Science

Animal Homes & Migration

Where animals live — and the amazing journeys some of them make.

Every animal needs a home. A home keeps them safe, warm and dry. But some animals don't stay in one place all year — they travel huge distances. Let's find out where animals live and why some go on such big journeys.

🌍 What is a habitat?

A habitat is the natural home of an animal — where it finds everything it needs to survive:

🍎 Food💧 Water🛖 Shelter↔️ Space to move

Different animals need different habitats. Some live in forests, deserts, oceans, mountains, grasslands or polar regions — and some (our pets!) live in human homes.

🏠 Where do you live? Your home is your habitat too — draw it, and label the food, water, shelter and space around you.

🛖 Different animal shelters

Shelter protects animals from bad weather, predators and temperatures that are too hot or too cold.

🕳️ Burrows — underground homes

Rabbits, foxes and badgers dig burrows to stay safe and warm.

🪺 Nests — up in the trees

Birds build nests from twigs, leaves and feathers.

🦇 Dens — caves & hollow trees

Bears sleep in dens; lions rest in dens during the day.

🐚 Shells — homes they carry

Snails and tortoises carry their homes on their backs!

🏡 Human homes — pets!

We give pets dog beds, kennels, cat baskets, hutches, cages, aquariums and vivariums.

✏️ Match each animal to its home: rabbit · robin · tortoise · bear. Which home would suit a pet hamster?

🌲 Habitats around the world

🌲 Forests

Full of trees and hiding places — foxes, owls, squirrels, deer and bears live here. They're great at climbing and hiding.

🌊 Oceans

Huge habitats covering most of our planet — fish, octopuses, sharks and whales. They need salt water and strong bodies to swim.

🏜️ Deserts

Very hot and dry — camels, lizards and scorpions cope with little water.

❄️ Polar regions

Freezing cold — polar bears, penguins and seals stay warm with thick fur or blubber.

🎨 Draw a forest scene with at least 3 animals living in it — don't forget the trees!

✈️ Where animals migrate

Animals don't always stay in one place. Migration is when animals travel a long way every year — usually at the same time — to find food, escape cold weather, or have their babies.

🐢Sea turtles
Swim thousands of miles back to the very same beach where they were born, to lay their own eggs.

🐦Swallows
Breed in the UK in summer, then fly all the way to South Africa for winter — over 6,000 miles!

🦋Monarch butterflies
Travel from Canada to Mexico every year — the journey takes several generations to complete.

🐋Humpback whales
Swim from cold polar waters (where they feed) to warm tropical waters (where they have their babies).

💭 Why do you think animals migrate instead of just staying put? What problems would they have if their journey got blocked by humans?

📖 Glossary

Habitat — the natural home of an animal.

Shelter — a safe place that protects an animal from weather and danger.

Burrow — an underground home that an animal digs.

Migration — travelling a long way each year to find food or have babies.