Picture Books to Inspire Winter Science Exploration

This list features books that are sure to inspire winter science exploration. Read these books. Then, head outside and explore the winter wildlife and weather. I get commissions for purchases made through the affiliate links in this post.

Picture Books to Inspire Winter Science Exploration

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. This classic story is narrated by a young girl who is going owling with her father. Feel the cold winter night on your face and the crunch of snow beneath your boots. Listen for the hoot of an owl and try to call one in. Whoo-whoo-who-who-who-whooooooo. Whoo-whoo-who-who-who-whooooooo.

After reading the story, bundle up and head outside to see if you can find your own owls in the night.

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner. The book jacket aptly describes this book: “Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow is a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals who live through the winter safe and warm under the snow.” This book gives the reader a peek at what life under the snow is like. The back of the book provides more details about the animals depicted in the story.

Read the story and then learn more about what happens to the animals during winter. Where do they go? Do they hibernate or simply seek shelter somewhere?

As you walk through woods outside, pay attention to the animals around you. How many do you see? Can you spot their tracks or entrances to their burrows? {Don’t bother them. Just look quietly from a distance.}

It’s Snowing! by Gail Gibbons. Learn about how snowflakes form, where snow falls, and how to prepare for a snowstorm is this informational book about snow.

Observe snowflakes up close. Catch some snowflakes on a black piece of paper. Look at them under a magnifying glass. What patterns do you see?

It’s Winter! by Linda Glaser. The illustrations in this book are created with cut paper. It’s a very cool effect. As you read the book, explore different things you can do outside in winter and learn a touch about the animals around you. The end of the book has an excellent list of nature activities to do when it’s winter. Here are just 3 of the ideas mentioned.

• Make a list of all the birds you see throughout the winter. Attract more by hang a bird feeder or or scattering seeds on the ground. Join the  the Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb 12-15, 2021).
• Fill a container with snow. How much water is the snow made of? Bring it inside and let it melt. Try this snow experiment.
• How many types of evergreen trees are in your area? Can you name them? See this post on exploring types of evergreen trees from The Educators’ Spin On It.

Best in Snow by April Pulley Sayre has gorgeous photographs of snowscapes and winter animals. The simple text tells us all about snow – what it looks like and how it behaves. We also learn about ice and how snow melts and refreezes. This is another book I highly recommend. It’s perfect for encouraging us to see what winterscapes and animals we can see outside.

Looking for more books about winter? Check out this winter book list from Growing Book by Book.

Do you have any books to add to the list?

This post was originally published on December 21, 2014 on Read Science.