With physical distancing keeping families at home, family time is more important than ever!
The BC Wildlife Federation is here to help families of member and non-members alike to navigate these times. Here you will find resources and activities that you can give your kids to do on their own or do together as a family.
We update this web page WEEKLY. If you are looking of our previously featured content, they can be found at bottom of the page.
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The American Pika is an animal in the Lagomorpha family and is related to rabbits. These creatures live in rocky, isolated, mountainous areas up to 3000 metres in elevation! They eat any vegetation they can find. American Pikas live in colonies and communicate with cute squeaks and scent markings.
Make a DIY print using the power of sunlight!
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Journal Prompt: What is a natural place you wish you could visit? Why do you want to go there? What would you do?
Animal of the Week: American Pika
The American Pika is an animal in the Lagomorpha family, and is related to rabbits. These creatures lives in rocky, isolated, mountainous areas up to 3000 metres in elevation! They eat any vegetation they can find. American Pikas live in colonies and communicate with cute squeaks and scent markings.
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Make a DIY print using the power of sunlight!
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Sea Otters Return to BC: Learn about how sea otters are radically changing BC ecosystems after being absent for 50 years. Click here for the link.
10 Backyard Camping Ideas: Enjoy the fun and adventure of camping at home! Click here for more information!
Journal Prompt: What was your favorite outdoor adventure? It could be a hike, a trip, or exploring your own backyard!
Animal of the Week: White Sturgeon
The White Sturgeon is a type of fish found in North America that is one of the largest and longest-lived freshwater fish. They have been found to be over six metres long, and some can live to be 100 years old! In Canada, White Sturgeon are unique to British Columbia. Currently, they are classified as a species at risk.
At-Home Activity:
Grow fresh herbs and leafy greens at home!
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Scientists Discover Penguin Colonies from Space: Learn about how scientists used satellites to discover new penguin colonies in Antarctica. Click here for the link.
Painting With Nature: Use natural items from the outdoors to create pieces of art! Click here for more information!
Journal Prompt: Write about your favorite animal. Why is it your favorite? What does it eat? What does it look like?
Animal of the Week: Black Bear
Black bears are one of the three types of bears native to North America. These bears are extremely skilled climbers and have long, retractable claws that help them scale trees and terrain. Black bears have a varied diet and will eat almost anything- from berries and nuts, to insects like ants, to small mammals and birds.
At-Home Activity
Build leadership skills with this socially-distanced team-building game!
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Video Demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_wu4EuUYC8
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Virtual Outdoor Exploration: Metrovancouver’s “Nature Break” has videos of the outdoors that will immerse you in wilderness spaces. Click here for the link.
Spiral Bee Combs: Learn about new research that explains why one type of Australian Bee constructs spiral combs. Click here for more information!
Journal Prompt: What is your favorite season, and why?
Animal of the Week: Red-Winged Blackbird
The Red-Winged Blackbird lives in saltwater marshes and watercourse areas, as well as in fields and meadows. The males have an unmistakable red and yellow shoulder badges, which they use to attract the female birds. Male Red-Winged Blackbirds are known to do anything for the attention of females, from sitting on high perches to belting out their unique song.
At-Home Activity: Light Bug Trap
Catch bugs with light!
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Nature Craft Ideas: A list of fun and easy craft ideas using supplies you can find at home and in nature. Click here for the link.
#RecreateResponsibly: Learn how to safely enjoy outdoor spaces during COVID-19, and how to responsibly and equitably participate in recreation. Click here for more information!
Journal Prompt: What is your favorite time of day to be outside, and why?
Animal of the Week: White-Tailed Deer
The White-tailed Deer is one of the most common large mammals in North America. They can be found in meadows and forests as they forage for green plants, nuts, and wood vegetation. The deer’s unique white tail is used as a signal to warn its fawn and other deer of predators. The animals are also skilled jumpers, and can make horizontal jumps over nine metres long!
At-Home Activity: Recycled Bird Feeder
Attract birds to your backyard!
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Learn How Plants Absorb Water: A simple celery experiment to show kids capillary action in plants. Click here for the link.
Spot Whales in BC: Find out the best places in BC to spot whales, and the times of the year to see them. Click here for more information!
Journal Prompt: What does summer look like, feel like, and sound like?
Animal of the Week: Garter Snake
Garter Snakes are a type of snake that is found all across Canada. They can live in any environment except for water, so you may find these creatures in marshes, fields, forests, and more. These snakes hibernate in burrows, holes, and under rocks for almost six months a year, and only emerge in the Spring. Female Garter Snakes can have up to 80 baby snakes in a single litter!
At-Home Activity: Time Capsule
Make a capsule for your future self!
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Aquatic Learning at Home: Ever wanted to learn more about marine biology? Monterey Bay Aquarium has several online courses and activities for youth of all ages. Click here for the article!
Edible Plants for Play and Learning: Learn the importance of edible landscaping for youth! Click here for more information!
Journal Prompt: What can we do to better protect our natural world?
Animal of the Week: Red Squirrel
Red squirrels are one of the native squirrel species in British Columbia. They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, berries, and leaves, which they gather and store for later. Their food-gathering habits help spread plant seeds so new plants can grow and thrive. These creatures are skillful foragers, and are even known to hang fungi over tree branches in the fall to dry so their food lasts longer in the winter!
At-Home Activity: 5-Day Sprouts
Grow bean sprouts with supplies you have in your kitchen!
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Indoor and Outdoor Scavenger Hunt: Inside out fun! Check out this scavenger hunt that will lead you to find interesting things both in and out of your home. Click here for the article!
Learn about Soil Erosion with this Experiment: Understand the importance of vegetation covering soil with this hands-on science experiment! Click here to learn more!
Journal Prompt: What’s the first feeling you express when you enter nature?
Animal of the Week: Burrowing Owl
These animals are known to nest in underground burrows that are decorated with droppings of their favorite prey such as deer or cattle. This attracts dung beetles which the owl can eat and also hides the owl’s smell from nearby predators. These creatures can be found in the Okanagan area and Kamloops but are listed as one of the three endangered animals under the BC Wildlife Act.
At-Home Activity: Mason Jar Lantern
Create a beautiful and colourful lantern at home!
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Burrowing owl conservation: Learn more about what is currently being done to save the burrowing owl population in BC. Click here for the article!
De-stress with nature’s spa remedies: Find ways you can relax and feel more replenished with hydrotherapy, meditation, sound and solar therapy, and more in this article! Click here to learn about nature’s free spa!
Journal Prompt: What can we do to better protect nature?
Animal of the Week: Raccoons
Raccoons are found throughout Southern and Coastal BC. They are easy to identify thanks to their black mask and ringed tail. Raccoons live for about 3-5 years in the wild. They are omnivores who will eat just about anything! Fun fact: baby raccoons are called kits!
At Home Activity: Shoe Box Habitat
Imagine you need to make an animal habitat, what would it need to include?
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Be prepared for bears! Getting out into nature can be really exciting, but it is also important to be prepared for wildlife encounters with animals like bears so that we can better protect ourselves and them!
https://www.hellobc.com/stories/essential-things-to-know-before-entering-bc-bear-country/?source=igodigital
Our connection to nature matters! Watch Nixiwaka Yawanawa’s TED talk on connection to nature!
Journal prompt: What kind of story do you see in the clouds today?
Animal of the week: Bald Eagle
Bald eagles are birds of prey with excellent long-distance vision! They are able to see 8 times further than humans can see – they can see a rabbit running from almost 3km away! They live all across North America, but the majority of the population live in BC and Alaska. They eat fish, small mammals (squirrels, prairie dogs), and carrion (a fancy word for a dead or decaying animal carcass). In the wild, most eagles can live for up to 25 years.
At home activity: Cloud in a Jar
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Curious about clouds now? Want to know if you are in for a thunderstorm or not? Learn about the different kinds of clouds from PBS Learning Media – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pV4hcZgklE
Sometimes nature leaves us speechless, sometimes nature gives us all the words in the world. Take a look at these kid friendly poems inspired by nature, maybe you can be inspired to create a poem of your own! https://www.treehugger.com/family/celebrate-national-poetry-day-reading-nature-poems-children.html
Journal prompt: You’ve just discovered a new species of sea creature! What does it look like? Where does it live? How does it interact with the other living things?
Animal of the week: Killer Whales
These majestic sea creatures can be found just off the coast of British Columbia. There are three distinct groups in these waters: Resident, Bigg’s, and Offshore Killer Wales. They each have different social groups, even though they share the same habitat. Resident Killer Whales feed on fish and cephalopods (octopus family), and the Bigg’s Killer Whales eat larger marine animals, such as seals. Offshore Killer Whales eat mainly fish but have been know to eat sharks too!
At home activity: Sink or Float?
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World Oceans Day is June 8th! Have a passion for art? Are you between 11-18 years old? Submit an art piece to the 2020 Oceans Awareness Contest! Contest closes June 15 – read more about it here: https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/overview/
Check out some bubbly jellyfish action at the Vancouver Aquarium! You can see how their jellyfish are doing through their live cam at https://www.vanaqua.org/visit/live-cams-jelly-cam
Journal prompt: Why do you choose to be outside?
Animal of the week: Townsend’s chipmunk
The Townsend’s chipmunk is part of the squirrel family and is found in coniferous forests in the southwestern region of BC. They are great climbers and seek out trees or burrows to hide from their predators. The colour of their fur blends in with the environment which also helps them camouflage from predators. During cold winters, they tend to hibernate but in more milder winters, they can survive without hibernation. Next time you are on a hike, keep an eye out for these rodents!
At Home Activity: Forest frame
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BC Wildlife Watching: Get your camera ready to spot popular creatures around BC that start to emerge during the spring and summer months. HelloBC’s article will give you the inside scoop on where to find the best sightings. https://www.hellobc.com/stories/bc-wildlife-watching-what-to-see-in-spring-and-summer/
Tie your own knots: From bow lines to clove hitches, learn how to tie knots from the comfort of your home. This skill can come in handy when camping and boating and also improves hand-eye coordination. https://sites.google.com/wildernessinquiry.org/allaboutknots/tie-your-own
Journal prompt: What parts of your natural surroundings do you find soothing?
Animal of the week: Steller’s Jay
These birds are very common around BC’s conifer and pine-oak forests. When building their nests, they use mud to glue little pieces of tiny sticks together and place them 6 to 30 feet high in trees. They are also quite bold and clever creatures and are known to be habitual nest-robbers, similar to other jay species.
At home activity: Bird feeders
What you need:
– Empty toilet paper roll
– 2 small sticks or straws
– Peanut butter
– Bird food
– String
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How will Coronavirus change the environment? Carbon emissions have dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the real question is will it last? Watch the video from BBC below to find out more. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200422-how-has-coronavirus-helped-the-environment
Identify dangerous plants! Become familiar with spotting dangerous plants like poison ivy and giant hogweed through MEC’s website. Teach your kids how to stay safe when exploring nature.
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Journal prompt: What will your yard look like in 5 years?
Animal of the week: Western Painted turtle
The Western Painted Turtle is BC’s only native freshwater turtle! They live in BC’s wetlands and can live for 20-30 years. There are fewer than 250 adult western painted turtles in the Pacific Coast population. Fun fact: BC’s western painted turtles grow faster and larger than others of the same species.
At Home Activity: Leaf Rubbings
Nature is full of colour! But have you noticed the shapes and textures? Leaf rubbings are a great way to observe and compare some of the texture in nature!
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Journal Prompt: What is your favourite season? Why?
Animal of the week: Mule Deer
There are three subspecies of mule deer in BC! They live throughout most of the province and can sometimes be recognized by their white tail with black hair at the tip. The Rocky Mountain Mule deer migrate between summer and winter habitats, this trip can be as far as 120km!
At Home Activity: DIY Puzzle
Here is an easy way to use what we have around the house and create something fun for the whole family!
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List of Birds Local to the Greater Vancouver Area – Vancouver Bird Week
Journal Prompt: What does nature mean to you?
Featured Animal: Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Herons are up to a metre tall and can have wingspans that stretch over 1.5 metres! They live in wetlands along the coast and southern interior. Fun Fact: nesting occurs in colonies called heronries that may include up to 400 nests!
At Home Activity: Backyard Nature Surveys
If a scientist was studying a forest, would it take a LONG TIME to look at every tree?
Yes! So, scientists study smaller SAMPLE AREAS. You can use this method too!
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