Wetlands are places where water covers the ground or saturates the soil for part or all of the year. Marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens support different communities of plants and animals. Many wetlands also help store floodwater and improve water quality.
Use this collection of books, printables, crafts, and experiments to plan a wetland unit study. Many activities also suit a study of ponds, frogs, and other freshwater life; coastal and peatland wetlands have different conditions to explore.
Wetland Biome: Activities and Resources
Books and Materials about the Wetland Biome
- About Habitats: Wetlands book by Cathryn Sill
- Ponds book by Usborne Young Beginners
- Over and Under the Pond book by Kate Messner
- Pond Ecosystem Puzzle from Mirus Toys
- Montessori Resources for Learning About Frogs and Amphibians on the Trillium Montessori blog
- Animals in the Freshwater Ecosystem blog post by The Pinay Homeschooler
Wetland Biome Printables
- Wetland Biome: Animals includes animal vocabulary cards and other printable resources for exploring wetland wildlife.
- Ponds Phonological Awareness this pack includes literacy resources for a range of ages and ability levels, with activities like identifying middle and ending sounds, solving rhyming riddles, and blending, segmenting, and substituting phonemes.
- Ponds Preschool Pack This pack is an ideal complement to a wetlands unit, with printable sensorial, fine motor, early math, and early literacy activities
- Frogs and Amphibians Preschool Pack Another great variety pack of activities – I especially love “the Question Game” where children practice making inferences (determining an item based on clues).
- Amphibians Printable Pack from Every Star is Different
- Pond Activities Bundle from I Believe in Montessori
- Alligators Pack free printable from Welcome to Mommyhood
- Free Snail Printables and Activities from Living Montessori Now
- TpT: You can find a variety of curriculum printables about the wetlands and biomes in general on Teachers pay Teachers.
The Wetland Biome: Crafts
- Make a Bathyscope (underwater viewer) with Raising Global Kidizens
- Two fun and simple paper plate turtle craft ideas from Miss Coley’s Art Blog and Glued to my Crafts – try setting one of these up as an individual activity on your art shelf
- Paper Water Lily Experiment from Playtivities
About the Wetland Biome
What is a Biome? A biome is a large geographical region that is characterized by its unique climate, plants, and animals. Deserts, grasslands, and temperate forests are all examples of biomes. Learning about different biomes can help us better understand the natural world and how it works. Biomes also provide an opportunity to learn about the different species that inhabit our planet and how they interact with one another.
Wetlands have waterlogged soil for at least part of the year. They occur in many climates and may contain fresh, brackish, or salt water. Common types include marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens. Water depth, flooding patterns, salinity, and vegetation help distinguish them.
Wetlands are home to a variety of plants and animals that have adapted to living in wet conditions. Some common wetland plants include cattails, bulrushes, and lotus flowers. Well-known wetland species include salamanders, alligators, beavers, otters, herons, and ducks. Besides providing a habitat for wildlife, wetlands also help protect against flooding, help prevent coastlines from eroding, and help to keep our water clean.
How do Wetlands Help Keep Our Water Clean?
A wetland can slow moving water, allowing sediment to settle. Plants, soils, and microorganisms can also trap or process some pollutants. This can improve water quality, but it does not make untreated wetland water safe to drink. Too much pollution can damage the wetland itself. The EPA explains wetland water-quality functions.
The Wetland Biome: Fun Facts for Kids
- The Pantanal in South America is one of the world’s largest tropical wetlands. Its rivers spread across broad floodplains during the wet season, so the flooded area changes through the year.
- Some wetland plants, like cattails, can grow taller than a grown-up person!
- One of the biggest rodents in the world, the capybara, lives in the wetlands of South America.
- Some wetland regions are home to venomous snakes, including cottonmouths in the southeastern United States. Species differ by region; these snakes are not unique to wetlands.
- The iconic pink flamingo gets its beautiful color from the small crustaceans and algae it eats in wetlands.
- The carnivorous plant, Venus Flytrap, is native to wetlands in the southeastern United States.
- Bogs and fens can build up thick layers of peat, made from partly decomposed plant material. These peatlands store carbon as well as providing habitat for specialized plants and animals.
- Many water birds have feathers that help shed water. Ducks and geese spread oil from a gland near the tail as they preen, helping maintain their plumage.
- Some wetland animals, like the beaver, use mud and sticks to build their homes, called lodges, in the water.
- Wetlands play an important role in preventing floods, as they act as natural sponges, soaking up excess water and releasing it slowly over time.