Rabbit Tracks: A Spring Science and Art Activity

Rabbit Tracks

As part of our study of rabbits, we examined the way rabbits move through their environment as well as the evidence they leave: tracks. I made a rabbit track stamp out of cardboard, some glue from the glue gun, and a dollar store sponge. This activity turned out to be lots of fun and pretty simple, although some small setup is required the night before.

To do this activity, you will need:

• a computer
• corrugated cardboard
• a sponge (soft, not scrubby)
• scissors
• hot glue/glue gun
• construction paper
• paint
• container to put the paint into

To make the stamp, you will need to first look at some rabbit tracks. If you don't have a yard full of bunnies, you can check them on the internet first.  I found this interesting page which differentiates squirrel tracks from rabbit tracks.  I didn't use a template to make the tracks. Instead, I cut the sponge width-wise at about the 1/3 point. The smaller piece is for the front paws and the larger piece will be the back paws. I cut the larger piece in half, lengthwise this time. With the scissors, I shaped the two long rectangles into long ovals. For the front paws, I cut the remaining smaller portion roughly into squares. Then I shaped them into two circles. While your glue gun is heating up, you can get the cardboard backing set. Arrange the four pieces into a track you like and then cut the cardboard to that shape. I placed the back feet in back roughly evenly and then staggered the front paws in the front and slightly centered. You could play around with the arrangement though, even making a few different paw tracks for different kinds of animal movement.

In the morning before the activity, we looked at pictures of rabbit tracks online. We talked about differences between the front and back paws, how rabbits move, and the conditions necessary for rabbit tracks to form in nature (snow or maybe mud). Little M. suggested that we watch some videos of rabbits hopping on YouTube, and I thought that was a tremendous idea. Although, if you have rabbits in your backyard, it would be great to go out into nature and look at the real thing!

I gave Little M. her choice of construction paper, then I poured a few different pastel paints into a container (I used a Chinese food lid). I invited her to dip the stamp into the paint and press it into the paper. It stuck to the paper a little bit, so I had to hold the paper down while she stamped. We ended up taking turns back and forth pretending that we were bunnies hopping on the page.

This activity could be useful in a Easter theme, rabbit/bunny theme, or an animal track theme. We had so much fun, and I hope you and your little student will too!

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