It's interesting to learn about snails and their shells! Did you know that snails are gastropod mollusks, and they use their shells for protection and to keep moisture inside their bodies? The swirl in the shell is called the "whorl" and it is formed as the snail grows. The size of the shell can give us an indication of how old the snail is, as the shell grows throughout its life. Snails are fascinating creatures to observe and learn about!
This snail came to visit when it was raining
Snails are fascinating creatures! In addition to being slow-moving, they have a body part called a "foot" that helps them move and leave behind a silvery trail. Snails also have tiny teeth that they use to scrape food into their mouths. Did you know that snails can lay hundreds of eggs in a year and that the babies, called snail hatchlings, eat their own eggshells after hatching? It's amazing!
Can you see how tiny the baby snail is? I have my finger next to it so you can compare the size.
Here is a close up photo of one of the baby snails on the wall of my house
Making a snail is a fun and easy activity that you can do at home using things you already have. If you have some playdough, you can roll it into a thin sausage and carefully roll it up into a swirl to make the shell. Then, use some more playdough to make the foot, and attach the shell on top. You can even add antennae or decorate the shell to make it look more realistic. If you don't have playdough, you can try making a snail using paper or even a toilet paper roll!
Paper – you can use paper to make a snail in many ways. You can draw one, paint or paste one. Or watch my video below how to make a paper snail. Once you’ve finished, you could make more, then draw a garden on another piece of paper, and stick all your snails in the garden.
How else can you make a snail? We’d love to see all your creations. Grown ups can email us your photos or videos.
There are some great books about snails. Perhaps you have a favourite at home? At kinder we love the story “The Snail and the Whale” by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (the author’s who wrote “The Gruffalo”). I love the rhyming words, and hearing about the adventures of the snail.