Our winters in Minnesota are so cold and snowy that’s it’s tempting to stay inside ALL THE TIME.

But sometimes, you’ve got to just shake off that cabin fever, bundle up, and get out and enjoy nature in winter.

If you need some inspiration, grab one of these winter nature books. They’re all great choices that will make you want to get outside and have some fun.

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Best winter nature books for kids

Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming is the story of a group of animals getting ready to hibernate. It’s a great choice for toddlers and preschoolers.

Best in Snow by April Pulley Sayre. This simple story is probably more appealing to toddlers and preschoolers than older kids, but the beautiful snowy photographs will draw all ages in. This is a beautiful book!

Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee. Follow along as a young child tries to discover what made the footprints in the snow outside her window.

Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Richard G. Van Gelder. We’ve had this science-based story book in our collection for years. It’s a great and simple book about how different animals spend the winter.

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner tells the story of all the wildlife that make their winter homes under the snow while a young girls glides her way over the snow and all the wildlife.

Someone Walks By: The Wonders of Winter Wildlife by Polly Carlson-Voiles. Not all animals hibernate in the winter. Take a walk through the woods in this book to see all the animals that are still active in winter.

Winter Eyes by Douglas Florian is a book of kid-friendly poetry about winter. The poems are short, fun and a great poetry choice for a cold, blustery day.

Sugar Snow: Adapted from the Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. This Little House Picture Book is a simple story of the Wilder family’s experience with sugar snow and tells the process of making maple syrup.

Blizzard by John Rocco. Have you ever experienced a blizzard? Hear what it’s like in this fun book based on a true story from the author’s childhood.

Cold Snap by Eileen Spinelli. Winter can get COLD! This fun book tells the story of how one small town survived (and enjoyed) a cold snap.

The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino. This nonfiction book is packed full of great information all about snow that is more suited for your older kids (ages 7-10) than your younger kids. It’s a fascinating read with a ton of great close-up snowflake pictures.

Our favorite winter nature books

I had my girls choose their favorite book out of the pile of books we reviewed. They liked all the books, but these two were the overall favorites.

My 9-year-old chose Waiting for Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser. She loves a book that makes her laugh out loud and this book (and its illustrations) did. It’s the story of a squirrel, hedgehog, and bear who have never seen snow and decide to stay awake until it snows.

My 7-year-old chose Winter’s Coming: A Story of Seasonal Change by Jan Thornhill. She loved the story of a young snowshoe hare named Lily, who has no idea what to expect from winter. As she talks to her many animal friends, she learns how they spend the winter and also how she will too.

Now that you’ve read these winter nature books and are inspired to get outside, what are you going to do? Sled, build a snowman, feed the birds?

Maybe try one of these 10 Ways to Explore Nature in Winter.

No matter what you choose, get outside and have some fun!

You may also like one of these winter activities:

Snow Painting Art Project

12 of the Best Winter Art Projects for Kids

Winter STEM Activities

Outdoor Winter Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers at Rainy Day Mum

Add these books to your library:

Any of these books would be perfect to add to your at-home library. You can find most of them to purchase on Amazon here:

Do you want to do more activities with your kids?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.