June 26, 2023
By Katie Borgfjord, Digital Marketing Coordinator
Did you know that Manitoba is a coastal province?
Though we may be far from the coast itself, that doesn’t stop us from enjoying Manitoba’s distinctive landscape.
Participants in CPAWS’ Exploring Manitoba’s Arctic Coastline event on June 6, 2023 at Assiniboine Park engaged in activities about the remarkable animals and ecosystems that inhabit the Arctic, including beluga whales, polar bears, arctic foxes, and more.
“Belugas, Orcas and Narwhals, oh my! Our family really enjoyed learning about Manitoba’s Arctic Ocean coastline. The CPAWS team did a great job of keeping our kids engaged with the material, my oldest is still talking about it,” says Jenny Kidder, parent of a participant.
The event featured interactive stations with engaging games, learning opportunities, and educational activities for kids and families, all in beautiful Assiniboine Park.
Activities
We got creative with ocean-themed crafts, marvelled at replica dolphin and whale skeletons, and dug deeper into the fascinating world of the Arctic through hands-on experiences led by CPAWS Manitoba’s environmental education team, Carly Gray and Kate Heide.
We got moving with a game of tag: ocean edition. The kids made their way across the ocean to migrate without getting tagged.
What really is echolocation? With the help of their guardians, children got to play whale parents, by blindfolding their guardians and leading them with their voice. This helped the children to understand how whales travel and communicate through echolocation.
We sat down to analyze whale and dolphin bones, then tested our knowledge in a game of beluga true or false.
“We love participating in events with CPAWS. I believe it’s helping my kids have a deeper personal connection to nature as well as a deeper understanding of what the land has meant, and continues to mean, to Indigenous peoples,” Jenny Kidder.
We’ve got tons more fun events coming up this summer. Check them out on Eventbrite.
Children playing a game of ‘Whale Tale Matching.’
–This event is part of the official Ocean Week Canada program and was made possible thanks to the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition.–
About CPAWS Manitoba:
CPAWS Manitoba has been instrumental in establishing 22 new parks and protected areas in our province. That’s an area larger than Lake Winnipeg at nearly 26,000 square kilometres. Our goal is to protect half of Manitoba’s lands and waters.
About the CPAWS Manitoba Nature Club:
CPAWS Manitoba’s Nature Club is designed to help Manitobans get outside, make new friends and learn about the wonders of nature.
We’ve developed a wide range of programming and activities to help Manitobans of all ages and abilities enjoy the health and wellness benefits of nature.Find out more at our website – www.cpawsmb.org – and be sure to subscribe to our events newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so you don’t miss out on upcoming events.