Snake Activities

How do snakes move without legs? Learn about snake locomotion in this activity.

Snakes are highly evolved reptiles. They move quickly without legs, which gives them some advantage over reptiles that push themselves along with legs while dragging their bellies on the ground. But how is it possible to move without legs?

What You'll Need:

First, get permission to use a snake. You may have a friend who keeps a snake, or you might be able to catch a small garter snake in your backyard. If you aren't experienced in handling snakes, get an adult to help you.

Rake a sandbox (or a sand tray) level. Use the back of a rake to make the surface smooth. Set the snake at one end of the sand and let it crawl to the other end.

Put the snake safely back in its cage, then examine the tracks it left. You'll notice curved indentations in the sand where the snake's body pressed down.

The snake uses the curves and coils of its body to press against the ground, moving it forward. Its belly scales, large and rough, give it gripping power like tire treads.

Smooth the sand again and see if you can make the snake move at a different speed. See how the tracks change. Are they farther apart? Sometimes snakes move in nearly straight lines. They can use muscle ripples and their belly scales to creep along slowly.

Now that you've watched snakes in action, find out how to make a snow snake on the next page.

On this page, you will learn how to create wondrous snow snakes that won't hibernate!

What You'll Need:

Everyone's heard of a snowman. But making a slithering snow snake is ssssserious fun.

Instead of making a snowman of 3 large balls, try a snow snake made of as many ­basketball-size snow sections as you can make. Once you've lined your snow snake balls up, carve out a pointed head and rattling tail at either end of the snake.

Decorate your snake with bits of food, such as raisins. These will be good treats for hungry birds and squirrels.

Had enough of the cold? For some indoor fun, got to the next page to find out how to make a spinning snake.

You'll have a great time making and watching the spinning snake, the last snake activity in this section.

What You'll Need:

Draw an oval shape in the center of a lightweight paper plate. Starting at the oval, draw a spiral line around and around 4 or 5 times until it reaches the edge of the plate.

Use scissors to cut along the spiral line from the outside edge to the center oval. Draw eyes to make the center oval of the plate into a snake's head.

Poke a small hole into the center of the head. Pull a piece of thread through the hole from the top, and tie a big knot in it so the thread will not pull through.

Color the snake's body with stripes. Hang the snake by the thread above a heat source, such as a radiator or heating vent. Watch to see what your snake does.

What happened? Heat from the heat source caused air to rise up toward your snake. As the air molecules bumped into your spiral-shaped snake, they caused it to spin around.

ABOUT THE CRAFT DESIGNERS

Snake Locomotion by Maria Birmingham, Karen E. Bledsoe and Kelly Milner Halls