The Science and Geography Behind Winter Wildlife and Habitats

Winter offers a rich, cross-curricular opportunity for students from EYFS to KS3 to observe real seasonal change. This topic links directly to science and geography concepts across the National Curriculum, so it's great to discuss in December, whether you’re looking at animal habitats, behaviour, or changes in plants.

Below, we’ve listed some curriculum links, helping you connect the topics shown with some of our suggested units and lessons. You can use the linked units to access the resources from these lessons and read more, or have a look at our classroom ideas for some quick last-minute activities. Enjoy - and don’t forget to tag Developing Experts if you try any of our ideas. 

Seasonal Change: What Happens in Winter?

Curriculum links:

• EYFS Understanding the World: Weather and Seasons 
• KS1 Science: Seasonal changes
• KS2 Geography: Weather and climate

Winter brings colder temperatures, shorter daylight hours and reduced plant growth. These environmental shifts affect all living things. Observing frost, bare trees and frozen puddles helps children build an early understanding of seasonal patterns and the effect of weather on the environment.

Animal Adaptations and Survival Strategies

Curriculum links:

• KS1 Science: Identifying habitats and describing an animals’s basic needs
• KS3 Biology: Interdependence and ecosystems

Animals respond to winter in several ways. Many UK species prepare in autumn by storing energy or food. Birds such as redwings and fieldfares migrate from colder regions to the UK’s milder climate, introducing pupils to the idea of global movement, navigation and habitat networks.

Other animals – including hedgehogs, dormice and bats – hibernate. Hibernation allows them to conserve energy by slowing down bodily processes. This supports KS2 and KS3 learning about physiological adaptation and survival under environmental stress.

Some wildlife remains active throughout winter. Foxes grow thicker coats, squirrels rely on cached nuts and robins defend their winter territories. These examples are ideal for demonstrating behavioural adaptation and prompting investigations into insulation and heat retention.

How Habitats Change in Winter

Curriculum links:

• KS1 Geography: Identifying seasonal and daily weather patterns
• KS2 Science: Habitats and food chains

Habitats undergo visible transformations during winter. In woodlands, trees lose their leaves, exposing nests, burrows and branches. This helps younger pupils understand where animals live and deepens KS2 discussions about habitat structure.

Wetlands and ponds may freeze over, offering real-life opportunities to explore states of matter. Pupils can investigate how freezing temperatures affect animals such as amphibians and water birds, and why some species stay beneath the ice while others move away.

Winter Around the World: Comparing Biomes

Curriculum links:

• KS2 Geography: Climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts

Winter is not experienced equally around the globe. Comparing the UK’s temperate climate to polar regions or alpine biomes introduces pupils to latitude, sunlight hours and the impact of extreme cold on living things. Arctic foxes, reindeer and snowy owls provide excellent examples of structural adaptation for extreme environments.

Classroom Ideas for All Key Stages

• EYFS: Make simple bird feeders or explore winter colours and textures outdoors.
• KS1: Track winter bird species on school grounds or observe daily temperature changes.
• KS2: Create food chains for winter habitats or research migration routes.
• KS3: Analyse climate data, investigate the carbon cycle in winter or debate how climate change affects species’ survival.

By studying winter wildlife and habitats, pupils learn how living things depend on the physical environment and how ecosystems adapt to seasonal change. It’s a topic full of real-world science, rich geography connections and opportunities for meaningful outdoor learning.

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