A snail lives in a shell and moves very slowly. To teach kids about snails it helps to have a live specimen available.
If you have a garden you probably have a snail nearby. Did you know garden snails feed on both living and decaying plants which can damage your garden’s crops? Because of this fact, snails are not very welcome in your garden and are considered pests.
Regardless that the snail is a pest they do make an interesting educational lesson for your children. Snails are neat to learn about and fun to watch.
Let’s get back to the “snail trail hunt”. So where do you look for snail trails? Most garden snails live in and around moist areas such as near ponds, in the woods, and of course, in the garden. They usually travel in irregular paths, oftentimes in a circle and sometimes even upside down.
Take the kids for a walk on a cloudy day along a nature trail or at night in the backyard to see if they can spot any snail trails. Hunt for snail trail in the garden along walks and walls or beneath stones, leaves, or flowerpots. Follow the snail trail to see where it leads. Be aware, however, that not all snail trails are the same. It could belong to the slug instead. A slug is simply a snail without a shell. So how do you tell the two trails apart? If the snail trail is continuous, then it’s a slug. If there are breaks in the trail, it’s a snail.
If you find a snail have your child capture him and put it in a clear container with a lid and air vents. When disturbed the snail will retreat back into its shell. This is how they also sleep and hibernate during the winter. Find more snail facts online or at your library.
For craft ideas you may like a website I just located: http://daniellesplace.com/HTML/snailcrafts.html
If you have a young child 3 and up who is learning his numbers he will love our snail 3d wooden puzzle. This wood puzzle is made from splinter-proof hardwood and measures 6” x 5”. Painted in bright primary colors that kids love each chunky piece has an individual number painted on it.
Tags: 3d wooden puzzle, wood puzzle