Snakes in Sensory Sand

We learned all about the fascinating reptiles with unique features SNAKES. They slither on the ground, are covered in scales, smell with their tongues, & can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Below are some more cool facts that we talked about after reading some books and then we explored this sensory filled small world play of what a snake habitat is like.

Snakes can't blink because they don't have eyelids. Snakes can swallow prey that is bigger than their heads thanks to flexible jaws.  Snakes are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature changes with their surroundings. Snakes shed their skin regularly, like a snake-shaped sock. Snakes smell with their forked tongues, which they flick in & out to gather information.  Venomous snakes often have a triangular head, elliptical (cat-like) pupils, & heat-sensing pits between their eyes & nostrils. Non-venomous snakes usually have round pupils & a more uniformly shaped head. Constrictors kill by squeezing their prey, not by venom. Snakes don't hibernate, they enter a state called brumation, where they slow down & conserve energy during cold weather. There are over 3k different types of snakes in the world. They are important for the ecosystem by helping control populations of rodents & other pests.

To set up this tuff tray we placed Excellerations® Spectacular Sensory Sand, which is a unique textural sand that molds easily and holds its shape while providing a satisfying tactile experience that oozes through fingers like liquid, while leaving fingers dry. Other items we placed in the snake habitat were: snake figurines, branches, log, rocks, eggs, flat marbles & succulents/cacti. They had a slithering good time.