Kids Critter Club with Stanley Park Ecology
byFrom insects to eagles, kids can learn about Stanley Park’s creatures by joining the Critter Club! Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”) educators are offering an interactive online club for children who are passionate about animals, want to learn more about them, and want to help protect them.
SPES Critter Club
- When: January 21 – February 25, 2021 on Thursdays
- Choose from a morning or after school session
- Participants can join for the full six weeks, or individual days.
- Who: Ages 9-13 (youth outside the suggested age range – younger participants – should be accompanied by an adult to help with tech support but programming will be designed for 9–13-year-olds)
- Platform: Zoom
The SPES Critter Club will explore wildlife in Stanley Park and around us through art, activities, short presentations, Q&A, and more. It offers young minds a place to grow their curiosity, meet other like-minded children, and have fun.
Critter Club members will be offered an optional exciting activity to do on their own over the next week. Activities will be based around sustainable living and learning how to protect our precious wildlife. Participants can bond with each other over what they did in the break-out session the following week.
Individual or Full Six Week Program
January 21, Week 1: Radical Raptors
(Register for this week only here)
Explore high flying Stanley Park raptors including Bald Eagles, Barred Owls, and Sharp Shinned Hawks in our introductory week! We’ll look at real taxidermy specimens from the SPES collection to discover how strong these birds’ talons are, why they’re at the top of the food chain, and learn their haunting calls!
January 28, Week 2: Furry Wetland Friends
(Register for this week only here)
Do you find the quest for beaver knowledge gnawing at you? Do you know how to tell the difference between river and sea otters? Look no further! We’ll learn about the busy and playful wetland mammals that reside here in Stanley Park, and find out what life is like inside the beaver lodges on Beaver Lake and Lost Lagoon
February 4, Week 3: Scaley Snakes and Slimy Salamanders
(Register for this week only here)
From skinks to salamanders, discover which scaley and slimy creatures are lurking under logs. Is it garter or gardener snake? Can bullfrogs really eat whole chickens? Are newts poisonous? We’ll metamorphosize our knowledge of these cryptic reptiles and amphibians and learn how invasive species are taking over Beaver Lake!
February 11, Week 4: Flying Wonders
(Register for this week only here)
Learn the difference between the only true flying mammal and the squirrel who thinks it can fly! Watch our nighttime video from the critter cams that confirmed flying squirrels do live in Stanley Park! Stretch out your wings (or patagium) for this batty program and explore the Park’s nocturnal skies with us!
February 18, Week 5: Cool Creepy Crawlers
(Register for this week only here)
From ants to spiders, we get up close with our 6 or more-legged friends. Why are insects important? Do we have any harmful spiders in Stanley Park? Who makes those funnel webs? Which beetle smells like a Jolly Rancher candy? Crawl on over and find out who’s hiding in Stanley Park and around your home!
February 25, Week 6: Marvellous Marine Mammals
(Register for this week only here)
Join us for a deep-sea dive where we’ll explore the marvellous marine mammals off our coast. Find out which of these intelligent animals live around BC, and along Stanley Park’s beaches, and how they survive in the deep blue ocean.
Register for the full six weeks here.
Related: EcoStories Film Camp
