Education, Wetlands

Dive into wetland fun!

School’s (almost) out for summer, but that doesn’t mean the learning opportunities have to end.

By Linda Browne July 14, 2025

Kids critter dipping at a local wetland.

Nature is the greatest classroom of all and at Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), we believe wetlands have much to teach us.

Whether you’re looking for a fun outing with your kids or grandkids, or seeking an enjoyable and educational activity to share with your summer recreational group, DUC has a boatload of resources and activities to enrich your wetland excursions this summer and quench their (and your) thirst for knowledge.

Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

Wetland Field Trip Guide

Wetlands are teeming with life. They’re also a great way for kids to unplug and connect with the natural world around them. Our Wetland Field Trip Guide includes background wetland knowledge, suggestions for activities that will keep kids entertained and engaged with hands-on learning (like critter dipping and scat and track identification) and checklists to help you prepare for your wetland adventure.

Wetland Critter Crafts

Too rainy for a wetland trip? Explore our paper animal models and bring the wonder of the wetlands indoors with this fun activity that kids and adults can enjoy together. Learn about wetland critters while crafting 3-D paper models of mallards, beavers, salamanders, frogs and more.

Marsh World

This handy guide will introduce kids to the fascinating plants and animals that call the wetlands home and help them spot signs of wildlife nearby. With photos, bite-sized bits of information and a place to jot down their notes in the field, they’ll be wetland experts in no time!

Young girl with binoculars near a boreal lake. © Jeope Wolfe

Beginner Birding and Critter Dipping

These activities (beginner birding and critter dipping) help budding young wildlife enthusiasts gain handy bird identification skills and discover the large diversity of invertebrates living in wetlands. Watch their confidence and excitement build with each observation! They can report sightings on iNaturalist as part of our Project Dragonfly community science project. Click here to get a downloadable guide to help spot dragonflies and damselflies found zipping around wetlands.

Take Action for Wetlands

Get inspired by a list of projects that can have a meaningful impact on your local wetland and empower kids to be involved in positive change. There are options for everyone to dig in and take action, from invasive plant removal and planting a pollinator-friendly garden to wetland clean-ups and art and photography projects. Our planning and supporting guides will help you get off to a good start.

Spark interest with nature quizzes

Are you a bird nerd or a bird brain? Do you know your marsh monsters? How well do you know the different types of wetlands? Dive into our fast and fun nature and wildlife quizzes and find out!

Click here to try your hand at turtle trivia!

The Harry J. Enns Wetland Discovery Centre at Oak Hammock Marsh © DUC

Visit a DUC Interpretive Centre

Wetlands are a wonderful way to spend time together learning new things! At DUC-partnered Interpretive Centres, people of all ages can connect with the wonders of nature. We invite you to visit a centre near you:

Shubenacadie Wetland Centre (Nova Scotia)

Located at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, this centre is a partnership between DUC and the Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry. Enjoy interactive activities like birdwatching and critter dipping or take in a peaceful stroll along a nature trail (some of which are wheelchair-accessible).

Ducks Unlimited Conservation Centre (New Brunswick)

Located in Fredericton, this hub for wetland learning includes hands-on educational displays and programming that reveals the wonder of wetlands. Visit the deck to soak in beautiful views of the St. John River and catch glimpses of waterfowl, osprey and bald eagles.

Harry J. Enns Wetland Discovery Centre (Manitoba)

This award-winning facility at Oak Hammock Marsh (above) is one of North America’s birding hotspots, and it’s just reopened to the public after extensive renovations! As well as housing DUC’s national offices, the centre offers educational programs through a variety of guided activities and interactive exhibits and displays.

Boreal Wetland Centre (Alberta)

Ducks Unlimited Canada’s National Boreal Program runs the Boreal Wetland Centre at Evergreen Park in the County of Grande Prairie. An outdoor, hands-on demonstration Centre, it provides an inclusive environment for resource partners to exchange new ideas, communicate expectations, learn from others and inspire innovative solutions.

Dive into even more wetland fun!

Interested in exploring and learning about wetlands, like ponds and marshes, with your kids or students? Check out more of our award-winning education activities!

Resources for educators

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