Animals that Hibernate

Preparing for winter. Nature does this without any whisper from you and me just a quiet nudging from the Lord. Summer and Fall are its time to prepare for the long cold season ahead. Some animals snuggle in for the bitter cold in a deep deep sleep called hibernation.

Kids LOVE to study animals. There are so many lessons they can learn by watching critters run, jump, fly, and work. Animals that spend the bitter and unforgiving cold winter months curled up in sleep are a wonderful unit study!

What is hibernation?

Hibernation, also known as ‘winter sleep’, is a state of deep sleep or dormancy that an animal undergoes during the cold months of winter. During this phase, body metabolism and heart rate of the animal go down drastically and the animal practically sleeps for various days to months.

There are two types of hibernation, namely ‘true’ hibernation and torpor, or temporary hibernation. In true hibernation, the animal falls into such a deep sleep that it appears to be dead. The body temperature, breathing, and the heart rate drops down. Torpor is a state of short sleep, where the heart rate and body temperature goes down but the animal is able to move around. There are various types of hibernation and not all animals go into a complete state of hibernation.

Do Squirrels Hibernate?

Mr. Squirrel and his family teach us about working hard and being prepared. If at all possible, go quietly into the woods to watch the squirrels carry its nuts to his pantry in his mouth.

Do squirrels hibernate in winter? The answer lies in where the fluffy critters live. All squirrels hate the bitter cold and will chose to sleep when the temperature gets too low. In the northern regions, squirrels can hibernate for up to six months to survive the bitter cold!

Hands on Activities that teach about hibernation.

Do Bears Hibernate?

Bears are a classic example of animals that undergo hibernation. Bears are found everywhere, from swamps and mountains to the cold Arctic regions. Before the winter arrives, a bear hunts for an appropriate place to spend the cold months in. Once the place is found, it eats huge quantities of food and stores it in its body in the form of fat. During the months that it sleeps, the bear utilizes the stored fat till the winter is over. Meanwhile, it does not eat, drink, defecate, or urinate during this period. 

Chart Activity

A simple, but powerful activity for kids as they study bears, squirrels, or any type of animals. As they learn about the animal, add to the Can, Have, Eat chart.

• What can bears be or do?
• What do Bears Have?
• What do Bears Eat?

Making Blueberry Jam: A Tasty Lesson!

We need to prepare for the long winter months if we live in areas where the temperature drops and the snow falls too! We are blessed to live in a time where we have access to food and supplies via our cars and computers, but we still need to prepare.

• Winter clothing
• Chains or auto socks for our cars
• Extra batteries and candles
• emergency supply of non-perishable food