Time:30 mins Difficulty:Easy  

Ever wanted to observe a bug up close? It’s easy! All you need to do is craft a bug observation pod and go to your nearest outdoor space!

• A big clear plastic bottle (like a juice bottle)
• Breathable material, like mesh or cheesecloth
• Duct tape
• Natural materials like bark, moss, pine cones, and small sticks (anything bugs might like to crawl on)
• A box cutter
• Scissors
• A grownup’s help

Step 1: Have your grownup use a box cutter to cut a rectangular opening in the side of the bottle. Use scissors to trim a piece of mesh slightly larger than the opening.

Step 2: Fill the bottle with grass, leaves, rocks, sticks, and anything else you think bugs would like to crawl on.

Step 3: Use the duct tape to tape the screen mesh over the opening.

Step 4: Unscrew the top. It’s time to look around and collect some bugs!

Step 5: When you’re finished collecting, screw the cap back on. It’s time to observe! What kinds of bugs did you find? How do they move? How do they act together?

REMEMBER: When you’re done observing, gently return the bugs to their natural habitat!

Generously Supported By:

The post Bug Observation Pod first appeared on Earth Rangers.

Time:5 min Difficulty:Easy  

Hmmm… it appears we have animals trying to slip in with those they don’t belong! Can you spot the fake in each picture?

The post Spot the Fake! first appeared on Earth Rangers.

Time:10 min Difficulty:Easy  

Oh deer, are you feeling peckish? We’ve got some tasty snacks that you can fawn over!

• Tortilla wraps
• Ham (or a vegan alternative)
• A sandwich spread (mayonnaise, butter, cream cheese, ketchup, ect…)
• Tomatoes, Olives, Radishes, Grapes
• Pretzels

Step 1: With an adult to help, warm your tortilla wraps up. This can be done on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave.

Step 2: Spread your chosen sandwich spread over each tortilla wrap.

Step 3: Lay some ham (or vegan alternative) along your wrap.

Step 4: Roll up each wrap into a sausage shape. Slice each roll into even pieces.

Step 5: Pop on a couple of pretzels (or halved pretzel pieces if they are too big) on each wedge for the antlers.

Step 6: Finally, make the noses by pushing your olives or tomatoes into the centre of each roll-up.

The post Tortilla Deer first appeared on Earth Rangers.

Time:20 mins Difficulty:Easy  

Want a way to help bugs out in their every day lives? Try making them a bug hotel! This one is small, and easy!

• A large plastic bottle
• Natural materials like bark, moss, pine cones, and small sticks
• String or garden twine for hanging
• Scissors
• A grownup’s help

Step 1: With a grownup’s help, cut the top and bottom off of the plastic bottle. Then cut the bottle in half so that you have two cylinders.

Step 2: Thread string or twine through each cylinder, then tie the ends together on the outside to make a loop.

Step 3: Layer the inside of each cylinder with your materials. Make sure your hotels are stuffed tightly so nothing will fall out.

Step 4: Time to hang up your hotels! Try hanging one in a tree and one low to the ground — see if they attract different creatures!

The Backyard Biologist Mission and Contest is generously supported by:

The post Build a Bug Hotel! first appeared on Earth Rangers.

Time:60 min Difficulty:Easy  

We are surrounded by cool critters. Grab your camera and step outdoors to see which ones you can find!

• Your eyes, ears, and hands! (But it’s also fun to have a magnifying glass for closer looks, some paper or a journal to write down what you find, and a camera or phone to snap pictures.)
• Friends or family members.
• Your favourite outdoor space.

Start by looking for flying insects like bumblebees, butterflies, and dragonflies.

Check in and around plants, under leaves and inside flowers with closed petals.
Insects or small animals may be using their size, shape, or colour to hide!

Don’t forget all the life down in the soil. Turn over rocks and logs, where many insects like to stay cool and hidden from predators (you might want to put on some gloves to protect your hands).

When you finish your hunt, think about everything you noticed (and look at your notes or photos if you have them). What kinds of creatures did you see? Did you have a favourite?

The Backyard Biologist Contest is generously supported by:

The post Friendly Bug Hunt first appeared on Earth Rangers.

Time:10 min Difficulty:Medium  

Get ready to swing! Can you put your binturong-like claws to the test and untangle this wild word scramble?

• Read the paragraph below and use it to unscramble the words.

It may look like some cat or bear mix, but it’s not! It’s a binturong! The binturong has a long tail that helps it balance when climbing trees. You can recognize a binturong from their peculiar smell, like popcorn. They are omnivore, eating fruits, leaves, and sometimes small animals. Even though they look a bit wild, they’re shy and prefer to stay hidden high up in the trees.

The post Binturong Scramble first appeared on Earth Rangers.

Time:60 mins Difficulty:Hard  

There are a ton of beautiful kites out there, but what about making your own? Grab some recycled material and get your very own kite ready for the windy days!

• String
• Scissors
• Two sticks
• Paper roll
• Tape
• An upcycled plastic bag (you can use a grocery or garbage bag)
• OPTIONAL: Paint markers, paint, or colorful paper

Step 1: Gather all your material! You can use outdoor sticks, long paper rolls, or thin plastic sticks. Something like enough to support your kite.

Step 2: When you’re back home, cut the side of your plastic bag so it forms a flat sheet. If it has handles, remove them.

Step 3: Cross the sticks in a way that one is slightly above the center. Tie the center of these sticks with string so they don’t come apart.

Step 4: Tape your stick cross to your plastic bag.

Step 5: Tie each end of your sticks together with a string to form a diamond. Cut your plastic bag around this diamond shape.

Step 6: Fold the excess plastic over your string shape. Tape it down so that the kite is securely attached.

Step 7: Next, cut two long string pieces the length of your sticks. Connect one end to the center of your kit and wrap the rest around a paper roll.

Step 8: Cut the second half of your plastic bag into strands. Stick these two the bottom of your kite.

Step 9: Your kite is ready! While waiting to take it outside, why not decorate it? You can paint it, or glue some colorful paper decorations. Be careful to balance the weight between both sides!

The post Recycled Kite first appeared on Earth Rangers.

Time:15 min Difficulty:Medium  

Do you think you can decode these riddles? Beware: They hide quite the puns!

What do trees and dogs share in common?

What do you call a deer with bad manners?

What job do snakes specialize in?

Think you got them all? Tap on the puzzle image to see the answer!

The post Pun-tastic Riddles #VIII first appeared on Earth Rangers.

Time:30 min Difficulty:Easy  

Did you know spiders have poor eyesight? They are able to “see” by “feeling” vibrations around them. Go grab your friends! Lets play a game based on their skills!

• Objective: A game of tag with a twist! One person, the “spider”, is blindfolded and calls out to the “flies” to let them cross the room. The winner.
• Players: 3 or more

• A blindfold
• Friends or family members
• Somewhere outside to play

Start by picking one person to be blindfolded. This person is the spider and everyone else is a fly.

TIP: The spider can’t see, so be sure to pick a spot where they can’t run into anything!

The spider stands in the middle of your chosen area, while the flies all go to one side.

When they’re ready, the spider should call out “Oh flies, oh flies, it’s time to fly on by!”. After this, the flies should walk slowly to the other side of the play space.

The spider, listening closely for the sound of flies, should stand still until they’re ready to try and tag one. When they’re ready to move they should shout “SPIDER STRIKE!”.

At this point, the flies can run to the other side.

TIP: Be careful not to trip! Keep touches light and don’t run so fast you’ll get hurt!

If a fly is tagged by the spider, they become the “spider’s web”. They become an obstacle for the flies and should stand still in the field and try to touch any fly who passes by without moving your feet.

The last fly left is the winner! They become the spider in the next round.

The post Flyby the spider first appeared on Earth Rangers.