Hibernation is in the air this week in The Children’s House…we will be talking about some of the animals that winter here and how they survive through the colder months, some by gathering food supplies and sleeping as much as possible; in particular we will be looking at the mouse, squirrel, frog, ladybird, bat and hedgehog – the last 2 being the only Irish mammals that truly hibernate, meaning they drop their temperature and heart rate and go into a type of coma for a few months to conserve energy! The children will be making a bed for the model hibernation animals to sleep in our classrooms over the winter, doing a hibernation animal puppet craft, role playing with the puppets, and at the end of the week we will do a drama of the book: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. We will also be decorating the classrooms for Hallowe’en, & using the Tuff Trays with playdough to make emotion faces!!

Bear is Sleeping (Sung to: Frere Jacques)

Bear is sleeping, bear is sleeping,
In the cave, in the cave.
I wonder when he’ll wake up? I wonder when he’ll wake up?
In the spring, in the spring!