Hibernating Animals

As we move into autumn, a number of wild animals will settle down and hibernate for the winter. Hibernation is a topic that young children will cover early on in their schooling, but there's nothing to stop you giving them a head start and talk with them about hibernation yourself.

The topic introduces changes in seasons as well as different animals. You may or may not be familiar with animals that hibernate. In the UK you can expect the following to hibernate during winter:-

• Badgers
• Bats
• Frogs
• Hedgehogs
• Squirrels

Many insect also hibernate, including:-

• Bees
• Butterflies
• Ladybirds
• Moths
• Wasps

Some animals hibernate in their natural habitat but do not in a domestic setting, such as hamsters and mice.

Some insects survive the winter in different forms, either as eggs (only hatching in the spring), nymphs, larvae or pupae - none of which technically hibernate.

Use the internet with your little ones to find pictures of animals that hibernate, talk about how these animals and insects sleep during the winter, and learn what they all look like.