Family education resources

Wildlife in Washington face a wide range of threats, from disease and invasive species to declining habitat and climate change. You can help by being a good steward for wildlife, habitat, and the environment. Check out these themed activity ideas for you to use at home or school. 

  • Birding and community science

    As crucial components of healthy ecosystems, birds serve as pollinators, predators, scavengers, seed dispersers, and engineers in a variety of habitats.

  • Backyard habitat

    You don’t have to trek through the wilderness to enjoy wildlife. Whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural setting, wildlife is as close as your own backyard!

  • Protecting our oceans

    No matter where you live, the ocean touches your life every day. Oceans generate half of the oxygen we breathe and contain more than 97% of the world's water.

  • Pollinators

    Bees, birds, bats, butterflies, beetles, and other insects and small mammals play a very important role in our ecosystem and food production. 

  • Baby wildlife and life cycles

    Animals also grow up in different ways. Some baby animals look like mini versions of their parents, while others go through unique life cycles.

  • Invasive species

    An invasive species is a plant, animal, or other organism introduced to an area outside of its native range, usually by humans, which negatively impacts the economy, environment, and health. 

  • Amphibians and reptiles

    Washington is home to at least 25 species of amphibians (salamanders and frogs) and 28 reptiles (turtles, snakes, and lizards). 

  • Ecosystems in Washington

    Washington has a tremendous diversity of ecosystems, including prairies, wetlands, estuaries, rainforests, shrubsteppe, marine waters, and grasslands. 

  • Threatened and endangered species

    Washington is home to more than 1,900 species of animals, including at least 40 found nowhere else on Earth.

  • Be a good steward

    Wildlife in Washington face a wide range of threats, from disease and invasive species to declining habitat and climate change. You can help by being a good steward for wildlife, habitat, and the environment.