Animals Eat

Observing what animals eat and how they eat it is a way to help your child think about how an animal's behavior is related to its unique physical characteristics. After observing an animal eating—such as a squirrel, birds at the birdfeeder, ducks by a pond—you and your child can talk about what special body parts the animal has that helps it eat its food in that way. What kind of teeth and claws does a squirrel need to break into hard nuts? How does a duck's bill help it get food, like bread, that has been thrown into the water? How does a beak help a bird pick up and eat small seeds?