Science @ Home: Whales
Whale hello there! You’ll flip(per) for this supersized set of activities for ages 4-8 that celebrates the beauty, brains, and brawn of whales.
From their record-breaking migrations to their haunting undersea songs, cetaceans—whales, dolphins, and porpoises—are as captivating to humans as they are critical to ocean ecosystems. Connect with these charismatic creatures through a week of guided videos, crafts, activities, and more.
(Please note: While Science @ Home activities are designed to be conducted by kids, some little ones might need adult help with reading instructions and preparing crafts).
Day 1: Cetacean superstars
Whales are wonders of evolution, intelligence, and resilience. Make a splash at the start of whale week with a personality quiz, egg carton craft, and coloring page. (45-60 minutes)
What whale are you? (activity)
Whales may be famous for their record-breaking size, but they are also an amazingly diverse group, just like humans! Take this personality quiz to determine the whale that best matches your personality.
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Exhaling whale (craft)
Whales live in water, but they still need to breathe air. How do they do it? When whales come to the water’s surface, they take deep breaths of air using a special nostril on the top of their heads called a blowhole. When they exhale, their warm breath hits the cold air and can look like a spray of mist. Make your own exhaling whale out of an egg carton!
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A wealth of whales (coloring)
Day 2: Baleen whales
The bigger the whale, the smaller the prey! Instead of using teeth, some whale species gulp ocean water, then strain out all the krill (tiny shrimp-like animals the size of your fingernail) using special hair-like plates called baleen. Today's activities will give you a great idea of what it's like to be toothless! (45-60 minutes)
Photo: "Giant plates of baleen" by Mira Mechtley is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Baleen comb (activity)
While some whales have teeth, many others have a mouthful of something special called baleen. These tightly packed bristles are made of keratin, the same material as our fingernails! As a whale takes big gulps of water and then pushes the water out with their tongue, the baleen catches small critters like krill or plankton, which the whale then eats. Follow the instructions below to see what it's like to eat like a whale.
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Cut-out whale (craft)
Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are mammals adapted to live their whole lives in the water. They range in size from the tiny vaquita (4.6 feet) to the world’s biggest animal, the blue whale (110 feet). All whales can be divided into two groups: ones with teeth and ones with bristles known as baleen. Each has a different way of catching and eating their food. Make your own toothed (sperm whale) and baleen whale (humpback whale) to see the differences.
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Gray whale (coloring)
Day 3: Toothed whales
Baleen isn't for everybody. Meet some whales with legitimate chompers, from dolphins with pointy teeth, porpoises with shovel-shaped teeth, and the narwhal with its epic tusk. (45-60 minutes)
Dolphin breach (craft)
Cetacean investigation (video)
Orca (coloring)
Day 4: Wonderful whales
Whales are uniquely adapted to survive and thrive at sea. Learn more about the complex marine ecosystems whales are part of—and how humans can improve the health of the entire ocean by helping whales. (60-90 minutes)
Whale fall diorama (craft)
What happens when a whale dies at sea? Their body becomes an ecosystem! Make your own mixed media diorama of a whale fall using paper, miscellaneous craft supplies, and your imagination.
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Paper tube whales (craft)
Operation whale rescue (video)
Whale sounds trivia (video)
Kid and caregiver extension activities
Grab a senior member of your pod for a finful of extra whale-themed activities.
Blubber hand (experiment)
How do whales keep warm in cold ocean waters? Be a scientist and experiment with your own homemade blubber mitt to see.
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Happywhale.com (activity/resource)
What happens when whales strand? (video)
Learn how Academy scientists are collaborating with others to learn from whale strandings in Northern California as part of our Thriving California initiative to fight climate change, stop biodiversity loss, and advocate for nature in the Golden State.
As you watch the video, think about the following questions. Share your answers with a friend or family member or just think in your head.
- Why is it important for people to learn what caused a whale’s death?
- What kinds of information can we learn by studying a whale after it has died?
- How can we use what we learn from whale carcasses to help whales that are still alive?
Listen to guiding questions