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Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

Bears and hibernation: a preschool theme week

Checked Oct 30, 2026 · Winter · December, January

One week on bears and hibernation for twos to fours: a five-line circle time, 4 books (3 free to read on Peabody), one craft with 4 materials, “Wee Willie Winkie” with its words, a snack from the Kitchen and the letter B.

Plan this weekPrint the two sheets

Circle time

  1. Good morning song, then say each name together.
  2. Calendar: the day, the date and the weather.
  3. Ask: “Where does a bear sleep in the winter?”
  4. Sing: Wee Willie Winkie.
  5. Read: Not Yet, Ted (level 3).

Threes and fours: ten to fifteen minutes; let a child hold the book.

Books

  • Not Yet, Ted (level 3, free on peabody.kids): A bear who is not ready for bed yet.
  • Dad Naps (level 0, free on peabody.kids): Napping, in a pattern even twos can say.
  • The Black Cat (level 2, free on peabody.kids): A cat who naps, for a quiet-time talk.
  • The Bear Who Could Not Sleep (read aloud, level 6): A read-aloud: a bear in winter who cannot sleep.

Craft: Paper-bag cave

You need (4): brown paper bag, a bear drawn or printed on card, cotton balls (snow), glue stick.

  1. Open the bag on its side as a cave.
  2. Glue snow on the top of the cave.
  3. Put the bear inside to sleep.

With a grown-up. No heat, nothing hot.

Song: Wee Willie Winkie

The words

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town, Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown, Rapping at the window, crying through the lock, "Are the children all in bed, for now it's eight o'clock?"

Traditional; public domain. From Top 52 nursery rhymes with lyrics.

Snack

Teddy Bear Toast from the Peabody Kitchen: picture steps, allergy swaps and safety lines on the recipe.

Swap: Bread → gluten-free bread; Peanut butter → sunflower seed butter.

Letter pack

BbB is for bear. Print the two pages (a trace page and a color page).

Threes and fours: trace B and b once, then find B in the room and in the book.

Outside: Bear hunt walk

Walk around the yard on a bear hunt: over the log, through the grass, into the cave (under the slide).

All themesDecember themesJanuary themesThe theme plannerPreschool and daycare

The books are Peabody's own open library, free with no sign-in. The song is public domain. The snack links to the Peabody Kitchen. Nothing here asks for a child's name.