Raccoons

Introductory Facts

Watch a two-minute video, "Amazing Animals: Raccoon".

Activity 1

Raccoons are called "wash bears" in most languages, because they wash their food. Wash your plastic toy animals! Fill a large container with some manner of brown gunk (chocolate cake mix; chocolate pudding; oobleck with brown food colouring; cocoa powder mixed with flour and water; etc) and the animals in it. In a bowl put water, a little soap, and toothbrushes. Have the child fish out the animals from the brown gunk and wash them in the bowl.

Curriculum areas: S11a

Activity 2

Raccoons have dens in tree holes, logs, and attics, and they spend the first two months of their lives there. In autumn, they gorge on food and then sleep all winder in their dens. Using the tree and the patterning strips in the attachments, stack food* in a pattern up the tree-trunk to help the raccoon reach its den.

*either print extra of the patterning strips and cut out the food items, or use play food. If using play food, you may need to print the tree in a larger size.

Curriculum areas: M03a

Lunch Snack

Raccoons are omnivores, and eat insects, mice, fish, eggs, and trash, so you can find them in all sorts of settings including the city. Eat leftovers for lunch.

Activity 3

Tear and glue newspaper and black paper onto the raccoon craft template (in attachments), then cut out the template pieces and stick together.

Curriculum areas: M06b, M06c