Read children a story about bears and hibernation to introduce the topic in a fun and interesting way. "Don't Wake Up the Bear!" by Marjorie Dennis Murray, "Time to Sleep" by Denise Fleming and "Hibernation" by Margaret Hall are some possibilities.
Teach children basic facts about bears and how they live year-round. Describe different types of bears such as grizzly, black, brown, polar and panda bears. Include information regarding behavior, diet, habitat and survival.
Introduce information regarding bear behavior during the winter. Explain that some types of bears hibernate during the coldest months of the year while others do not. Educate children about the differences between animals who migrate during the winter and those who hibernate.
Tell children that bears create a warm den to spend the winter in and eat more during the fall to build a layer of fat. Touch on how a bear's metabolism slows down to allow them to sleep uninterrupted without needing to rise for food or relieve themselves.
Introduce art projects that allow children to create their own images of hibernating bears in their lairs. Have children create picture books depicting bears throughout the seasons. Allow them to explain the difference between how bears live in winter months versus warmer times of the year.