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Animal Investigations-Zoology

Goats and Sheep

1. Fainting goats

Frog and Toads (2017)

1. External anatomy

2. Life Stages

3. Toad house

Frogs and Toads

1. Identification

2. Frog songs

3. Eat or be eaten

• Bats

• Beavers

• Desert Tortoises

• Lizards

• Garter Snakes

• Awesome Snake Science

• Whose Egg is This?

• Horses

• Groundhogs or woodchucks

Ornithology (Birds)

Observing Backyard Birds

Bird Counts – trends

Bird Migrations

Shore Birds

Build a human-sized bird nest

Birds of the rainforest

• bird beaks

• feeding

• drinking

• make a bird craft

• where rainforest birds live

Activities Led by Teens

for younger siblings or students

Teens are at the age when they begin to think they have quite a bit of knowlwedge about the outside world. So it is fun for them to share their knowledge and interests. Here are a couple of animal books with fun investigations or challenges.

GIVE THEM ADEQUATE SUPPORT IN PREPARING AND PRESENTING THE PLAN- IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE IT GOES SMOOTHLY

SUPERVISE THE WHOLE PROCESS AND PRESENTATION

A Place For Turtles

MARCH 22, 2011

Our information and activities about turtles today were inspired by A Place for Turtles by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Higgins Bond, the newest picture book in the A Place For… series. In a sequence of two-page spreads, Stewart explains an environmental threat to turtles and then reveals what humans can do about it. For more details and a complete review, see out sister blog Wrapped in Foil.

(Affiliate link)

Let’s learn about turtles!

1. What is a turtle? (Identification and classification)

Turtles are reptiles, which means they are cold-blooded, have scaly skin and lay eggs. Some other reptiles are snakes, lizards, and crocodiles. Because they are “cold-blooded” they often bask in the sun to maintain their body temperature.

Turtles are known for their shells or protective outer covering. In hard shelled species, the top shell is called the carapace and the bottom shell is called the plastron.

Many species, like the one in the photograph above, are found in or near freshwater, especially in lakes and ponds.

(Photo from National Park Service)

Sea turtles, such as this Kemp’s Ridley, spend virtually all of their lives in the oceans.

Tortoises are turtles that are not associated with bodies of water. Some species can even survive in hot deserts.

To learn more about how to identify different types of turtles, try a field guide or website. For example, Discover Life has an interactive turtle identification guide. Ocean Ambassadors has an extensive page about turtle biology and how to identify sea turtles.

2.What do turtles eat?

Which of the following do at least some turtles eat?

1. Jellyfish

1. Earthworms

2. Fruit

3. Leaves of plants

4. All of the above

If you said all of the above, you are correct. Many turtles eat a variety of foods.

One exception is the desert tortoise. They do best if fed only the leaves and flowers of native plants, such as wildflowers and grasses.

3. Laying eggs

Turtles lay their eggs in nests of loose dirt or sand. Finding a suitable place to lay their eggs can be a difficult and dangerous business for turtles. When turtles lay their eggs on the land they are often vulnerable to predators not found in the water.

Why did the snapping turtle cross the road?

This snapping turtle is in danger of being hit by cars because she is crossing the road to lay her eggs in a bank along the roadside. Perhaps the warm pavement seems like a good place to incubate eggs?

In A Place for Turtles, Melissa Stewart describes how people in Alabama built a fence to keep turtles out of the road.

4. Turtles as pets?

Keeping turtles as pets is being discouraged for a number of reasons.

First of all, small turtles are likely to carry Salmonella bacteria, which can be fatal to susceptible humans.

Secondly, people who don’t realize how much work it is to keep a pet will often dump their unwanted turtles into a nearby park or natural area. This is a problem because the pet store turtles may kill local turtles or infect them with diseases, or the area might simply not be suitable for their survival.

My family recently found a tortoise that had been dumped in a park. It was so cold out that the tortoise couldn’t move. It needed to be in a safe place to prepare for its hibernation, not tossed into a park.

Did you know a desert tortoise may live to be over 100 years old? That is a long time to be responsible for a single pet!

Related Activities:

1. One great way to learn more about turtles is the build a model.

An easy craft for the youngest set is making a turtle using a paper bowl. There are instructions all over the Internet, but here is a good example at About.com. A cute variation is making a turtle using a section of egg carton at the National Wildlife Foundation.

For older children, encourage more elaborate models, like this one using Model Magic.  Create an appropriate diorama to study the habitat a particular turtle is found in.

2. Look for citizen science projects involving turtles, like this one in Arizona looking for ornate box turtles, Leatherback Watch in California, or one from the Piedmont Wildlife Center about box turtles.

3. Letter, Numbers and Books has a cute sensory activity to explore turtles laying eggs in sand for young children.

4. Learn how to draw a desert tortoise and investigate its life cycle.

In another in our series of STEM story times, let’s explore reptile-themed books, learning centers, and activities.

The Books:

To start story time, I began by reading an older picture book from my bookshelf, Lizard in the Sun by Joanne Rider and illustrated by Michael Rothman.

After talking about what reptiles are and visiting the activity stations, we finished with their choice from a pile I provided, Get to Know Gila Monsters (Get To Know Reptiles) by Flora Brett.

STEM Activity Station 1. Lizard in the Sun (Under a lamp)

Explore the concept of “cold-blooded” or ectothermic (having a internal temperature determined by-and-large by the external environment.)

Gather:

Two lizard shapes cut from black construction paper

Small desk lamp

Place one lizard shape directly under the lamp and one at least three feet away, preferably in a shaded or dark area. Have the children compare the temperature of each.

(Older children could record the temperature difference with a thermometer.)

Optional:  Added graphic of temperature vs. lizard activity on page 3 from Sonoran Desert Museum’s Leaping Lizard’s handout.

STEM Activity Station 2. Box of Reptiles (Sorting activity)

Gather:

Toy or model reptiles:  snakes, alligators, lizards, turtles

Box or bin

A few toy or model animals that are not reptiles:  mammals, birds, insects, fish, or frogs

Mix the animals in the box or bin. Prepare a sign that reads:  Some animals were put into the box of reptiles by mistake. Can you find the ones that aren’t reptiles and take them out?

STEM Activity Station 3:  Senses Learning Station

Gather:

• Images of snakes with prominent heat sensing pits (sense heat)

• Images of snakes tongues and Jacobson’s organs (smell)

• Point out the eyes (sight)

• Hearing- although reptiles don’t often have obvious ears, they can hear

Place this station near the lizard in the sun station so can compare how we detect heat with how a snake detects heat.

(I included this station because we had previously learned about human senses).

STEM Activity Station 4:  Make a macaroni snake craft (fine motor skills)

Gather:

• Chenille stems (pipecleaners)

• White glue

• Pasta shells

• Penne (red lentil for color)

• Marker

• Red craft foam cut into tongue shape (Y)

Make a loop in one end of the chenille stem to form the head. Feed the penne onto the chenille stem to cover the body. Bend the end back to hold the penne on. Add eyes to a pasta shell and slip over the head loop. Glue into place (do this after the body so it doesn’t get dislodged). Glue on the tongue. Allow glue to set before playing with the snakes.

See our previous snake craft using paper beads and a more detailed pasta version at The Pinterest Parent.

STEM Activity Station 5:  Make a reptile book

Gather:

• reptile book PDF – print out number of copies needed

• Scissors

• Markers/crayons/colored pencils to decorate

For instructions how to fold the book, visit the Making Books website or watch this video:

Note:  This project was a bit too difficult for preschoolers, but their parents seemed to enjoy it. The children will color/decorate them at home.

Mini field trip:

The center where the story time was held had a timely exhibit of snakes and lizards, so we made a mini field trip to see it.

The information about Gila monsters probably sparked the children’s interest in reading the book about them at the end of story time.

 
The exhibit included an actual shed snake skin to touch. Cool!

Pointed out the different sizes and shapes of the scales on the bottom versus the top.

This unit was a hit. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

********

Visit our Pinterest Board for more reptile STEAM ideas.

Want to read more children’s books about reptiles? Try our growing list at Science Books for Kids.

For STEM Friday we are highlighting a fantastic book for upper elementary-aged children, Amazing Amphibians: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring Frogs, Toads, Salamanders, and More by Lisa J. Amstutz (her website).

If you’ve never experienced one of the Young Naturalists series books from Chicago Review Press, you are in for a real treat. These books are designed not only for children who are independent researchers interested in a topic — in this case amphibians — but also for educators who need information and age-appropriate activity ideas for science lessons.

Lisa Amstutz’s text covers everything readers will want to know:

• What an amphibian is

• What animals belong to the different families

• Amphibian anatomy

• What amphibians eat

• Their life cycles

• Some of the threats to amphibians

• And much more!

It is also filled with amazing facts. Did you know that the North American wood frog can survive being frozen solid? How about that some amphibians can absorb water from moist soil by sitting on it because they have specially absorptive skin on their bellies? Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to drink that way?

The activities (30 of them!) will keep young scientists engaged for hours. They range from making fake frog eggs from water beads to making your yard more toad friendly.

The quality of stock photographs, however, is determined by the person curating them and in this case the photographs are the highest standard, well-matched to the text and to each other.

The back matter is a treasure trove filled with goodies such as a table of the different amphibian orders, lists of resources, and a teacher’s guide with even more ideas for activities. The activities encourage the type of hands-on learning that develops fine motor skills so useful later in life. They also reinforce learning. Let’s face it, touching a fake frog egg made out of a water bead engages more senses than simply reading about eggs on the page.

The bottom line is Amazing Amphibians is an exceptionally well organized and well written introduction to a fascinating group of animals. It is perfect for young naturalists and scientists. It is also a must-have resource for educators. Investigate a copy today!

Related Activities:

Not that a book loaded with oodles of hands-on activities needs any more, but let’s celebrate Amazing Amphibians by making a tiny book about frogs, toads, and salamanders to share with younger children.

1. Download the Tiny Amphibian Book Template (PDF) – (click on image that pops up to load).

2. Print out on white paper.

3. Fold using the instructions in the video below. Make the cut along the line shown in the photo.

4. Talk about the illustrations in the tiny book and research any questions that arise. Decorate and add information to your book to make it your own.

Please let me know if you have any problems folding it.

Older children can make a handmade scientific notebook as suggested on page 3 of Amazing Amphibians.

For more frog and toad science activity suggestions, see our previous posts:

1. Summer Sounds: Frogs and Toads

2. Frog and Toad Science Activities, includes toad anatomy and building a toad house

3. A Frog’s Life book and activities, includes link to a citizen’s science project.
   
   

STEM Activity-The Nest That Wren Built

JANUARY 8, 2021 / ROBERTA  

Today we are featuring a lovely STEM picture book that has made many of the best of 2020 lists, The Nest That Wren Built by Randi Sonenshine and illustrated by Anne Hunter.

This gently rhyming book about Carolina wrens building a nest follows the style of “The House That Jack Built.”

This is the bark, snippets of twine,
spidery rootlets, and needles of pine
that shape the nest that Wren built.

The text goes into detail about how the wrens gather materials to make the nest. Some of the ingredients are expected, like soft moss for a lining the inside. Others are very surprising, like draping a snakeskin on the outside (to ward off predators). After the nest is built, the story follows the eggs and baby birds through development.

Anne Hunter’s illustrations are a fascinating combination of whimsical and realistic. Young readers will have fun looking for little things hidden in each page.

The back matter includes a glossary and additional interesting facts about wrens.

The Nest That Wren Built will enchant nature lovers, especially budding ornithologists. Surprise yourself with a copy today.

Related STEM activities:

1. Child-sized Bird’s Nest

Let your young makers assemble their own child-sized bird nest. (This is best as an outdoor activity, although some of the materials could be used inside.)

Gather materials to create nests, using items you can recycle or compost. Here are some suggestions:

• Cardboard strips

• Hay or straw (pet supply or craft stores)

• Grapevines (craft stores)

• Shredded paper

• Fallen leaves

• Branches

Show the children some photographs of nests or the real thing if there are some nearby. Always leave the nests where you found them. Even if they are empty, birds can reuse the nesting materials.

This one fell out of a tree after a wind storm:

Talk about some of the reasons birds build nests.

• Place to raise young

• Shelter from adverse weather

• Place to rest

Now have the children build their own human-sized nest. They can work in groups. Young children may need some adult assistance. Be prepared for messy fun.

Note:  If you are working with a number of children, they may remove materials from the nests of others. Decide how you want to deal with this in advance. I told them that birds in nature really do take materials from other birds’ nests. Eventually they decided to leave one member of a group in the nest while the others went to gather supplies, just how birds sometimes handle the problem.

Make sure you have your camera ready. You will find there are many creative ways to make nests. Take pictures of your “birds” sitting in their nests.

 2. See our previous post with several nest-related STEM activities

3. Consider joining the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb 12-15, 2021. Share It Science has a free bird counting printable.

4. Want to find out more? Over at Science Books for Kids, we are building a list of children’s books about Animal Architects.

Reading age : 4 – 8 years
Publisher : Candlewick; Illustrated edition (March 10, 2020)
ISBN-10 : 1536201537
ISBN-13 : 978-1536201536

Disclosure: This book was provided by our local library. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Come visit the STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.

STEM Friday #Kidlit Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls

 What do you notice when you see the owl on the cover of the new nonfiction picture book Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls by Annette Whipple? Maybe the huge eyes? What do you think of? The sound they make? Have you ever seen an owl in real life?

The book starts out with these observations and a stirring question:

“You recognize an owl when you hear or see one, but do you really know these birds?”

From there, each double-page spread features gorgeous color photographs with text in a question and answer format. You will find out what owl’s eat, how they hunt, whether they sleep during the day, where they live, and what’s up with owl pellets. My favorite questions was whether owls can spin their heads around. Do you know the answer?

The formatting is super engaging, with eye-catching design elements and fun dialogue bubbles with cool facts. Great for visual learners.

Here at Growing With Science, we love back matter and the book does not disappoint. There’s a section on how to help owls, explanation of owl anatomy, owl pellet dissection discussion, and a glossary. The hardcover version even includes an Owl Superpowers poster, which you can see at Annette’s website.

Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls is nonfiction at its best. It will obviously appeal to young birdwatchers and nature lovers, but also to anyone interested in the world around them. Reading it will make you wiser <wink>.

Note for sensitive young readers:  Owls eat small rodents and the book contains pretty graphic photographs of that natural process. There’s also a close up of an owl pellet.

This book is part of The Truth About series. Annette tells us there’s Woof! The Truth About Dogs and another untitled book about spiders coming next year.

Related Activities:

1. Owl pellet dissection

We previously talked about owl pellets when we reviewed Melissa Stewart’s Bird-acious, a book that comes with an actual owl pellet attached to the cover (see post).

2. Write an Owl Story

Have you ever seen an owl in real life? Write a short story about what you saw and how it made you feel. Do some research and learn more about them to add details to your story. Need help? Check Annette’s website for a lesson about the writing process.

If you post your story online, please leave a link in the comments.

For example:

One snowy day while cross-country skiing at a nature preserve in South Dakota, I passed a thicket of pine trees, dark green against the wintry white. A brownish blur passed in front of my face. It was an owl, flying. The stillness of the snow, the peacefulness of the setting, the silence of the owl in flight have all stayed in my mind since that day.

Other owls we have encountered:

We sometimes see small owls called burrowing owls here in Arizona. Because they nest in animal burrows, which have become rare, conservationists have started making artificial tunnels for them to nest in.

What do you think these owls are doing?

Time to grab those binoculars and meet your bird neighbors!

Related Activities:

Looking for children’s books about birds?

1. Check out Taking Flight: a List of Children’s Books About Bird Migration at Science Books for Kids

2. The list of children’s books for young birdwatchers at Science Books for Kids

You may also want to try:

• The bird activities category here at Growing with Science

• Our For the Birds Pinterest page.

• Printable bird count sheets and activity suggestions at Share It! Science

• Visit the All About Birds guide for help with identification

Are you planning to participate in The Great Backyard Bird Count? What kinds of birds do you see in your backyard? We’d love to hear.

STEM Friday #Kidlit The Nest That Wren Built

Today we are featuring a lovely STEM picture book that has made many of the best of 2020 lists, The Nest That Wren Built by Randi Sonenshine and illustrated by Anne Hunter.

This gently rhyming book about Carolina wrens building a nest follows the style of “The House That Jack Built.”

This is the bark, snippets of twine,
spidery rootlets, and needles of pine
that shape the nest that Wren built.

The text goes into detail about how the wrens gather materials to make the nest. Some of the ingredients are expected, like soft moss for a lining the inside. Others are very surprising, like draping a snakeskin on the outside (to ward off predators). After the nest is built, the story follows the eggs and baby birds through development.

Anne Hunter’s illustrations are a fascinating combination of whimsical and realistic. Young readers will have fun looking for little things hidden in each page.

The back matter includes a glossary and additional interesting facts about wrens.

The Nest That Wren Built will enchant nature lovers, especially budding ornithologists. Surprise yourself with a copy today.

Related STEM activities:

1. Child-sized Bird’s Nest

Let your young makers assemble their own child-sized bird nest. (This is best as an outdoor activity, although some of the materials could be used inside.)

Gather materials to create nests, using items you can recycle or compost. Here are some suggestions:

• Cardboard strips

• Hay or straw (pet supply or craft stores)

• Grapevines (craft stores)

• Shredded paper

• Fallen leaves

• Branches

Show the children some photographs of nests or the real thing if there are some nearby. Always leave the nests where you found them. Even if they are empty, birds can reuse the nesting materials.

This one fell out of a tree after a wind storm:

Talk about some of the reasons birds build nests.

• Place to raise young

• Shelter from adverse weather

• Place to rest

Now have the children build their own human-sized nest. They can work in groups. Young children may need some adult assistance. Be prepared for messy fun.

Note:  If you are working with a number of children, they may remove materials from the nests of others. Decide how you want to deal with this in advance. I told them that birds in nature really do take materials from other birds’ nests. Eventually they decided to leave one member of a group in the nest while the others went to gather supplies, just how birds sometimes handle the problem.

Make sure you have your camera ready. You will find there are many creative ways to make nests. Take pictures of your “birds” sitting in their nests.

 2. See our previous post with several nest-related STEM activities

3. Consider joining the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb 12-15, 2021. Share It Science has a free bird counting printable.

4. Want to find out more? Over at Science Books for Kids, we are building a list of children’s books about Animal Architects.

Reading age : 4 – 8 years
Publisher : Candlewick; Illustrated edition (March 10, 2020)
ISBN-10 : 1536201537
ISBN-13 : 978-1536201536

Disclosure: This book was provided by our local library. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

Come visit the STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.

STEM Friday #Kidlit Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls

 
What do you notice when you see the owl on the cover of the new nonfiction picture book Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls by Annette Whipple? Maybe the huge eyes? What do you think of? The sound they make? Have you ever seen an owl in real life?

The book starts out with these observations and a stirring question:

“You recognize an owl when you hear or see one, but do you really know these birds?”

From there, each double-page spread features gorgeous color photographs with text in a question and answer format. You will find out what owl’s eat, how they hunt, whether they sleep during the day, where they live, and what’s up with owl pellets. My favorite questions was whether owls can spin their heads around. Do you know the answer?

The formatting is super engaging, with eye-catching design elements and fun dialogue bubbles with cool facts. Great for visual learners.

Here at Growing With Science, we love back matter and the book does not disappoint. There’s a section on how to help owls, explanation of owl anatomy, owl pellet dissection discussion, and a glossary. The hardcover version even includes an Owl Superpowers poster, which you can see at Annette’s website.

Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls is nonfiction at its best. It will obviously appeal to young birdwatchers and nature lovers, but also to anyone interested in the world around them. Reading it will make you wiser <wink>.

Note for sensitive young readers:  Owls eat small rodents and the book contains pretty graphic photographs of that natural process. There’s also a close up of an owl pellet.

This book is part of The Truth About series. Annette tells us there’s Woof! The Truth About Dogs and another untitled book about spiders coming next year.

Related Activities:

1. Owl pellet dissection

We previously talked about owl pellets when we reviewed Melissa Stewart’s Bird-acious, a book that comes with an actual owl pellet attached to the cover (see post).

2. Write an Owl Story

Have you ever seen an owl in real life? Write a short story about what you saw and how it made you feel. Do some research and learn more about them to add details to your story. Need help? Check Annette’s website for a lesson about the writing process.

If you post your story online, please leave a link in the comments.

For example:

One snowy day while cross-country skiing at a nature preserve in South Dakota, I passed a thicket of pine trees, dark green against the wintry white. A brownish blur passed in front of my face. It was an owl, flying. The stillness of the snow, the peacefulness of the setting, the silence of the owl in flight have all stayed in my mind since that day.

Other owls we have encountered:

We sometimes see small owls called burrowing owls here in Arizona. Because they nest in animal burrows, which have become rare, conservationists have started making artificial tunnels for them to nest in.

What do you think these owls are doing?

What about this great horned owl? I saw it in a cottonwood tree early one morning. We often hear them calling softly to each other just before dawn.

3. Interested in birds in general? Consider joining the Audubon’s 121st Christmas Bird Count which runs from Monday, December 14, 2020 through Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Details at their website.

4. Read more books about birds.

We have a growing list of excellent children’s books about birds at Science Books for Kids.

What about this great horned owl? I saw it in a cottonwood tree early one morning. We often hear them calling softly to each other just before dawn.

3. Interested in birds in general? Consider joining the Audubon’s 121st Christmas Bird Count which runs from Monday, December 14, 2020 through Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Details at their website.

4. Read more books about birds.

We have a growing list of excellent children’s books about birds at Science Books for Kids.

Reading ages : 6 – 10 years
Publisher : Reycraft Books (September 30, 2020)
ISBN-13 : 978-1478869627
ISBN-10 : 1478869623

STEM Book Based Insect Theme Activities

FEBRUARY 20, 2020 / ROBERTA / 0 COMMENTS

In another in our series of STEM story times, let’s explore insect-themed books, learning centers, and activities.

First I read Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert.

The children had a blast looking for insects in the illustrations. They were fully engaged in the story.

Check out our growing list of butterfly and moth books for more options.

After reading and discussing, they visited the STEM Stations.

STEM Activity Station 1. Insect Versus Not Insect

Prepare a sign or explain:

Insects have three body parts, six legs, and two antennae.

Gather:

• plastic insect models

• plastic spiders, scorpions, centipedes etc.  (often cheap and available at party stores around Halloween)

Have the children sort insect from non-insect.

Also presented live earthworms, sowbugs, and snails.

The living animals were a huge hit.

The rest of the stations I arranged roughly by insect order (groups).

STEM Activity Station 2. Chirp like a Cricket

Gather:

• Craft sticks

• Small plastic combs

• Eric Carle’s The Very Quiet Cricket board book (version that chirps when last page is opened)

• Photographs of crickets

• Cricket life cycle image (optional)

Crickets chirp by rubbing their wings together. Rub a craft stick across the comb to make a sound.

Although I didn’t get any for this day, live crickets are available in many pet supply stores. They are easy to care for (see previous post).

STEM Activity Station 3:  Lady Beetles

Gather:

• Lady beetle photographs and/or models

• Lady beetle anatomy diagram (available in previous post).

• Photographs of aphids

• Diagrams of lady beetle life cycles

• Model of lady beetle life cycle (optional)

STEM Activity Station 4:  Ants, Bees and Wasps

Gather:

• Photographs and illustrations of ants, bees, and wasps

• Board books

• Models of honey bee comb

• Ant life cycle diagram (Ask a Biologist)

• Honey bee life stages diagrams

STEM Activity Station 5:  Cicadas

Gather:

• Cicada exoskeletons (collect and save during summer)

• Cicada models

• Cicada life cycle diagram (Super Coloring has an amazing assortment of realistic life cycle diagrams)

• Clicker to replicate cicada buzzing
  
  

STEM Activity Station 6:  Butterfly and moth life cycles

Gather:

• Butterfly life cycle models and illustrations

• Silkworm cocoons (raised previously and saved)

• Silkworm eggs (raised previously and saved)

• Silkworm life cycle diagrams (also from Super Coloring)

Also provided assorted crafts and crayon-rubbing templates.

Note:  At this age the templates slid around too much. Consider taping them down with painter’s tape to help hold in place.

Also, fingerprint insects are fun, but I didn’t have any washable ink stamp pads at home. Need to pick up some for next time.

We finished with We Dig Worms by Kevin McCloskey, which is what the children chose.

Soon they were counting all the earthworms on each page. It was a great way to end the class.

Visit our Pinterest Board for more insect science activity and craft ideas.

Bugs and Birds
in the Air

Arthropods (Insects and Their Relatives)

Spiders:

• Tips for identifying spiders

• Spiders into Space

• Spider Webs

• All about Tarantulas

Experiments with Isopods –  pillbugs or rolypolies)

Entomology (Insects

Insects and Their Relatives Part 1

Anatomy of various arthropod groups

Insects and Their Relatives Part 2.

Outdoor science doesn’t have to be limited to spring or summer! Get 24 of the Coolest Winter Science Experiments and Activities here.

Insect Science Investigations 

Lessons in this series:

• Grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets

• Dragonflies and Damselflies    

• Beetles

• Butterflies and moths

• Ants, bees and wasps

Other lessons:

Honey Bees

1. Gardening for bees

2. Honey bees and water

3. Honey bee communication and dances

4. Bee nests

More about honey and honey bees

• swarming

• honey

• how honey bees keep warm

Make an Insect STEAM Activity: Bees

Where do insects go in the winter?

Ants

1. Ant anatomy

2. Ant pheromones

1. Ant life cycles and ant nests (at Wild About Ants)

Butterfly Science Activities

• Butterfly anatomy

• Butterfly metamorphosis

• Raising butterflies

• Making a butterfly craft

• Butterfly gardening

Butterfly Gardening with Children Week:

• Monday: The basics of butterfly gardening with children.

• Tuesday: Figure out the five Mystery Seeds that will become great butterfly garden plants. (The answers)

• Wednesday: Identifying Butterflies for Beginners (with activity suggestions)

• Thursday: Pollination and butterflies (with activity suggestions)

• Friday: Adding trees to your butterfly garden.

Crickets singing

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Ladybugs

Insect life stages (nymphs, larvae and pupae)

Wildlife in the Woods

Woodland Scavenger Hunt

Since nature has waved its green magic wand across the countryside, I've regularly headed off with ...

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The hungry fox – my sunday photo

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Nature Detectives Ponds Marshes

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On the road with kids: Adirondacks Wild Center

I was looking for a place for lunch and a break in our drive when I discovered the Adirondacks Wild ...
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45 Wet and Wild Outdoor Science Projects and Activities

The whole world is one big science classroom.

Take advantage of warm sunny days and head outside for some STEM learning. These outdoor science experiments cover a wide range of topics, from electricity to chemistry and everything in between. Most require only simple materials, so any teacher or family can give them a try!

1. Explode a DIY seed pod

Find out how some plants spread their seeds far and wide with this cool balloon experiment. Fill it with seeds along with air, then pop it outside on a breezy day and watch the seeds fly!

Learn more: Around the Kampfire

2. Send a soda geyser sky-high

This is the kind of experiment that simply has to be done outdoors. Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Soda Experiment/Scholastic

3. Compost food scraps in a bottle

Food waste is a big problem, contributing to much of the material that winds up in landfills. Teach kids how to compost with kitchen scraps in a plastic bottle, and use the compost to feed your plants.

Learn more: Busy Mommy Media

4. Grow a carbon sugar snake

This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration is sure to excite your students! You only need simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand, but the element of fire makes this experiment best done outdoors.

Learn more: KiwiCo

5. See the greenhouse effect in action

Climate change can be a contentious topic, so start by teaching kids about the greenhouse effect, which is easy to see and understand using this simple experiment. Then, urge them to explore data collected by other scientists so they can learn to make informed decisions about topics like global warming.

Learn more: Teaching Science With Lynda

6. Construct a dirt battery

This outdoor science project is similar to building a battery from a lemon, but you also get to dig in the dirt! Kids learn about electric currents and conductivity.

Learn more: Dirt Battery/Teach Beside Me

7. Test the power of sunscreen

We slather kids in sunscreen when they’re playing outside, but do they understand why? Try this fun little experiment, which demonstrates how sunscreen protects from the sun’s harmful rays.

Learn more: Sunscreen/JDaniel4’s Mom

8. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. The link below has complete instructions.

Learn more: Desert Chica

9. Forecast the weather with pinecones

Fun fact: Pinecones open and close according to the weather in order to protect or disperse the seeds inside. Use that fact to your advantage and create a pinecone weather station in your backyard.

Learn more: Pinecones/Science Sparks

10. Construct a LEGO waterwheel course

Explore the power of water with a cool homemade LEGO water course that includes a dam and a water wheel. This engineering project is fun to play with when you’re done!

Learn more: LEGO Course/Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

11. Blast off with bottle rockets

A simple adapter kit allows you to turn an empty plastic bottle into a soaring rocket! Kids learn about pressure and Newton’s third law of motion with this perennially popular outside science project.

Learn more: Bottle Rockets/Science Sparks

12. Put together a simple microscope

This DIY microscope isn’t very powerful, but it does magnify small objects so you can see details. It’s also really simple to make. (Looking for a stronger microscope you can take on the go? Try this portable model that hooks up to your cell phone.)

Learn more: Microscope/Childhood 101

13. Create nature discovery bottles

Stroll through the great outdoors and have kids collect interesting natural objects. Use recycled soda or water bottles to display their specimens.

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

14. Make sun prints

You’ll need to buy special paper for this outdoor science project, but it’s easy to find. Kids will love creating their own patterns and experimenting to find which objects work best.

Learn more: PBS For Parents

15. Assemble an anemometer

Scientists use anemometers to measure wind speed. Build this DIY version and do some weather science with your class.

Learn more: Pi’ikea Street

16. Find the best soap bubble solution

It’s easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids experiment to find the best proportion of ingredients to blow the longest-lasting bubbles with this fun outside science activity.

Learn more: Science Buddies

17. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Once you’ve blown the longest-lasting bubbles, move on to creating the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Bubbles/Scholastic

18. Launch ping pong balls with a catapult

Young kids will simply adore building this basic catapult and watching ping pong balls soar! Older kids can experiment by changing the position of the fulcrum, the length of the board, and the objects being flung.

Learn more: Catapult/Buggy and Buddy

19. Brew some elephant toothpaste

Speaking of foamy messes, elephant toothpaste (ok, it’s not really used by elephants) creates a huge exothermic reaction that will blow kids away!

Learn more: Science Bob

20. Play a game of Nature Bingo

Give your nature walk more direction by giving students specific items to seek out. You can make your own boards, or hit the link below for free printables for every season.

Learn more: Massachusetts Audubon Society

21. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected on windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.

Learn more: Inspiration Laboratories

22. Start a nature journal

Nature journals are a great way to partner writing and outdoor science, while building kids’ observational skills along the way. You can use any sturdy notebook or check out the link below for free printable journal pages and a fun DIY carry-along journal project.

Learn more: Nature Journal/Edventures With Kids

23. Make and plant DIY seed bombs

Use recycled materials to create “seed bombs.” Then plant them in the schoolyard or send kids home to use them in their own gardens. Students learn about ecology, recycling, and plant life cycles.

24. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids love to pick up rocks, and there are plenty of great science experiments you can do with them. In this one, you pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone!

Learn more: Limestone Rocks/Edventures with Kids

25. Contribute to citizen science

Use a cell phone to snap pictures of everything you find on a nature walk, then report those sightings to Project Noah. This citizen science project is dedicated to documenting every living thing on Earth! (Teachers, get ideas for using Project Noah in your classroom here.)

Learn more: Project Noah

26. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.

Learn More: NurtureStore

27. Learn about plant transpiration

This simple project demonstrates how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration. The supplies and method are simple enough for anyone to try it.

Learn more: Transpiration/Teach Beside Me

28. Swing a glass of water to learn about centripetal force

When you do this experiment right, you won’t make a mess at all. But, while kids are still getting the hang of swinging glasses of water around their heads, you’ll probably want to make this an outdoor science activity.

Learn more: Steve Spangler Science

29. Learn to identify trees

Give trees a closer look and learn to identify them by their leaves and seeds. These jars preserve the leaves and seeds for future study, too.

Learn more: Identify Trees/Edventures With Kids

30. Go on a nature scavenger hunt

Take kids outdoors to use their five senses with this free printable scavenger hunt activity. They’ll hone their observation skills and learn so much about the world around them.

Learn more: Nature Scavenger Hunt/Childhood 101

31. Help monarch butterflies

You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their population alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful bugs by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link.

Learn more: Monarch Watch

32. Count tree rings to explore dendrochronology.

Your students might know you can count tree rings to find out how old the tree is, but do they know why that’s true? Explore dendrochronology using this free printable as a guide.

Learn more: Tree Rings/Edventures with Kids

33. Seek out signs of birds

Have you ever noticed that birds can be difficult to spot, even though signs of them are all around? This free printable scavenger hunt helps you find evidence that birds live nearby. Just look for nests and food sources and listening for their sounds.

Learn more: Inspiration Labs

34. Attract birds with a DIY bird feeder

Bring all the birds to the yard with this easy recycled bird feeder project. Kids can learn to identify common backyard birds in your area. Visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s educators’ resource page for more ideas.

35. Identify birds with an app

Some birds are easy to identify, but others stump even long-time bird-watchers. Use the free Merlin Bird ID app to help you out! Snap a pic, answer a few questions, and the app will provide you some probable identifications, just like that.

Learn more: Merlin Bird ID

36. Become a human sundial

Choose a sunny day and grab some sidewalk chalk—your students are about to become sundials! They’ll practice measuring skills and learn about the movement of the sun across the sky.

Learn more: Sundial/Scholastic

37. Harness the power of the wind

Wind turbines have become common sights in some parts of the country as we explore alternative energy sources. Build your own to learn how they work with this outdoor science experiment.

Learn more: Power of Wind/Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

39. Estimate the height of a tree

Kids work in pairs to estimate the height of a tree in this project that puts the M in STEM. Get a free printable at the link below to walk you through the process.

Learn more: From ABCs to ACTs

40. Build a lightbox

Kids can entertain themselves for hours with a big empty cardboard box. Channel that energy by turning a box into a place to learn about light refraction and reflection, using colored water in plastic bottles.

Learn more: True Aim Education

41. Float a baking-soda powered boat

Here’s another experiment using the classic baking powder and vinegar reaction. This one uses it to power these cute little DIY boats! A kiddie pool is the perfect spot for this outside science project.

Learn more: The OT Toolbox

42. Conduct an egg drop

Here’s another classic science project that’s best done outdoors—the egg drop. Challenge kids to engineer a container that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).

Learn more: Egg Drop/Buggy and Buddy

43. Slide into friction science

Head out to the playground, gather up a variety of objects, and hold races to see which ones make it down the slide first. This is a fun introduction to friction and inclined planes.

Learn more: Friction Science/Buggy and Buddy

44. See water pollution in action

Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water treatment plant to expand the lesson.

Learn more: Water Pollution/JDaniel4’s Mom

45. Test your local water quality

Once you’ve “cleaned up” your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is! Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what’s in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Student water testing kits are readily available online—try this set available on Amazon.

Learn more: The Homeschool Scientist 

Earth Science STEM Investigations

• Petrified Wood

• Rocks and Minerals

• Metamorphic Rocks, Crystals and Fossils

• Growing crystals

• Exploring Soil

• Rock Around the World -get your rock identified

• Archelon and Other Fossils

Sand Experiments

1. Test sand samples with a magnet

2. Make sand

Volcanoes

Ecology

• What’s Under a Rock?- Exploring a habitat

• Green Roof

• Desert Food Webs

• Decomposition

Botany

Plant Science Investigations 

Preface: inspired by the Seed to Seed book

• Introduction:  What is a plant?

• What is a Seed?

• Seed Dispersal – and a book to accompany the lesson

• Germination of Seeds

• Plant Science in Space

• Plant Parts (roots, leaves, stems, etc.)

• Investigating Flowers

• Inside Plants (Leaf and cell anatomy)

• Chlorophyll and Other Leaf Pigments

• Plant Families I. Crop Plants

• Plant Families II. Trees

Older experiments:

Growing plants indoors

Algae

1. Make an algal collection

2. Investigate food chains

3. Investigate how humans use algae for food

4. Algae produce oils that can be used for biofuel

Mosses, Ferns, Liverworts and Horsetails: Science Activities

1. Identification

2. Searching for Spores

3. Moss habitats

• Avocados

• Carrots (scroll to bottom for a link and experiment idea.)

• Extract DNA from Strawberries and Bananas

• Pumpkin and Apple Science

• Popcorn science

• Winter Botany

• Weed Science

• Grapes and Grape Experiments

• Seed Dispersal

• Plants in Space

• Wildflowers

Trees:

Trees -botany

More tree science

1. Tree Transpiration

2. How far does the water have to travel from roots to top of the tree?

Experiments with Tree Leaves:

Leaf litter decomposition

Tree leaf age

Putting the leaves back on the trees- leaf identification

Fall leaf color chromatography

Saguaro Cactus Activities

1. Why Spines?

2. Waxy Coating

Practical Backpacking Tips for Beginners –

16 Things You Should Know Starting Out

Backpacking – You are starting to get excited about this new adventure that lies ahead. But before you go on any backcountry trip, take the advice of fellow outdoor adventurers. We asked other backpackers to share practical tips they wish they’d known before starting out. To make sure your first backpacking trip is a success, we share those tips here.

Packing up everything you need for a multi-day hike can be intimidating and overwhelming for beginners, especially if you don’t know what to expect. Take note of the tips and tricks that suit you best and add them to your own backpacking routine.

16 Practical Tips For Your First Backpacking Trip

Listen to your body – If there is one thing I wish someone had told me before my first backpacking trip, it would be to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. I didn’t learn this until after the first few hours of my hike and it could have not made a bigger difference in my comfort level.

Backpacking is physically demanding – you are carrying everything you will need on your back for 4-5 days. For beginners, look for a hike that is moderate rather than difficult so your pack can remain manageable. Get more advice here on how to perfect your hiking pace with strength exercises.

Take it easy – Take your time while backpacking in the wild. Hiking is a sport, and while you want to make it to your destination as soon as possible, rushing will only get you injured or lost. Plus it will take you places you have never been before, especially if it’s your first trip. Be prepared to see things that might be worth stopping for! If you are too focused on just getting to the campsite, you could miss them.

Research ahead of time – You should always do research your trip beforehand. That means reading about the trail and the destination, asking other adventurists about their experience, and of course, making sure that the trail is well-marked.

Start Close to Home – Until you are experienced, you should not venture too far from where you are staying. It’s best to choose easier hikes closer to home and build up your stamina.

Navigation – Bring a map and compass if you have to, especially when navigating in mountains or hard-to-read terrain. This is a must for beginners, as you never want to get lost.

Start slow – As beginning backpackers, it’s a good idea to start taking day trips and short overnights before heading into the backcountry for a longer trip. A good goal for a beginner backpacker/hiker is 5-6 miles per day. You can do this with friends or family to get used to your gear before you go out on your own.

Buddy System – Sometimes, it is better to go backpacking with someone else so that you will have company in case something happens. Two pairs of eyes are always better than one, right?

Pack it in, Pack it out – Never leave anything behind – One of the most important things about going backpacking is leaving no trace. What I mean is taking everything with you that you take down the trail with you. This means not only your own garbage but also other people’s garbage too! Try to encourage others to adhere to this rule as well.

Campfire – A campfire is a great way to spend the evenings, especially on your first backpacking trip. However, you should always be considerate of the people around you and never leave your fire unattended. Also, check with the park ranger about any specific rules for fires in that area.

Come Prepared – The old saying goes, “It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it”. Bring the 15 backpacking essentials in case anything happens. This includes things like water purifiers, first aid kit, sunscreen, flashlights/headlamp, etc. Always test your equipment before going backpacking.

Be Weather Aware – Don’t forget your rain jacket! Even if the forecast doesn’t call for rain, it is always a good idea to bring one. You never know when things might change and you will be much more comfortable in wet conditions than in hot conditions. Before leaving on your trip, check the weather along the route. This should be a priority so you can pack accordingly.

Pack only what you need – First of all, leave the kitchen sink at home! You don’t need everything in your house to go backpacking. Only pack items that are essential for you and your trip. Try to include lightweight versions of those things as well if it’s not too extreme.

Bring Toilet Paper – A small amount of toilet paper is always better than not bringing any at all! You never know when you might need it, so just bring some in your backpack.

Bear Country – It’s important that you listen carefully to what people living in bear country tell you about where and how to hike safely. Most of these areas require hikers to carry bear spray, which you can learn how to use with the right training.

Practice, Practice, Practice – One last thing. Practice with all pieces of gear at home before taking them on the trail. When deciding what pieces of gear you’ll actually bring, opt for lightweight items that still allow you to remain comfortable. For example, instead of bringing a bulky camping chair that weighs several ounces, bring a lightweight tarp that will provide the same comfort under your rear end while remaining just as portable.

Ready, Set, Go! – Once you have all your things packed and ready to go, it’s time to go hiking! Make sure to take a deep breath, relax and enjoy the view. Don’t forget your camera; we’re making memories here! Now let’s go exploring!

I hope you found these backpacking tips for beginners helpful. Do you have any additional advice for someone getting ready for their hike multi-day trip? Share it in the comments below if you do.

Activities For The Trail

Get to know a tree  

Trees with huge trunks sometime have huge holes, making them great for exploring. We even have hollow trees at a few of our places, perfect for adventurers. Watch out for insects and wildlife though - lots of things like to live in the holes of trees, so you might end up sharing.

Discover wild animal clues  

There are different things that you can look for when on the trail of an animal or bird. Keep an eye out for footprints, feathers, fur and poo and you might find something sooner than you think.

Make friends with a bug  

Are you brave enough to hold a mini beast? Perhaps a spider, worm, woodlice or a beetle? If you are, then you'll have ticked off another challenge off your list. Remember that you're a giant compared to the creature, so be gentle, and put it back in its home once you've held it.

Catch a crab  

To become a champion crabber you’ll need a net, some bait and a bucket of water. See if you can catch the most commonly found variety known as the shore crab, or try and spot the more elusive spider crab. Just remember to put anything you catch back where you found it afterwards. Crabs have busy lives too, you know.

Go on a nature walk at night  

If you can stay awake when it's dark then it's the perfect time to spot (and listen to) creatures that only come out at night. Take a torch but only use it if you really need to as animals can see much better than you in the dark. Pipistrelle bats roost in holes in old trees and feed at night

Watch a bird  

If you can find somewhere quiet to sit, watch and wait for birds then you'll be spotting them before you know it. Make sure you don't frighten them off, birds get spooked pretty easily.

Look Under a Log

Search for a microhabitat.

Spot a Snag

A snag is a dead tree that is still standing. Of course, a tree does many good things when it is alive. But after it dies, it can be just as important for wildlife.

by Kate Hofmann; Art by Debbie Palen

Here are some animals that don’t think snags are a drag at all:

• Tree squirrels, flying squirrels, and raccoons that make cozy nests inside hollow parts of the tree.

• Bats that rest underneath the loose bark.

• Butterflies, moths, treefrogs, and other small animals that hide in holes and under bark.

• Beetles and other insects that tunnel into the soft, rotting wood to lay their eggs.

• Woodpeckers that eat the insects and carve out holes for their nests.

• Birds such as owls, wrens, bluebirds, and wood ducks that move into woodpeckers’ holes after they move out.

• Eagles, ospreys, herons, and owls that build nests atop snags.

• Flycatchers, kingfishers, and birds of prey that use snags as perches and look-outs when hunting.

SPOT A SNAG!
Next time you’re in a forest, in a field, or near water, keep an eye out for snags. Use the checklist below to describe what you discover about each.

• Animals using the snag: What kinds do you see? How are they using it?

• State of the snag: Is it sturdy, or do you think it will soon fall?

• Fallen logs: These may have been snags once. Look on, in, and under the log for more animals.

• New trees: Tree seeds sprout, take root, and grow in the rich soil formed when logs rot away.

Snags may be dead, but don’t be fooled—they are full of life!

Geocaching—Trending across the USA 

An Outdoor Treasure Hunt
That Anyone Can Try Anytime

By Christen Smith on Jun. 15, 2020

Hiking any trails is fun to do in any season, but if you’re looking to add a new twist to your next adventure, consider Geocaching. Remember to adhere to social distancing guidelines when you head out!

Simply put, geocaching is a treasure hunt. It’s the activity of hunting for, and finding, a hidden object by using GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates that are posted on the Geocaching website. The game is completely free, and you can download the Geocaching app to most smart phones, or you can purchase a hand-held GPS device to help you find hidden geocaches. Once you have the app or a GPS device, you can start finding hidden geocaches anywhere around the world!

My husband and I – we call ourselves Chapin Street Couple – have found over 900 geocaches, so we consider ourselves pretty darn good at geocaching. The first step to becoming a geocacher – or “cacher” as the pros call themselves – is to go to the Geocaching website, register yourself and pick a screen name.

HERE ARE A FEW MORE TIPS ANY NEW CACHER
SHOULD KNOW:

Use Your Senses
Your hand-held device will get you close to a hidden geocache, but when you get within
5 feet or so, put down your phone or GPS, and use your eyes and mind to carefully look
for the hidden cache. It’s an amazing feeling to come actually discover a cache!

Bring a Pen
Nearly every geocache has some sort of “log” book inside, so you’ll want to bring along
a pen so you can sign it. You’ll date the log as well – it’s proof you found it, and tells the
geocaching world you were there!

Write Great Online Logs
After you sign the log book inside the geocache, you still need to sign the log online
at the Geocaching website. We tend to do it as soon as we make a find so we don’t
forget! Geocache owners and other geocachers love to read about your experience,
so take a minute to write something unique to your adventure.

​                                            

Move “Trackables” Along
A “trackable” is a piece that moves from geocache to geocache. If you find one, don’t
hang onto it. Keep it moving! Trackables have a code on them that you can record
online so the owner can identify where the piece is at it moves from cache to cache.
The item becomes a “hitchhiker” of sorts that is carried from cache to cache (or person
to person) in the real world and you can follow its progress online.

Swag Items Can be Swapped
“Swag” items are little toys or trinkets that are in a geocache that can be swapped
and traded. They don’t have any sort of trackable code on them, so if you see
something you like, go ahead and take it. But a good geocacher usually has something
to leave behind in its place.

Cache In Trash Out
Be kind to the environment, and make sure to Cache In Trash Out (CITO) when you
geocache. In other words, pick up litter along the way and don’t leave anything behind.

Beware of “Muggles”
“Muggle” is the term for a non-geocacher. “Muggled” usually refers to the discovery
of a geocache by a nongeocacher, and it means it was dismantled or destroyed by an
unsuspecting non-player. Those who are geocaching want to “tread lightly” around
muggles and use stealth when looking for a cache in a high muggle area.

Put the Geocache Back Where You Found It
You want the next geocacher to have the same great experience you had, so make
sure you put the geocache back where and how you found it. The geocache owner
placed that geocache there at a specific location for a reason, so you want to make
sure you respect that.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be sure to have lots of fun, and you’ll probably even meet great people along the way.

One more tip… a few things to keep on hand when you head out for your first adventure:

GPS unit and extra batteries (or a fully charged smart phone)

• Swag for trading

• Pens

• Water and snacks

• Flashlight

• Sunscreen

• Bug repellent

• Rain poncho

• First aid kit

identifying animal clues:

Animal Tracking for Kids  

Identifying Animal Tracks

A Pro Offers Tips on Reading Winter Tracks

Reading Animal Scat  

Where the Wild Things Are

Wild Rivers

Rivers are an important part of the water cycle and act as drainage channels for the Earth’s land surface. They also carry water and nutrients, providing food and drink for animals. While for us, they additionally provide transportation routes for exploration and recreation. All this makes them prime learning resources for kids. Contrast these learning activities to those about the oceans of the world to further the understanding!

10 ACTIVITIES FOR WILD RIVERS AND LAKES

We know the importance of lakes and rivers to our planet, meaning it is crucial we take care of them. Through hands on activities, kids will develop a care and concern for our bodies of water.

Pan for gold! Head out to a river with an old mesh strainer and see what you can find in the water. Discuss the gold rush and how miners discovered fortune in the rivers.

 Map out some of the world’s largest rivers. Discuss with your kids where some of the largest rivers on Earth are, and how they contribute to the water cycle.

 Make a homemade boat. This is a fun way to talk about how rivers have played an important role in commerce and transportation for us over time.

 Compare salt water and fresh water through an experiment where kids can learn about the density of salt vs. fresh water. Lakes and rivers provide us with a fresh water source, and it is so important to preserve this.

Make a waterscope from recycled materials.  (Or purchase one on Amazon) It provides kids with the chance to look underwater.

Learn about frogs! Catch a Frog for observation then teach your kids about the frog life cycle and the species of frogs found in fresh water all over the world.

 Kids will develop a love and concern for protecting our fresh water sources through crafts, hands on games and fun learning.

Kids Easily Learn to Canoe or Kayak - Hand them a Paddle!

We have three boys and a river in our backyard. We can tell you that kayaking is an enjoyable and affordable adventure sport. 
Getting started is very simple.    

With the right kayak for their age, kids can learn to maneuver a kayak in just a few minutes.  It is ridiculously easy for them to figure it out.  The new sit-on-top kayaks are even easy enough for a five-year-old to use.  You don't have to be an experienced kayaker yourself to get your kids into kayaking either. 

With the confidence of the right life jacket, choosing appropriate calm water, a day with good weather (including no wind) and the right beginner kayak, your kid will be paddling away faster than you can keep up. 

 We were a family with a canoe and multiple stand-up paddle boards the first time we put our 9-year-old and 8-year-old on a sit-on-top kayak.  After about sixty second of "How do I steer this thing?!" and a few basic lines of instruction from us they were off looking for turtles and have never looked back.

How old does my kid need to be to start kayaking?

I am not exaggerating that a 5-year-old is old enough for their first kayak.  Here is a great video of a five-year-old trying a sit-on-top kayak for the first time.  

I'm sure there are some 4-year-olds who would also be ready,  but the suggested age on the smallest sit-on-top kayak we purchased said "5 and up" so I'm going to stick with that as the technical answer.  However, our 3-year-old takes a ride on the back of that kayak as well with his older brothers who are both under the age of ten.  Neighbor kids and friends have been on the kayaks with us, and they range from 5 to 11 years old.  None of them had ever kayaked before, and they all picked it up very quickly.  

How will kayaking help my kid?

It has been so beneficial for mine.  Just for starters, it gets them out of the house, and I think that is a considerable benefit already.  It builds strength and endurance.  It gets kids out exploring in nature.  And my favorite reason of all is that kayaking gives kids independence and adventure.  

We live on a mill pond off of a calm river.  There are houses on one side of the river, a nature area on the other, a park at the end of the pond (about a half mile away) and even a small nature preserve island to explore in the middle (as you can see, it would have been ridiculous if we had not bought our kids kayaks).

Our kids explore up and down the sides of the riverbank.  They are looking for turtles and frogs.  They have life jackets on.  I am somewhere within visual distance of them on my paddle board while my husband and toddler are in the canoe having their own scenic adventure together.  The two older boys get to be "on their own" in their kayaks. 

For years they sat in the canoe with us, and it was fun, but NOTHING like what happened when we put them in a kayak and let them loose.  We gave them something a thousand times more valuable than the canoe ride: the ability to explore on their own. 

Freedom to explore is something that most of us were able to do as kids depending on which part of the country we grew up in, but it is rare (threatening extinction even) for most kids today. 

A little autonomy is worth a million dollars in a child's development in my opinion.  It gives them confidence and teaches them perseverance.   

Is kayaking safe for kids?

Yes, kayaking is safe for kids as long as they have the right kind of life jacket on (and you do too) and you go to an appropriate body of water (calm - think pond, marsh, calm river, or small lake) on a day that has suitable weather.  You should be within a safe distance of your kids as they learn.  Bring plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, and a whistle your child can blow if they need your help. (To read a post I wrote about which type of life jacket is best for your new kayaker, click here.) 

The kayak we started with is literally unsinkable, which gave me (and my kids) a lot of confidence to go for it.  The sit-on-top kayaks can't get water inside them or sink.  My kids love to hop off into the water and swim around and then climb back onto their kayaks - that's how stable they are.    

Of course, anything can be unsafe if we put kids (or ourselves) in situations above our experience level.  Your kids should be on calm waters, with life jackets on, and should go out in good weather (avoid windy days when they are first getting started).  You should avoid going very far on the first few outings until you know how much they can handle.  Take it slow.  They are beginners, so don't do anything questionable.  Keep it simple and make it fun. 

Our little pond has provided us with hundreds of hours of outside time exploring.  When starting out with very young kids, stay away from rivers with a strong current, open ocean, and large lakes (think whitecaps). 

On our lazy river mill pond, I have found kayaking with my kids to be extremely safe, even for my 3-year-old (who occasionally enjoys catching a ride with his brothers).   

Interestingly, where we live (busy, narrow, winding Connecticut roads with low visibility), I feel much safer letting my kids kayak all over our pond then I do having them go out riding on their bikes.  There is such a peaceful feeling when we are out on the water, and everything is calm and slow moving. 

Even though my kids are far from ready for more advanced kayaking at this point, I feel that this young start on calm waters is a hugely valuable, just-right adventure for them for their ages and abilities. 

Do kayaks tip over easily?

Sit-on-top kayaks are difficult to tip over.  You are not able to sink one even if you tried. 

Sit-inside kayaks are also much more stable than you would imagine because you are sitting so low it also makes your center of gravity very low also (but yes, it is possible to tip a sit-inside kayak over). 

In a canoe, you sit higher up on a seat, or you kneel, but with a kayak, you are sitting in the bottom of the kayak.  Unless you take your kids whitewater kayaking (which you are not going to right now!), it is unlikely your kids will tip over on calm waters unless they are trying very hard to. 

With a sit-on-top kayak, even if your kids fall into the water (or jump in the water), they will have a life jacket on, and it will all be part of the fun.  On calm waters, kids can have a lot of freedom to just have fun without any unnecessary stress. 

Getting thoroughly wet is often part of the fun on a hot day out on the water, but it is also optional when kayaking.  With a sit-inside kayak, you can stay completely dry generally, while you will get a bit wet paddling a sit-on-top kayak.

What are the basics I need to buy to get my kid started kayaking?

A kayak, a paddle, and a life jacket. 

We ordered our first kid kayak from Amazon (it included a paddle) and came a few days later.  You should have seen the look on their faces when the kids came home from school and saw the kayak leaning against the front door!  Many kid kayaks come with a paddle, otherwise, yes you would need to purchase a paddle too.  There are more fun accessories you can look into later, but for now, a kayak, a paddle, and a life jacket are all you need to begin!

*** In-Depth Overview of What Kids can do on a Kayak at each age**

10-Year-Old Kayaking Overview

Teens (read in-depth overview at top about Teens)
Teens - Read Your Teens First Kayak Paddle

Pedal Kayaking

If you enjoy spending time in a kayak but feel like all the paddling is draining too much energy, perhaps it’s time to get a pedal kayak. By allowing you to use your feet, a pedal kayak will give your arms a rest and keep them free for other things like taking photos or holding fishing rods.

We’ll review the absolute best pedal kayaks on the market, perfect for any activity from fishing to exploring the seashore. Getting one of these will change the way you look at kayaking, making you fall in love with the water even more.

Things to look for in a pedal kayak