Peace Doves Yarn Wrapping Activity for Kids

It can be hard to know how to talk about war to kids, but even young kids often know a little bit about what is going on just from hearing the news or other people talking about it.

It’s a great idea to answer kids’ questions and calm their fears as honestly as you can in whatever way is appropriate for their age. But kids often want to be able to do something or make something that can bring them comfort or serve as a sign that they’re thinking about other people who are in a crisis.

This peace dove yarn wrapping activity from Sun Hats and Wellie Boots gives kids something to do with their hands while you talk about their worries, or they can work and send good thoughts or prayers to the Ukrainian people.

The blog post has a printable dove template, a couple of prayers you can say while working on your doves and ideas for display or use of the doves after you make them.

[Photo: Sun Hats and Wellie Boots.]

Looking for more resources on Ukraine? CHeck out our FREE Ukraine Activity Printable booklets here.

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Learning about Deaf History Month

I volunteer at my local library pulling holds for children’s books, and the other day someone was looking for Over and Under the Snow, a lovely picture book about animals that hibernate and those who don’t.

It reminded me that now would be a good time to talk about hibernation in the classroom, and what animals do to survive the winter more generally.

Did you know that technically only warm-blooded animals hibernate? When cold-blooded animals do it, it’s called brumation, and insects experience diapause. Whatever you call it, it’s a slowing down of bodily functions that allows animals to lower their body temperatures and slow their metabolism so much they don’t need to eat.

We Are Teachers has a great page about different animals that hibernate (or brumate, or diapause) and you can enter your email address to get a set of free worksheets perfect for middle grades. Education.com also has a downloadable worksheet about hibernation, and you can find many more (including the migrate or hibernate worksheet above) from Worksheeto.

Little Bins for Little Hands has a great free printable pack about hibernation and hibernating animals. There’s a good list of animals that hibernate in the post, as well as some FAQs about hibernation.

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds has lots of great ideas for planning a hibernation theme, including making a cave in the classroom, painting on ice, and lots of ideas for dramatic play, writing and other activities (and there are lots of freebies linked there).

Little ones will love these bear hibernation hat printables form Books and Giggles that include facts about hibernation.

STEMHax has collected a bunch of lesson planning resources about animals in winter, based on the book Animals in Winter. You’ll find links to videos about different animals featured in the book that you can use when talking about the book or more broadly in a winter animal unit study.

The Wolfe Pack Den has a free printable unit study and ideas for books to read and other things to do (with a particular emphasis on hedgehogs, if you’re into that).

And to bring in one more book recommendation from when my girl was little, Bear Snores On is another fun one, and you can read that one and bring out all your fun bear activities, like this adorable hibernating bear craft from Krokotak.

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