SPRING BREAK CAMPERS BECOME HERPETOLOGISTS

Have you ever wondered what a herpetologist is? Campers at SPREE’s Spring Break Camp learned all about reptiles and amphibians, becoming herpetologists-in-training.
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Campers started the week by creating their own field journal out of lunch bags (click here for directions). We also delved into the differences between reptiles and amphibians and what they have in common. We ended the warm day with a critter crawl to see what we could find in the South Platte River.

On Tuesday, campers explored the many adaptations of herps. Whether dressing up like a frog, or playing games outside, campers enjoyed hands-on lessons and activities. (Did you know that frogs like the Northern Leopard Frog use their eyeballs to help swallow their food?) 

We got messy on Wednesday creating fake amphibian skin (create your own slime here using household ingredients). Later we did an experiment to learn what it means to be ectothermic. Campers also created camouflage animals and had the group try to find them. 

On Thursday, campers learned all about frogs and toads and made their own toad abode to take home. We also did a nature hike around Johnson Habitat Park to look for signs of our herp friends and explore their habitat. Curious about Colorado’s herps? See great images of them here.

We ended the week sharing our knowledge by creating our own field guides and making posters to remind everyone to keep our river clean. We uncovered some fun facts, like finding out that the world’s smallest frog can easily fit on a dime!

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Two middle-school Junior River Rangers helped younger campers with catching crawdads, making crafts and much more. If you have a child who has attended SPREE camp in the past and will be entering 6th-9th grade in fall 2017, they could be a Junior River Ranger, too! Find out more here.

If these activities sound like fun for your child, register for a week of SPREE Summer Camp! Find out more here.

Stay tuned for fall holiday camps here or sign up for our email list here.
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Northern Leopard Frog image credit (Brian Gratwicke/Wikimedia Commons)