NatureKids – October 2025

Exploring the Night: October NatureKids Adventures

This month, we’re exploring the hidden world of animals that come alive when the sun goes down! As the days grow shorter and the spooky season begins, we’re learning about nocturnal animals, those active at night, and crepuscular animals that prefer the twilight hours of dawn and dusk. October is the perfect time to dive into this mysterious world! These fascinating creatures have amazing adaptations like sharp hearing, big eyes, and silent movements that help them thrive in the dark. Some animals, like coyotes or foxes, even adjust their routines depending on how close they live to humans.

We’ve shared a variety of quick and active games to help groups connect with this theme. Try Bat and Moth, where players experience how bats use sound to find their prey; Raccoon Raiders, a sneaky game of nighttime scavenging; or Fox Pounce, where kids test their stealth and timing. Each activity encourages movement, listening, and imagination while learning about nocturnal behaviour.

Night Wind Blows is an adaptation of a classic icebreaker that lets kids share their own nighttime experiences: from seeing a raccoon or hearing an owl to staying up late for stargazing. It’s a great way to start conversations about how wildlife (and we!) experience the night differently.

Students can also add to their Nature Journals with the Sound Map activity — a calm, sensory exploration that helps them tune into the sounds around them, just as nocturnal animals rely on their hearing to navigate the night.

As the Halloween season approaches, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the spooky side of nature. Get outside, listen for the rustle of leaves or a distant hoot, and discover the amazing creatures that make the nighttime come alive!

Group updates:

This month, NatureKids groups were busy learning all about nocturnal (and diurnal!) animals, each taking their own creative approach to exploring the theme.

At Ecole St. Bernadette, students tested their knowledge by guessing whether different animals were nocturnal or diurnal, then showing their answer through movement! For example, they did 10 jumps if they thought the animal was nocturnal and 10 push-ups if they thought it was diurnal.

After learning about nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular animals, the Munchkins Clubhouse group created their own nighttime scenes using crayons and watercolor resist art. They had a blast experimenting with darker colors to paint the night sky.

The Cub Club kids sorted animals not only by whether they were nocturnal or diurnal, but also by other categories like carnivore vs. herbivore. They enjoyed it so much they’ve asked to play again and they sure will now that the game cards have been added to the group’s indoor activity resources!

The Wild Nature Rovers had tons of fun learning about nocturnal, diurnal, animals and were fascinated to discover a third option (crepuscular!). After discussing where each animal fit, they went for a walk in the forest to see who was active during the day. When they spotted a grey squirrel and some crows, the kids excitedly shouted, “Diurnal!”

With the nocturnal animals theme, Munchkins Afterschool learned more about bats! They made their own flying bat crafts using paper templates, straws, pipe cleaners, scissors, and tape. Afterwards, they learned about echolocation and how bats use it to navigate and hunt at night. To bring the concept to life, they played Bat and Moth, a bat-themed version of Marco Polo that helped them understand how bats “see” with sound.

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The 2B students at Ecole La Source also played Bat and Moth, stepping out of their comfort zone to experience limited sight and practice their listening skills. Each student got the chance to be the bat and imagine what it might be like to use echolocation.

After discussing when different animals are most active, the Little Cubs Afterschool group used their imagination to invent their own animals, deciding when each would be awake and what special adaptations they’d have.

The 1st Hanwell Sparks learned about animal activity patterns, then created nocturnal nightscapes on black paper, adding a moon, grass or snow, trees (twigs), and googly eyes peeking from the darkness. Some imagined fox eyes hiding in the grass, while others placed owl eyes high in the trees.

They also welcomed York-Sudbury Search and Rescue, who presented the Hug-A-Tree program. The session taught kids simple steps to stay safe outdoors and what to do if they ever get lost in the woods. The girls even practiced tracking footprints and using emergency blankets! Afterwards, they made and painted air-dry clay leaf imprint bowls using real maple leaves.

The Friday Hike Club 4 Kids group explored a local trail together, discovering treasures and taking in the beauty of fall colors along the way.

Hampton Fresh Air Collective also enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and colours, with a leaf walk and scavenger hunt. They did a fantastic job identifying maples and oaks and after a long search, were thrilled to finally spot a large-tooth aspen!

The Dorchester Beavers and Cubs groups had a great time this month with their meetings and excursions, including a trip to Johnson Mills (Sandpipers), the Fort Folly Medicine Trail, and Fundy National Park, where groups enjoyed a brief orienteering tutorial with Orienteering NB before exploring the trails. They held a cozy campfire and used the animal cards in some creative ways. First, each child had an animal card taped to their back and had to ask yes/no questions to figure out which animal they were, some were very tricky, like the mosquito! Afterwards, they acted out their animals for others to guess (which was hilarious to watch), and finally sorted themselves into groups based on whether their animal was nocturnal or diurnal.