Read tracks in mud, sand or snow
An hour in the mud, sand or snow. Make a trail of your own footprints, read what each track says, and then look for the real animals in your neighborhood.
- Time
- 60 min
- Cost
- $0
- Ages
- 5 and up
- Where
- Yard, park or trail
Since 1911: The 1911 book says to follow a trail until you catch up with the animal that made it. Today the National Park Service says to watch wildlife from a distance: at least 25 yards from most animals and 100 yards from bears and wolves in many parks, and never to feed them. Read the tracks, then stop well short of any animal.
What you need
- Soft ground: mud, damp sand or fresh snow
- A phone camera or paper and pencil to draw the tracks
- A ruler or a stick to measure track length
Before you start
- Watch wildlife from far away. Stay at least 25 yards from most animals and 100 from bears and wolves in many parks, and don't feed or approach any animal.
- Don't touch droppings or dead animals, and wash hands afterward.
- Stay on the trail in woods, and stay in sight of each other.
Steps
- Find soft ground. Find mud, damp sand or fresh snow where prints show clearly.
- Dad lays a trail. While the kid looks away, Dad walks, stops, runs and turns, leaving clues.
- Which way did he go? Work out which way the trail goes before you follow it.
- Read the story. Ask where Dad stopped, ran or turned, then swap roles.
- Look for real tracks. Look for real animal tracks and photograph or draw each.
- Think about what's likely. Ask which animals live nearby, then stop short of any animal.
If it stalls
- If the ground is too hard for prints, wet a patch with a hose and try again.
- Photograph a track with a coin or ruler beside it to show its size.
Tracks read correctly
Signed off: can do this.Signed by Date