Animals live in habitats — Science, 4–6 years
A habitat is a place that gives an animal what it needs, such as food, water, shelter and space.
A habitat is a living place
A habitat is more than a name for a place, such as a pond or a woodland. It is the place and the useful things in it: food, water, shelter, air, light and room to move. Different animals can share one habitat because they use different parts of it.
Why do habitats matter?
An animal cannot live well just anywhere. A frog needs wet places and insects, while a camel needs dry ground and can go a long time without much water. Thinking about habitats helps us explain where animals are found and what might happen if their place changes.
Finding a pond habitat
Choose a frog beside a pond. Step 1: look for water, which keeps its skin moist. Step 2: look for small insects to eat. Step 3: look for plants or mud where it can hide. Step 4: check for space to move and air above the water. Together, these clues show why the pond can be the frog’s habitat.
A habitat is not just a shelter
A child may point to a bird’s nest and call the nest its whole habitat. That makes sense because the nest is where the bird rests and keeps eggs safe. But a habitat also includes the places where the bird finds food, drinks, flies and avoids danger, not only the spot where it sleeps.
Looking after habitats
When people leave rubbish, remove plants or fill a pond, animals may lose food, shelter or water. In a garden or park, leaving some leaves, planting local flowers and keeping water clean can help small animals. We should watch without disturbing them, because the place is their home.
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