You can find some cool stuff exploring creeks.
Here are some great, simple, fun kid activities that you can do with your family the next time you are near a river, stream or creek. These free activities just require that you be willing to get your feet wet and have a sense of curiosity to explore and discover.
Whenever I go for a walk or hike with my kids we are always curious about the natural world around us. Some of the most fun times we have are when we discover some new aspect of the natural world that we didn’t know about. For example, maybe we see a cool bird on a branch, or have the chance to watch a marmot on some rocks. Or a lot of the time we just find some cool bugs. Well, here are some suggestions of fun things that you can do with your kids near a river or creek.
Warning – Make Sure You Are Safe Near Water
I just want to make sure I remind you that rivers, streams, and creeks have moving water and you need to be safe around them. Make sure that you keep an eye on your kids and are comfortable around the water yourself.
Don’t go and wade into a river that has a very strong current or has too much water in it as that is just putting yourself in harms way. I always like to be aware of what is just downstream of where you are so that I am prepared in case something happens. It is just like if you are climbing on rocks, you always need to know what the ‘bail factor’ is in case you fall.
Fun Kid Activities #1 – Wade In The Water And Explore
The first thing you can do is take off your shoes or put on water shoes and just wade into the water. Remember though, make sure the water is calm or very slow moving. It is just fun to stand in the water and look around to see what you can find.
This water strider spreads out its legs so that it can ‘float’ on the surface of the water.
Sometimes you may see a water strider (a bug that moves along the surface of the water) or you may see some fish (big or small). It is fun just to explore this world of the creek or river.
Fun Kid Activities #2 – Pick Up Rocks And See What Is Living On Them
Another cool way to discover new bugs is to pick up rocks that are in the water and look at them closely. Some rocks may have a nymph crawling around on them. These are the larval form of many aquatic insects, such as Mayflies.
This is a mayfly nymph that you may see scurrying on the underside of a rock.
The nymphs look like some crazy prehistoric creature that is crawling around. Don’t worry though as they won’t harm you. Watch them for a little bit and then be sure to return the rock to the water or the bugs will die.
Some rocks may also have fish eggs, algae, or the larva of a caddisfly, which builds a little case around it with tiny rocks.
Other Fun Stuff To Do Near Water
One of the all time favorite activities to do near any kind of water is to skip rocks. Look around for the perfect skipping stone and then give it a try.
My son likes to skip rocks, but he prefers trying to make the biggest splash that he can. He will find a big rock and then give it a heave to watch the splash.
If the stream is small enough and you have time you could always try to build a little dam with sticks, rocks, and mud. Or if the stream is too big, maybe you can build a little spot on the side of it to serve as a kind of ‘hot tub’ that is out of the main current. *Be sure to dismantle the dam you build when you are done so that the stream can flow like normal.