Explore the "boo-ology" of bats for Halloween, or any time of year. Kids and adults are fascinated by and often afraid of bats, but may not know the real facts about them. Demystify these misunderstood mammals with Howtosmile.org activities, and help learners discover how important bats are to pollination and pest control in their ecosystems.
In the Bat Echolocation activity, learners use their voices and hearing to get a sense of how bats navigate and locate their prey with sound. In the Sound Charades activity, learners have fun mimicking and recognizing bat and other animal sounds. Learners can watch a bat "take flight" in the Mammal Flipbooks activity, and compare their human height to a bat's in the Measure Yourself activity.
Did you know the world's largest bat is the Malayan Flying Fox, with a 6-foot wingspan, and the smallest bat is known as the Bumblebee Bat, with a 6-inch wingspan? Find lots more "boo-ology" bat resources and fun facts from the Organization for Bat Conservation (OBC). If you're near Orlando, Florida, visit OBC's travelling exhibit Bats: Myths and Mysteries at Orlando Science Center. There you can try out a pair of giant bat ears, learn how mother bats keep track of their babies using sound, and much more.
Find a future bat adventure near you and go batty! Extend the fun and learning wherever you are with literature connections like Stellaluna and Bats at the Library.
(Photo by Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International)