Animals in Winter Activities for 1st–3rd Grade Science

Where Do the Animals Go When It Gets Cold?

Every November, without fail, one of my students would press a nose to the classroom window and ask, "Where do the squirrels go when it gets cold?" Before I taught, I spent years as a zookeeper and a state park naturalist, and that question never got old. It's still one of my favorite doorways into real science.

Animals don't have coats to zip up or thermostats to turn on. They still make it through winter, and how they do it is one of the most fascinating stories in nature. Below are five animals in winter activities I've used with 1st–3rd graders. They take simple materials, they get kids talking, and they teach real science, whether your winter brings snow or (like mine here in Texas) just a few chilly mornings.

The Big Idea: Hibernate, Migrate, or Adapt

Before the activities, give students the three main strategies. I write these on an anchor chart with a quick sketch next to each one:

• Hibernate: Some animals go into a deep, energy-saving rest. A true hibernator's body temperature drops and its heart rate and breathing slow way down (National Park Service).

• Migrate: Some animals travel to a place where it's warmer or food is easier to find.

• Adapt: Some animals stay put and stay active. Thicker fur, stored food, or a color change helps them survive.

One naturalist note I always share: hibernating is not the same as sleeping. A hibernating animal's whole body slows down, and many hibernators wake up now and then during the winter.

5 Hands-On Animals in Winter Activities

1. Hibernate, Migrate, or Adapt? Picture Sort

Materials: animal photo cards, three labeled sorting mats or hula hoops

Steps:

1. Show one photo at a time and read a one-sentence clue ("I bury acorns in the fall and dig them up when food is hard to find").

2. Partners decide which strategy fits and place the card.

3. Ask, "What clue in the sentence helped you decide?" That's text evidence sneaking into science time.

Cards that work well (with answers):

• Hibernate: groundhog (woodchuck), little brown bat

• Migrate: monarch butterfly, Mexican free-tailed bat, Canada goose (many populations)

• Adapt: snowshoe hare, gray squirrel, white-tailed deer, chickadee

Teacher tip: Include both bat cards. Kids are amazed that some bats hibernate while others migrate. Nature rarely fits in one box, and that's a great lesson too.

2. The Blubber Glove Experiment

This one makes kids squeal (in the best way). It shows how a thick layer of fat keeps animals like seals and whales warm in icy water.

Materials: two gallon-size zip-top bags, a can of vegetable shortening, a tub of ice water, paper towels

Steps:

1. Scoop shortening into one bag. Push the second, empty bag inside the first so the shortening is sandwiched between the two layers. Tape the tops together. (Pro tip: make this before the kids arrive!)

2. A student puts one bare hand in the ice water and the other hand in the "blubber glove," then dips the glove in too.

3. Ask: "Which hand stayed warmer? Why do you think so?"

The science: Fat is an insulator. It slows down heat leaving the body. For an easy extension, make a second glove filled with craft feathers or cotton balls. Down feathers keep birds warm by trapping a layer of air next to their bodies.

3. The Hibernation Heartbeat Challenge

Taking a pulse is tricky for little hands, so I turned this into a clapping game.

Materials: a one-minute timer

Steps:

1. Tell students that a groundhog's heart beats about 80 times a minute when it's active. During hibernation, it slows to about 5 beats a minute (National Wildlife Federation).

2. Start the timer and have the class clap a steady "awake groundhog" beat. It's fast!

3. Now try the "hibernating groundhog": five slow claps spread across the whole minute. The wait between claps feels like forever!

4. Discuss: "Why would slowing down help an animal that can't find much food in winter?"

Bonus fact: A hibernating groundhog's body temperature can drop from about 99°F to as low as 37°F, just a few degrees above freezing.

4. Map a Migration (with a Texas Twist)

Materials: a simple map of North America, string or yarn, sticky notes

Steps:

1. Tell students that eastern monarch butterflies can travel up to 3,000 miles to spend the winter in the mountains of Mexico (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service).

2. Have students use yarn to trace a route from Canada through the middle of the U.S. (right across Texas!) to central Mexico.

3. Add a second traveler: Mexican free-tailed bats. Millions spend summer in Texas caves like Bracken Cave near San Antonio. When cold fronts arrive in late October and November, most head south to Mexico (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department).

4. Ask: "Why do these animals leave instead of staying?"

Talk it through together: when cold weather arrives, there are far fewer insects for bats to catch and fewer flowers for monarchs to sip nectar from. Monarchs also can't survive cold northern winters, so heading south is how they make it to spring.

If you teach outside Texas, swap in a migrating animal from your region. Kids love knowing that the animals they see in their own neighborhood are part of a much bigger journey.

5. Read Like a Naturalist: One Animal at a Time

After the hands-on work, I like to slow down with nonfiction reading. Pick one animal each day and follow the same routine:

1. Preview 2–3 vocabulary words (like hibernate, insulate, or cache).

2. Read and talk. Stop after each paragraph: "Which strategy is this animal using?"

3. Go back to the text. Ask a question that sends students back to find the answer, like "What does a squirrel do in fall to get ready?"

4. Add to the anchor chart so the class builds one big picture of winter survival.

Here's a fun fact to save for the end: wood frogs in the far north survive winter partly frozen. Up to about two-thirds of the water in their bodies can turn to ice, and sugar helps protect their cells until spring (PBS NOVA; American Museum of Natural History). Your class will talk about it for days!

Want It Ready to Go? Woodland Wonders: Animals in Winter

If you'd rather skip the prep, I made Woodland Wonders: Animals in Winter (Grades 1–3) for exactly this unit. It's a 35-page printable that covers six animals and how each one gets through the cold: gray squirrels, black bears, monarch butterflies, wood frogs, snowshoe hares, and beavers. Every animal has a full passage plus a supported Read Together version, so every reader can join in. You'll also find reading checks with text-evidence questions, real animal photos, range maps, vocabulary support, a teacher guide, and winter survival activities. It pairs perfectly with Activity 5 above: teach one animal at a time in small groups or during your science and literacy block.

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Animals in Winter FAQ

What are the three ways animals survive winter?

Most animals hibernate, migrate, or adapt. Hibernators save energy in a deep, slowed-down rest. Migrators travel somewhere with more food or warmer weather. Adapters stay active by growing thicker fur, storing food, changing color, or finding shelter.

Is hibernation the same as sleeping?

No. During hibernation, an animal's heart rate, breathing, and body temperature drop far below normal so it uses very little energy. Sleep doesn't slow the body nearly that much. Many hibernators also wake up now and then during the winter.

Do squirrels hibernate?

Tree squirrels, like gray squirrels, do not hibernate. They stay active, bury nuts and seeds in the fall, and sniff out many of them later in the winter. They may stay tucked in their nests on very cold days. Some ground squirrels and chipmunks do hibernate or go into deep rests, which makes for a great "compare and contrast" discussion.