Insects, spiders, worms and other tiny critters are marvelous things, and they can help us inspire wonder, joy and curiosity. Their tiny scale and huge numbers, the ways they move, the shapes and textures of their bodies, their colors, and more make them fascinating to people of all ages. And once you learn how to look for tiny friends, you’ll start to find them everywhere. Critters can be found in all parts of the world, under ground, in the sky, inside our homes and outside. Here’s our guide to searching for critters to empower your child to be a curious explorer of tiny friends:
The Guide
Step 1: Gather a few tools.
All you need for a critter hunt is a sense of curiosity, focus and a sprinkle of determination and patience. To support critter hunting, you can also offer kids a stick, a small container with water, clear container for catching and looking at critters up close and a magnifying glass.
To add an element of pretending to your critter hunt, discover with kids a note from tiny friends, inviting kids to find them.
Step 2: Search for critters.
Head outside to discover which tiny friends are hiding in your outdoor spaces. You can also use our printable tiny friend scavenger card to document your findings. Here are some of the places where tiny critters are most commonly found:
Look under STONES: A large variety of insects can be found under rocks including beetles, ants, termites, and crickets.
Look under LOOSE BARK and ROTTEN WOOD: Gently peel back loose bark on logs and trees to find a variety of beetles, ants and sometimes moths and bees. Kids can use a stick to chip away at rotten wood to see what they can find.
Tear up and examine SHELF FUNGI AND MUSHROOMS: Shelf fungus can often be found on fallen trees. Break open mushrooms to uncover the critters feeding on the fungus (you can offer a stick or tweezers for this and remind kids to wash hands well after touching mushrooms).
Search the WINDOW OR SCREEN: The windows and sills of our homes are often places where many types of flies, moths and beetles can be found.
Examine FLOWERS: Many critters are attracted to flowers, including bees, butterflies and dragonflies.
Dig UNDER THE GROUND: Grubs and worms can often be uncovered with just a bit of digging. If the ground is dry, kids can use a stick to dig up a bit of the surface dirt, sprinkle a bit of water and repeat, mixing the water into the dirt. Wait about 10 minutes and you should start to see worms poking up to the surface.
Search in WET, DAMP AND DARK SPACES: Moisture attracts many types of insects, which, in turn, attract spiders looking for prey to catch in their webs. Small, darker spaces also provide good hiding spots for spiders.
If tiny friends are hard to find in your outdoor space, you can also hide these printable tiny friends for kids to discover.
Step 3: Observe tiny critters.
Invite kids to get down on their bellies or up close to the tiny critters they discover for a better look. You can also support kids with carefully scooping a tiny friend up into a clear container to observe (just be sure to return them to their homes when finished). If you have a magnifying glass handy, offer this super tool for your child to explore. Notice together how the tiny critter moves and invite your child to try moving in the same way. What body parts does the critter have? What colors and shapes does your child see? What kind of food or habitat might this critter need? Big kids can document their discoveries by drawing each critter they find on their hunt.
Step 4: Learn about your critters.
Use a tool like this one to identify the critters you discover. You can search by critter type, location, color and other characteristics. Or, kids can invent their own names for the tiny friends they discover. Ask kids to describe the critter and then decide on a name that suits its qualities. Spend some time observing the movements and actions of the tiny friend. What are its superpowers?
Step 5: Play like critters.
A critter hunt is a great jumping off point for imaginative play. Try some of these critter-themed DIY activities:
It is rare that young kids stay in one spot for long. But, the successful search for tiny critters helps kids develop their ability to focus and exercise self control as well as hone their observation skills. Kids must be persistent and patient as they dig and wait for small friends to appear. As kids search for and learn about tiny critters, they also nurture their curiosity and connection to the natural world and develop empathy for the small creatures they share their space with.
Curiosity means the ability and habit to apply a sense of wonder and a desire to learn more. Curious people try new things, ask questions, search for answers, relish new information, and make connections, all while actively experiencing and making sense of the world. To us, curiosity is a child’s ticket to engaging fully in learning and, ultimately, in life.
Why does it matter?
As a parent, this skill is, perhaps, the easiest to grasp and has the clearest connection to a young children’s learning. We all want my children to wonder, explore and drive their own learning and, better yet, to experience the world fully. Most teachers would agree that the curious children so often seem more attentive, involved and naturally get the most out of time in school. Even the research suggests that being curious is a driver of higher performance throughout one's life, as much if not more than IQ or test scores.
Focus & Self Control
Category:
Thinking Skills
What is Focus and Self Control?
We think of self control as a child’s ability to focus on something in such a way that maximizes learning. In order to do that, they first need to direct their attention and focus on a single thing. They also need to discern which information around them is most important and deserving of their attention. Thirdly, they need something called “inhibition.” Think of inhibition as the ability to control impulses, block out distractions and continue attending to the same thing. Focus, discerning and inhibition all require rather fancy brain work and are thought to be part of the “executive functions” or the set of cognitive processes involving the prefrontal cortex that help us manage ourselves and the environment to achieve a goal.
Why does it matter?
Our world is full of distractions, more today than ever. Kids who are in any learning situation need the ability to control their impulses, block out noise and attend to the person, objects, events, or discussions that are central to learning. As classroom teachers, we saw that kids who did this ruled the classroom. As outdoor educators and parents, we know the same holds true outside of school.
But don’t take our word for it; the research is impressive. It turns out that these executive function skills are closely tied to success in the classroom, higher level education and life beyond school. Experts like Adele Diamond of the University of British Columbia have shown that, “If you look at what predicts how well children will do later in school, more and more evidence is showing that executive functions—working memory and inhibition—actually predict success better than IQ tests.” Although these skills are difficult for young children and don’t crystallize until adulthood, the more kids practice them, the better at them kids become.
Age: 0 to 8+
Time: 1 hour+
Materials: clear container, water, stick, (optional) magnifying glass
