The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service now offers 5 Growing Up WILD educator kits. These kits are designed to supplement specific Growing Up WILD activities and contain activity information as well as hands-on items such as puppets and books to teach children aged 3-7 about nature. The use of the kits is free of charge! The kits are available for up to two weeks at a time. To reserve one or several of the kits, please contact one of the facilities closest to you to see about available reservation dates. Note: all kits must be picked up and dropped off at the loaner facility.

To learn more about Growing Up WILD and/or to participate in a training workshop, then please visit our Growing Up WILD page here. To learn more about our additional wildlife education trunks, the please visit our Education Trunk page here. The Ward Museum in Salisbury also offers Growing Up WILD educator kits. To learn more about their kits, click here.

Kit #1: Deep Blue Sea

Activity Objectives: Children develop an awareness of oceans and ocean life.

Kit Contents:

1. Sea Otter puppet
2. Inflatable Globe
3. Bike Pump
4. Mix of seashells
5. Alphabet of Ocean Animals Book
6. Animals in the Ocean Book
7. Sea Creatures Book
8. Plastic Fish
9. Laminated ocean animals cards
10. Laminated ocean animal factsheets
11. Activity info, resource guide and resource CD

Kit #2: Fishing Fun!

Activity Objectives: Children engage in a dramatic play fishing game and learn about fish.

Kit Contents:

1. 6 Magnetic fishing rods
2. 10 laminated fish
3. Fish Eyes: a Book You Can Count on
4. Trout Are Made of Trees book
5. Fishing in a Brook book
6. Brook Trout replica
7. Largemouth Bass replica
8. Activity info, fish guide, resource guide and resource CD

Kit #3: Less is More

Activity Objectives: Children learn that using less is a way of sharing resources.

Kit Contents:

1. 3 recycling sorting bins and cards
2. 16 laminated recycling bingo cards
3. Schoolhouse Earth DVD
4. Adventures of a Plastic Bottle book
5. Where Does Garbage Go book
6. Cleaning Up Litter book
7. Three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle book
8. Activity info, supplemental guide and resource CD

Kit #4: Looking at Leaves

Activity Objectives: Children practice their observation skills by comparing leaves.

Kit Contents:

1. 10 laminated leaves
2. 16 leaf rubbing plates
3. 2 tree cookies
4. 2 pinecones
5. 5 magnifying glasses
6. Laminated poison ivy factsheet, leaf margin sheet and common leaves sheet
   
7. Leaf Man book
   
8. Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas book​
   
9. Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf book
10. Why Do Leaves Change Color? Book
11. Trees, Leaves, and Bark book
12. Learning about Leaves guide
13. 2 rulers
14. Activity info, resource guide and resource CD

Kit #5: Who Lives in a Tree?

Activity Objectives: Children develop an awareness of trees and some of the animals that call them “home”.

Kit Contents:

1. Felt tree w/ suction cup
2. Gray Squirrel Puppet
3. Laminated "Who Lives in a Tree" Cards
4. Laminated "Who Lives in a Tree" Poem
5. 2 plastic binoculars
6. 5 magnifying glasses
7. Laminated wildlife guides (spiders, birds, butterflies)
8. Peterson Field Guide to Birds
9. Peterson Field Guide to Mammals
10. The Secret Life of Trees book
11. A Log’s Life book
12. Birds, Nests, and Eggs book
    
13. Activity info, resource guide resource CD