Summer Boost
Activity:
Crab Craft
Crustaceans are as abundant in the oceans as insects are on land. And one of the stars of this group are crabs. Moving sideways among the rocks, snapping their pincers and googling their eyes are some of the things that make this crustacean so intriguing. This activity uses some simple "ingredients" to make a crab while your child learns about this unique creature.
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What You Need:
- Large pasta shell
- 2 small pasta shells
- 4 red pipe cleaners
- 2 googly eyes
- Red acrylic paint
- Glue
What You Do:
- Paint all three pasta shells with red paint. Let them dry.
- Cut the pipe cleaners in half. Glue four to each side of the large pasta shell. Make sure you glue them to the smaller ends of the shell.
- Glue the eyes to the front of your shell.
- Glue the small shells to the front two pipe cleaners. These will be your front pincers.
- Let your crab dry.
Working on this crab with your child is a great time to discuss and learn about coastal crabs.
Did You Know?
- Crabs live in tidal pools and rocks.
- Crabs walk sideways and have 8 legs.
- If a crab loses a claw, it will grow back again.
- Crabs are important members of their ecosystem because they eat dead fish and clean up the environment.
