever wonder how animals stay warm in the winter? Well they wonder how humans do too! In a twist of perspective, wild creatures question if humans use the same winter adaptation strategies that they do. Do they cuddle together in a tree or fly south to Mexico? Take a look through an animal’s eyes and discover the interesting ways that animals cope with the cold winter months throughout this rhythmic story.
Best Preschool Books about Hibernation featuring fun Animal Characters
Hibernation Hotel
It’s time for Bear to hibernate, but he just can’t get to sleep because his cave is crowded with all of his friends. Raccoon snores, Beaver fidgets, and Skunk doesn’t exactly smell too good. So Bear gets a great idea and reserves a room at the Hibernation Hotel. “This is the life!” he exclaims, eating all the snacks he wants and bouncing up and down on the bed. But for some reason, at bedtime, he still can’t sleep. Could something be missing?
Don’t Wake Up the Bear!
It’s a cold, snowy night, and a big, soft bear sleeps soundly in his cave. A small hare wanders by, and since his ears are so cold, he snuggles up in the bear’s cozy den. Before long, a fox comes along with the same idea. “You may come in,” says the hare, “but don’t wake up the bear!” As the night wears on, the nest of sleeping animals expands until a mouse with a cold curls up right in the bear’s ear―and wakes him up with a loud sneeze!
Warm, playful illustrations and a repeating refrain make this bedtime book perfect for year-round reading.
The Snowy Nap
It sounds so amazing that Hedgie decides to stay awake instead of going to his burrow. But then, a snowstorm starts. Luckily, Lisa finds him and brings him to her home, so Hedgie gets to see the wonders of winter from inside the cozy house.
Before We Sleep
A red fox and a gray dormouse joyfully play in their forest home as the season begins to change from fall to winter. Soon, the dormouse must hibernate, and the friends will part. As the time for sleep nears, the fox tries to keep the dormouse awake. Sleep indeed must come, but not before the two friends have shared one last story, knowing they will be together again in the spring. This gentle friendship story is the perfect allegory for the bedtime ritual. And the reassuring message is clear: “I will be there for you when you wake.
Preschool Books about Hibernation with a fun Storyline
Time to Sleep
A chill is in the air and Bear knows it is time for her winter nap. But first, she must tell Snail. And Snail must tell Skunk. And Skunk must tell Turtle. Each animal who tries to put off going to sleep just a little longer sees, smells, hears, or tastes the signs of the impending season. Finally, Ladybug rushes off to tell Bear–already asleep in her cave–the exciting news.
A Loud Winter’s Nap
Every year Tortoise sleeps through winter. He assumes he isn’t missing much. However, his friends are determined to prove otherwise! Will Tortoise sleep through another winter, or will his friends convince him to stay awake and experience the frosty fun of winter?
When It Starts to Snow
Phillis Gershator’s chant-along verse encourages listener participation and is best enjoyed when read aloud. The inquisitive text and dashing illustrations by Martin Matje make this a delightful picture book for reading under the covers when the weather gets chilly. Poetic and imaginative, When It Starts to Snow celebrates winter in all its cozy glory.
Winter’s Coming: A Story of Seasonal Change
Lily, a young snowshoe hare, is surprised to notice the leaves changing color in her forest home. She hears from the other animals that “Winter’s coming,” but who― or what―is Winter?
As Lily learns the ways in which her forest friends prepare for winter’s arrival, she becomes more and more worried about what she should be doing. Finally, the brown bear points out that Lily has been preparing without even knowing it: her fur is thickening and turning white to help her camouflage in the changing weather.
Preschool Books about Hibernation that Rhyme
Related Post: How to Teach Toddler To Read: Building Early Reading Skills
Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!
It’s time for Big Bear to hibernate, so Old Man Winter keeps telling him: “Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep.” But Big Bear doesn’t hear very well. He thinks Old Man Winter has told him to drive a jeep, to sweep, and to leap. Big Bear just can’t seem to hear what Old Man Winter is saying. Finally, Old Man Winter finds a noisy way to get Big Bear’s attention. Cozy illustrations rendered in pencil and mixed media by Will Hillenbrand bring this bedtime story to a fitting conclusion.
Bear Snores On
One by one, a whole host of different animals and birds find their way out of the cold and into Bear’s cave to warm up. But even after the tea has been brewed and the corn has been popped, Bear just snores on!
See what happens when he finally wakes up and finds his cave full of uninvited guests—all of them having a party without him!
Hibernation Station
Everybody at the station! It’s time for winter hibernation! The sweet rhyming text of this book will calm even the most rambunctious kids and have them dreaming about what it’s like to hibernate. Young readers will be soothed and delighted as this story introduces them to different types of hibernating animals. The creatures on the train are preparing to snuggle into sleep, although with a passenger list that includes chipmunks, bears, snakes, hedgehogs, groundhogs, frogs, turtles, mice, bats, and more, there’s a lot of noise! Will the hibernating critters ever get to sleep? Take a trip to Hibernation Station to find out!
Bear Can’t Sleep
It’s winter, and deep in the forest, Bear should be fast asleep. But when his friends come by to check on him, they realize that Bear is still awake! They brew him hot tea and sing him lullabies, but nothing seems to work. Can Bear get to bed? Or will he be up all winter?
Parent’s Also Ask
How do you Teach a Preschooler about hibernation?
Hibernation is something that can be tricky to understand since humans don’t hibernate! Books and activities are a great way to teach a preschooler about hibernation!
When should children learn about hibernation?
You can start teaching your children about hibernation as early as 3 years old!
What are some Hibernating Animal Activities to go Along with the Books?
I am a visual learner, and my kiddos are too! I like to support those needs by making sure a book activity is followed by something hands-on. Here are a few simple and fun hibernation activities:
- Build a den out of toothpicks and marshmallows
- Color different animals that hibernate
- Make a hibernation station out of blankets and pillows to hang out in
- Bear Cave Craft
Learning about hibernation with preschoolers can be really fun! Using books as a way to learn is a great way to engage your preschooler and encourage them to participate!
What are your favorite books about hibernation? Let me know in the comments below!
Looking for something more? Visit my shop for some fun and engaging winter activities for your preschooler! Such as this Winter Preschool Bundle perfect for any little learner who is excited to practice their skills!
