Hunting for Animal Homes

Go on a hunt with your child for animal homes. (This hunt will have a different flavor depending on whether you are walking in a rural or urban setting.)

People-made structures, like dog and bird houses, may be the easiest to spot. Animal-made homes, like nests in trees, dens underground or in tree trunks, or anthills, may be more challenging to find.

Look for signs of animals and animal movements to give you clues.

Do you see birds flying in and out of a particular tree? Do you see a squirrel or chipmunk scurrying in a certain direction? Do you see lots of ants on the sidewalk or on a bare spot in the grass?

When you find a home, talk with your child about what kind of animal lives there and why it makes a good home for that particular animal.