Bear Snores On

Our activities this week were inspired by Karma Wilson's Bear Snores On.


Gathering: Teddy Bear Story Time

Each of the children brought a teddy bear from home to join in the fun!  We read bear themed stories with our teddy bears and Mommies together in the living room while we waited for all of our friends to arrive.

Circle Time

We read Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson.  This sweet book tells the story of a hibernating bear whose cave is visited by several animals seeking shelter from a snow storm.  As each animal arrives, he brings a snack to share and soon the animals are having a party inside the cave while the bear continues to sleep.  In the end he wakes up and is very sad that they had a party without him.  The animals invite bear to join in the fun and the party continues until all of the animals fall asleep, except for the bear. 

We did these fun bear themed finger plays after our story.

Hibernation Song - sung to "Are You Sleeping"

Bear is sleeping, bear is sleeping
In the cave, in the cave.
I wonder when he'll come out, I wonder when he'll come out
In the spring, In the spring.

(song found here http://stepbystepcc.com/hibernation.html)

Bear Finger Play

Here is a cave.

(Bend fingers on one hand)
Inside is a bear.
(Put thumb inside fingers.)
Now he comes out
To get some fresh air.
(Pop out thumb.)

He stays out all summer
In sunshine and heat.
He hunts in the forest
For berries to eat.
(Move thumb in a circle.)

When snow sarts to fall.
He hurries inside
His warm little cave
And there he will hide.
(Put thumb inside fingers.)

Snow covers the cave
Like a fluffy white rug.
Inside the bear sleeps
All cozy and snug.
(Place one hand over the other.)
Author Unknown


Art: Bear Cave Craft

Materials Needed: Glue, blue paper, black tree cut out, yellow moon cut out, brown half circle, googly eyes, and cotton balls

The children glued the pieces to the blue paper to create a bear peeking out of a snowy cave.

 
Our project was inspired by this idea found here at Kiboomu. 

Snack: Popcorn and Honey Nuts

The book features an impromptu potluck which included  popcorn and honey nuts, so of course we had to eat those for snack!

Activities: Parachute Games and Pretend

Teddy Bear Hibernation Parachute Game:  

We placed every one’s bears inside the parachute. (a few other animals found their way into the parachute as well). We play Parachute games with them inside.  The children had fun tossing them into the air. 

Then we let the children “hibernate” with them under a cave that the mommies made with the parachute.  

Don’t Wake Up Bears:  Our children pretended to be asleep.  Then we would say "Wake Up Bears!"   The little ones stood up with their bears and did their best GROWLS!!!