Big-eared townsend-fledermaus from blm.gov

Did you know…

The saying, “blind as a bat” is very misleading because none of the over 1200 species of bats are blind!

Activity: Sound Games

To do today’s activities you will need:

A timer that beeps for a little while after going off and a blind fold

Game 1: Where is it?

You will need a timer for this activity.

Bats use echolocation to find food. They use their ears to determine where their food is located. With this game, you will need to use your ears to dermine where the sound is coming from.

How to play:

The ‘hider’ sets a timer for 20-30 seconds and starts the timer counting down just before putting it in its hiding place.

The ‘seekers’ will need to go someplace where they can not see or hear where the timer is being placed.

Once the timer is hidden, the seekers need to be called into the room right away so they can listen for the beep. Once the timer starts to beep, the other player or players can look for it by listening to where the sound is coming from. When a player finds it, they get to hide it so the others can find it.

Younger players may need a little help.

Game 2: Sounds All Around You

Sound is made up of vibrations – echolocation creates a vibration that bounces back to the bat.
You can use a blindfold for this activity – do not allow it to slip over the ears.

Set-up:

This game requires 2 or more people – a sender and a receiver.
The receiver or receivers will sit or stand in one place blindfolded or with eyes closed.
The sender can move anywhere within hearing range and make sounds with any object they want.

How to play:

Two-player Game:

While the sender is making a sound, the receiver will determine where that sound is coming from and what is making that sound.
Players should decide how many correct guesses it will take before they change roles.

Multiple players:

More than one person can be a sender and/or a receiver. The receiver(s) can try to guess who made the sound, where the sound was made and what the sound was.
Players should decide how many correct guesses it will take before they change roles.

Single player game:

Sit or stand in one place and listen to the sounds around you – try to identify as many sounds as you can inside and out.

Question of the day:

How does echolocation work?

Learn more:

Are Bats Blind?

White-nose Syndrom

How Ecolocation Works

Funschooling & Recreational Learning – Bat Resource Page
Links to over 30 bat related resources including: Bat information, bat unit studies, bat crafts, puzzles, printables, cams, videos and more.