Songs, Rhymes and Books for Winter

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Songs, Rhymes and Books for Winter Months

Kate Jarrett, our favourite early years minstrel, has shared some of her favourite material for celebrating the snowy months.  How about a rousing chorus of ‘Hibernation’ (sung to the tune of Alouette):

HIBERNATION SONG

Hibernation (tune: Alouette)
Chorus: Hibernation, time for hibernation
Hibernation, time to go to sleep
Where oh where is little bear?
Sleeping in his den or lair
Where is bear? Den or lair
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Chorus…
Where oh where is little frog?
Sleeping in a pond or log
Where is frog? Pond or log
Where is bear? Den or lair
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Chorus…
Where oh where is little snake?
In the mud beneath the lake
Where is snake? Beneath the lake
Where is frog? Pond or log
Where is bear? Den or lair
Chorus… 

Rhymes

The Sky is Dark (Clyde Watson)

The sky is dark, there blows a storm

The fire is hot, our cider is warm

The snow is deep, the night is long

Old Father Fox, won’t you sing us a song

Winter is Cold

Winter is cold, there is snow in the sky

Squirrels gather nuts, and the wild geese fly

The fluffy red fox has his fur to keep warm

The bear’s in his cave, sleeping all through the storm

Snow on the Rooftops (Kathy Reid-Naiman)

Snow on the rooftops, snow on the trees

Snow on the green grass, snow on me

Snow on my mittens, snow on my nose

Snow on my head, and snow on my toes

Whirling, twirling, swirling down

Down and down and down and down

Winter Picture Books

 (available from the Peterborough Public Library)

Bauer, Marion.  Winter Dance

A fox watches other animals preparing for winter and wonders what he should do

Camper, Cathy.  Ten Ways to Hear Snow

A young child helps her grandma who has lost her sight explore nature through listening.

Carlstrom, Nancy.  Mama, Will It Snow Tonight?

Three mothers and their offspring – fox, hare, and human wait for the first snow of winter.

Gershaton, Phillis.  When It Starts to Snow

Various animals tell what they do and where they go when it starts to snow.

Holler, Sue.  Raven, Rabbit, Deer

A grandfather teaches his grandson how to identify a number of animals tracks with Ojibwemowin names.

McGrath, Jennifer. The Snow Knows

Introduces readers to animals both domestic and wild, celebrating wilderness and outdoor play.

Messner, Kate. Over and Under the Snow

Discover the wonder and activity that lies beneath winter’s snowy landscape.

Sayre, April.  Best in Snow

A photographic non-fiction picture book about the wonder of snowfall and the winter water cycle.

Stewart, Melissa.  Under the Snow

A look at the amazing ways animals behave and interact with their environments on a snowy day.

Thornhill, Jan.  Winter’s Coming

A young snowshoe hare hears that winter is coming – but who, or what is winter?

Yeomans, Ellen.  Some Snow Is…

Celebrates all the different kinds of snow – from melting to packable!

Yolen, Jane.  Owl Moon.

A father and daughter trek into the woods to see a Great Horned Owl under a winter full moon.

Ideas Aplenty…

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Ideas Aplenty…

Our thanks to Kathy MacMillan-Jones for sharing these ideas for summer family fun with kids of many different ages.  Remember to report what you did with the new Landmark reporting form on the Pathway website!

Early Years (0-3)

   LANDMARK 1 (Explore Outdoors) and LANDMARK 3 (Exercise the Senses)
  • Look for little things to explore that are within reach and eyesight – an ant hill, a worm, a flower budding, Worm in handinteresting tree bark, or a patch of grass. Draw your child’s attention to some detail like “the bark feels bumpy”, “the grass tickles”.  See if they can notice something as well. It’s helpful if your child can actively participate, like digging in a patch of dirt or “hugging” a tree. Make a little rhyme for the life you are noticing like “my big tree is bigger than me” or “squirmy squirmy wormy worm” that you can recall later. Try to revisit that spot once a week for several weeks to look for changes/similarities.
  • Go for a walk in a variety of weathers – rainy (look for puddles), hot (look for shade), cold (run to stay warm) etc.

Ages 4-5 years

   LANDMARK 7 (Share a Nature-Based Story, Song or Poem)
  • Make a poem about all the things you notice this week outside and pin it on your fridge.  Use a pattern starter, for instance,   “I like” X 3, or “I hear”, “I smell”
  • For example:  I like (the lilacs), I like (the wind), I like (the ants)
   LANDMARK 8 (Create a nature art project)
  • Gather some loose natural material and create a design on the grass or sidewalk using cut grass, pinecones, pebbles, sand, etc. Take a picture and share with a friend. See if your friend can make something to send to you!

Ages 8-9 years

   LANDMARK 13 (Travel by yourself on a familiar route)
  • Make a list of different ways you can go up and down your street by yourself – walking, running, hopping, etc. Predict how long each method will take and then record the actual time. Challenge a friend to try your ways and have them think of one more. Keep the game going as long as you can. How many ways did you think of together? What was the fastest way? What was the slowest? Which one did you feel most proud of? Why?

Ages 10-11 years

   LANDMARK 18 (Create a video about a natural area)
  • Choose one natural area you have been to. ReseaChild on path in the woodsrch an animal, a plant, and a tree that grows there. Make a video that highlights what you love about this place, and some cool facts you know about at least 3 things that live there – an info-mercial!
  • If it is a provincial or national park, be sure to send them an email to tell them what you have made, and share it if possible. If it is a neighbourhood place, share with a neighbour and ask them what they love about that space. Maybe you can do a neighbourhood survey to see if 10 people all love the same thing!

Cold, Wet, Muddy and Fun

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Cold, Wet, Muddy and Fun

January 23, 2019 – Our Cold, Wet, Muddy and Fun! workshop with Sue Ferren was so true to name!  Not only did we experience first-hand all of the chilly temps, rain, mud and snow within the span of our Saturday morning together, but we enjoyed a rich morning of learning, sharing and FUN.  Sue revealed the magic that can be found when we courageously bundle our wee ones and venture out, whatever the weather! 

All 15 folks who attended, including 2 wee ones, were led on a clear pathway to providing the invitation, clothing and materials necessary for children to explore, create and engage in any weather.  Sue shared her wealth of knowledge, beautifully curated resources, an enviable nature-themed library, and a treasure trove of hands-on activities – both indoor and out – for us to explore.  She also shared the challenges and barriers we know can keep the most intrepid explorers from venturing out, and ways to make that challenge more manageable and more fun.


In the warmth of the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre we brainstormed Barrier Breakers, models of how to bring nature in, loose parts of every description, and shared stories of mishaps and magic-making with wee ones in all weather.  Then we were invited outdoors on a beautiful story walk with the laminated pages of In the Snow – Who’s Been Here.  The story trail wove us through the cedar grove and opened to a clearing lovingly spread with activity centres showcasing simple and powerful activities to spark early years engagement.  Mud kitchens, rain-filled tube mazes, tarp painting, and making nature-found masterpieces within empty ornate frames – all ready for hours of exploration.  The wee ones who had been enjoying the morning under the watchful care of Jumping Mouse’s Martine Cleary, joined us to explore these centres.  It was immediately obvious that with a few thoughtful materials, comfortable all-weather clothing, and adults willing to venture out, cold, wet and muddy are Fun!

Want Inspirations and Ideas for venturing out this Winter? Join us Saturday February 9th for Wonder-Full Winter:  Your Toolkit for Nature Crafting and Outdoor Play with Children.