What do you think about spiders? Are you intrigued by them? Scared of them? They may be much smaller than us, but spiders can cause quite a reaction from people. So let’s look closely at this creature that shares our world, and see what we can learn.
General Spider Facts and Information
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
A great place to begin, this spider site from National Geographic also has an incredible video of the goliath birdeater tarantula!
DK FINDOUT
Get up close with some spiders at this informative site. Learn the words for a spider’s fascinating anatomy!
Bio Kids Critter Catalog
Presented in an easy question-and-answer format, this site for kids from the Animal Diversity Web has scientific spider information. Be sure to click on “Pictures” to see some amazing photos.
San Diego Zoo Spider Page
If you want the very basic details and love big photos, this site is for you. For more words and less pictures, also from the experts at the San Diego Zoo, click here.
Watch, Listen, and Laugh
PEACOCK SPIDERS ARE THE CUTEST
Especially for those of you who might be a little afraid of spiders, get to know the adorable dancing peacock spiders of Australia. The one featured in this video has been named… Sparklemuffin!
Oregon Caves and the Amazing Trogloraptor
From OPB’s “Oregon Field Guide” program, this video takes you on a journey with a father-daughter cave explorer team into the underground worlds of southern Oregon, where they discover the rare and mysterious Trogloraptor spider!
WHY DO SPIDERS HAVE EIGHT LEGS?
This half-hour program from “But Why? A Podcast for Curious Kids” answers some important spider questions. Why DO spiders have eight legs, anyway? And why don’t they stick to their own webs?
The Spider Who Couldn’t Hide
Done enough learning and just want a chuckle? Watch this super short video about a spider trying to hide, presented by the education team at Ted Ed.
Explore More
There is probably almost always a spider somewhere nearby. See if you can find some! And when you do, try to watch from a safe distance and see what the spider is up to. Do you notice different spiders living inside your house and outdoors? If you like to draw, you could draw a picture of a spider that you see and send it to us in an email at [email protected]. We’d love to see what you’re discovering about spiders!