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I’m not a big reptile fan. There I said it. I homeschool and I don’t like scaly, slithering reptiles! (phew, I feel so much better).
Needless to say, I have two boys who happen to LOVE cold blooded creepy crawlies. And we happen to live in hot humid Florida which is reptile infested. So far I’m winning the “can we keep it” battle.
Here are a few safe ways to study reptiles without losing your finger or your lunch!
1. Books! Books are a great resource and easily accessible. Unlike komodo dragons.
2. Videos! I’ll leave the alligator egg hunt to The Wild Kratts! (now available on Netflix)
3. Zoos! Plan a trip behind the safety of glass to observe the most lethal creatures.
4. Magazines! Yes, they even created a Reptiles Magazine, lucky me.
5. Dead! I hate to write it, wait – no I don’t, the best snake is a dead snake. Do a dissection and see all those neat bones.
6. Pet Store! Field trips can be free. Enjoy looking at reptiles without the line.
7. Friends! Surely one of your child’s friends has a turtle, snake, or lizard. Offer to pet-sit.
8. Online! National Geography Kids offers great information and videos.
9. Play Doh! Make your own deadly snake, you can even wear it!
Here is a Reptile Do-A-Shape worksheet for your younger learners. Print out these friendly reptiles while your older children read about them. The last page of this download is a Week Long Reptiles Themed Unit including books, crafts, shows, snacks, and other ideas for your younger learners.
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Stef Layton is a homeschool mom to two energetic boys. She believes in hands-on interest-led learning. Married to a busy traveling golf course architect, they have taken their homeschool on the road. Stef is the Hands-On Learning Columnist for Homeschooling Today Magazine. This year she started showing hands-on activities on youtube. You can follow her at her blog or, Instagram, or Twitter @StefMLayton.
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More reptile study links….
I just hope that you don’t teach the idea that “the best snake is a dead snake” because you couldn’t be farther from the truth. Snakes are incredibly important members of each ecosystem and they control populations of small mammals/rodents that actually carry diseases your children can catch. They (just like almost every other animal) only do harm to people when they feel immediately threatened- isn’t that why you want to do harm to them? The difference is that most are not venomous and the worst they can do is bite and draw a little bit of blood. Mammal bites such as from a mouse or dog, on the other hand, are often much more dangerous. Whereas we can very easily take away the lives of them and their families as if it’s no big deal. You’re allowed to be afraid of them, but merely avoid them when necessary. Just because they have scales, doesn’t mean they are less valuable than other creatures.
We love snakes around here! We catch them in our backyard and love having them around to control pests. The author of this post, Stef, while not fond of snakes appreciates them and wants to make sure her boys can further their knowledge and love of snakes, too. That’s why she is sharing some cool ideas in this post!