How to Identify Animal Tracks with Kids
- Jon Seymour
- Oct 20, 2025
- 1 min read
Animal tracks are one of nature’s coolest mysteries. Every footprint left in mud, sand, or snow tells a story about the animal that made it , where it was going, how fast it was moving, and sometimes even what it was eating.
Learning to identify tracks helps children develop observation skills, patience, and curiosity about the natural world.
In our latest episode of Hook Book Barrel, we tested our tracking skills by pressing animal feet into kinetic sand to see what their prints look like. Viewers guessed which tracks belonged to which animals—from birds to dogs to a cow!
The surprise twist? The mysterious tracks we followed turned out to be train tracks! Get it?? It’s a fun reminder that curiosity often leads to unexpected discoveries.
We also featured Mischievous Cat Brothers by Lisa Jacovsky, a story about two adventurous cats who find fun wherever they go — just like curious explorers in nature.
Encourage your kiddos to look for animal tracks on your next outdoor walk. Bring a notebook to sketch what you see or take photos to compare later. You might be surprised how many different footprints you can find right in your neighbourhood!
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