Polar Bears

 


Learn a little about polar bears with the kids, and enjoy our collection of fun printable activities and colouring pages.

Polar Bears at Activity Village

Learn about the Polar Bear

Did you know that polar bears have black skin and transparent, hollow fur - not white? The fur looks white because of the way it reflects the light. It is very efficient at trapping heat from the sun to keep polar bears warm, and for repelling water. They also have a thick layer of fat underneath the skin to help them stay cosy.

Polar bears are marine mammals, spending many months of every year at sea. But they are the only marine mammal which can run - and cover many miles - on land. They live up to 25 years old in the wild. They are carnivores and have 42 teeth. They are well adapted to living in snow and ice conditions, with rough feet and short claws to help them grip ice, and webbed toes to help them swim. They can swim a long way!

Male polar bears can weigh as much as 8 full grown adults put together, at up to 700 kg (1500lbs)! They can grow up to 3 metres (10 feet) tall.

Female polar bears are much smaller than males, reaching about 2.4 metres (7 feet) tall and weighing up to 250 kg (650lbs). They have an average of two cubs. They dig themselves a cave, known as a maternity den, in a snow-drift and retreat to it to give birth, staying inside over winter and emerging in spring with their babies. Polar bear babies are very small - less than 1 kg (2lb) at birth!

Polar bears eat seals, which they can smell up to a mile away! They will often lie in wait by a hole in the ice, waiting for a seal to pop its head up to breath, and then pounce! Seals are often hard to find, though, and baby polar bears often go hungry, with up to 3/4 dying before they are 3 years old. Humans are the polar bears only predator. With global warming, mining of coal and oil, oil spills and man-made pollution, polar bears are now regarded as vulnerable.

Fun Fact:
Have you ever seen a green polar bear? Some polar bears in capitvity have begun to look green as algae grows inside their hollow hairs!

National Polar Bear Day:
If you are looking for an excuse to study polar bears, here is a good one! National Polar Bear Day is celebrated on 27th February each year.

Our Polar Bear Activities

Complete The Polar Bear Puzzle

Complete The Polar Bear Puzzle

This big polar bear is missing his claws and mouth! Look closely at the picture on the right to add the missing parts to the picture on the left.

Learn to Draw a Polar Bear

Learn to Draw a Polar Bear

If the kids are studying polar animals they are sure to have fun learning to draw a polar bear with our simple step by step guide.

Polar Bear acrostic poem printable

Polar Bear Acrostic Poem Printable

Acrostic poems can simply describe the subject (in this case, a polar bear), or you can even tell a short story within your poem! Our printables also make lovely writing or drawing frames.

Polar Bear Colouring Page

Polar Bear Colouring Page

The polar bear in this polar bear colouring page looks cute, but this animal is in fact very dangerous! Print and colour, with the words underneath for reading practise.

Polar Bear Colouring Page 2

Polar Bear Colouring Page 2

This simple polar bear colouring page lends itself to being cut out and glued onto an icy, snowy background scene!

Polar Bear Finger Tracing

Polar Bear Finger Tracing

Here is a first handwriting worksheet for younger children featuring a lovely polar bear! Trace the letters with your finger and colour the picture.

Polar Bear Grid Copy

Polar Bear Grid Copy

Here's a fun way to learn how to draw a polar bear - and to practise some copying and concentrations skills at the same time! Copy the picture on the left onto the grid on the right, one square at a time.

Polar Bear Handwriting Worksheet

Polar Bear Handwriting Worksheet

Our polar bear handwriting worksheet uses four fonts that get increasingly difficult each time to help children practise letter formation. 

Polar Bear Lacing Card

Polar Bear Lacing Card

This cute polar bear lacing card is perfect for the colder weather. Follow the simple instructions, get your needle threaded and work your way around his easy outline. A great one for younger children.

Polar Bear Poster 1

Polar Bear Poster 1

Our simple illustrated poster of a polar bear is quick to print and light on the printer ink too! It works well as a cutting out project or perhaps as the cover to a polar bear study.

Polar Bear Poster 2

Polar Bear Poster 2

Here's a lovely photographic poster of a polar bear near the edge of some icy water. Print with your borderless settings for best results.

Polar Bear Story Paper

Polar Bear Story Paper

Use our polar bear story paper to write down facts about this magnificent animal, or make up a story with a polar bear as the main character. We have lined or handwriting lines to choose from. 

Polar Bear Tracing Page

Polar Bear Tracing Page

Tracing is a great way for children to practise early writing skills and our polar bear tracing page is sure to make it fun. 

Polar Bear Worksheet

Polar Bear Worksheet

This polar bear worksheet gives kids a starting point for learning about these great bears. Use the internet or library to find out the answers and fill in each section.

Polar Bear Writing Paper

Polar Bear Writing Paper

This polar bear writing paper should encourage the kids to put pen to paper - whether for a letter, or for their own polar bear story. Three versions available below.

Polar Bears Poster

Polar Bears Poster

Polar bears live in the snowy Arctic, so we often associated them with wintry, cold weather. Print out our lovely poster to use in winter and animal displays.

Polar Bears Scene Card

Polar Bears Scene Card

There's a lovely wintry feeling about this cute polar bear card, but it's a lovely card to give to a friend or relative at any time of year!  Simply print and fold - for best results use the borderless settings on your printer.

Polar Bears Scene Colouring Card

Polar Bears Scene Colouring Card

Print out this card featuring a polar bear and two adorable cubs, colour it in and fold in half. It's perfect for winter or for animal lovers any time of the year...

Polar Bears Scene Poster

Polar Bears Scene Poster

Polar bear cubs are well-known for being very cute, just like the ones on this lovely poster. Perfect as part of an animal display or for a winter theme.

Polar Bears Scene Story Paper

Polar Bears Scene Story Paper

Use our cute polar bear scene story paper for creative writing, retelling a story or perhaps as a thank you letter? We have lined or handwriting lines to choose from. 

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