In the Fall, you can introduce the concepts of hibernation and migration to preschoolers, with some of the great picture books on bears and birds. Some address the concept directly, like Sleepy Bear on hibernation and Round Robin on migrating birds; other stories on bears, birds, or autumn can be a springboard for you to introduce the subject. For a craft, you can do something as simple as a bear or bird paperbag puppet, leaf rubbings, tree collages where the child glues leaves to a tree cut-out, and more.
Kent, Jack. ROUND ROBIN. The hero of this cartoon-like story has eaten so much he cannot fly south for the winter, so he walks.
Meddaugh, Susan. TREE OF BIRDS. Harry finds an injured bird named Sally. Her fellow birds won’t fly south without her.
Wolff, Ashley. A YEAR OF BIRDS. Children learn about the months of the year and different types of birds.
Dabcovich, Lydia. SLEEPY BEAR Sleepy Bear wakes up to Spring. Available in a Big Book edition.
Fox, Mem. SLEEPY BEARS. A rhyming story on counting, where Mama bear sings each of the cubs to sleep.
Arnoskly, Jim. EVERY AUTUMN COMES A BEAR. Bear finds a den, behind some boulders near a farm.
Fleming, Denise. TIME TO SLEEP. Bear tells snail, snail tells another animal, and on and on until it gets back to Bear that it is time to hibernate.
Grindley, Sally. WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT YOU? The other animals miss Jefferson Bear while he is hibernating.
Seuling, Barbara. WINTER LULLABY. A warm, rhyming story about how different animals spend the winter.