Welcome Spring - Time to Wake the Bears!

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year.  At my house, we have a contest every year to see who can find the first robin!  It gets pretty exciting and usually involves screaming.  This year we found one quite early!  The "winner" must make "worms and dirt" for the entire family.  This is what gave me the idea of a fun way to awaken our "hibernating" bears.

In December, we buddied with a first grade class and we made teddy bears using construction paper.  Each boy cut one out from a form and then was instructed to make pajamas, so he would be comfortable while he was sleeping.  I made a cave, (inspired by Laura from Kinder Kraziness.)  I used an empty copy paper box that I covered with brown paper (and I crumpled a big sheet of it on top to make it more "cave" shaped.)  I also made a special entrance to the cave and added some batting, so the bears would be comfortable.

Each bear got his own blanket, a rectangular piece of flannel I cut and added fringe at the end.    The boys just loved the idea of their bear having his own blanket.

 

 

We made signs for the cave - "Do Not Disturb!"  "Bears Sleeping!"...  attached to popscicle sticks.  And one big sign "Hibernation Station."

 

We were on break the last 2 weeks (when spring arrived) and we had to plan something to get the bears up.  I have always celebrated the beginning of hibernation... but never done anything when it is over.  So the first grade teacher and I decided to send out postcards to the class.  They were told to color the card and bring it back to school... and we would celebrate and wake the bears.

 

 

This is the postcard they received.  I just used clip art from word and a coloring page insert.

Then we read the book Hopper Hunts for Spring.  The author is Marcus Pfister (author of the Rainbow Fish...) and he has a series of books about "Hopper."  If you are not familiar you really must get this one.  The rabbit learns that "Spring is coming" and he thinks it is a "new friend."  So he sets off to find spring.  "Spring, Are you in there?"  He never finds spring, but he does find a friend.  The bear he wakes up, but who is so helpful.

So, we then "woke" the bears.
 

 

And of course we finished with a treat - Worms in Dirt.

Pudding, oreos (they crush...), gummy worms, and spoon.

Happy Spring!