Time feels... different now, doesn’t it? If you’re anything like us, you have probably found yourself wondering, “What day is it?” It pops up for us more times than we’d like to admit.
The weekdays and the weekends bleed together in totally new ways now, and it’s hard to keep track of the calendar.
But today we’re here to remind you: it’s spring! And springtime means we’re getting closer to more outdoor time—even if only in our own backyards or parkways, always maintaining the six-feet-apart social distancing rule and washing our hands for at least 20 seconds when we’re back inside.
Since the days of just sending our little ones outside to play with the neighbors are at a halt for now, today’s at home activity focuses on something you can do with your littles outside: search for animal tracks!
This guided activity lets you and your little ones tap into your Discovery Channel sensibilities. Exploring the mud (or dare we even mention it this late in the year, snow!) is a great way to pique your children’s curiosities about animals, nature, and biology. Plus, you might learn a few things along the way.
Our Animal Tracks activity below also includes a PDF guide so you can start conversations with your littles as you to compare different prints you see outside, including dogs, squirrels, birds, and more.
Animal Tracks
Goals:
Recognize tracks in snow or mud
Learn about animals who might be around your home
Children will:
Look for prints including those left by humans
Match animals to their footprints
What you’ll need:
Animal Tracks Guide printout (or pull it up on your phone)
A camera (optional)
A book about animals with a chart of footprints (optional)
How to:
Head outside to an area with snow or mud, maybe your backyard or local park if possible. Be sure to maintain the social distance standard of six feet.
Look for footprints on the ground, use the printout provided to identify what animal they belong to or take a picture and identify them at home.
Ask questions: Which direction was the animal going? Did the prints stop by a tree, what do you think happened? What animals are around? Are there prints that humans left? Which prints are bigger or smaller?
Learn more about your local animals! What food do they eat? When are they active outside? What does their poop look like?
Download a PDF of our Animal Tracks Guide companion and get exploring!