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New York State Parks Regional Environmental Office (631)581-1072

The Little Ant

La Hormiguita, or The Little Ant, is a folktale that is widely known in Spain and Latin America. It has been adapted to Connetquot River State Park Preserve. Each page corresponds to a stop on your walk. When you reach the stop, read that part of the story to your child. The text below the picture on each page is an activity that we suggest for that stop. The Scavenger Hunt and Colors of the Forest activities can be completed throughout your walk. Stay on the trail to avoid Poison Ivy and ticks.

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Your YAK Pack contains:

Colors of the Forest Scavenger Hunt Habitat Magnet Match Hopper Insect assembly

Leaf matching Bug box and paint brush Pin wheel Flapper Puzzle Board

Early one morning Little Ant was out searching for food. She came across the juiciest berry she had ever seen, and knew that she wanted to share it with her grandmother. She picked it up and started along the road to her grandmothers house when she stepped onto a tiny drop of water. She didn't know it, but that water was frozen solid! Little Ant slipped on the ground and the berry that she was carrying fell into the dirt. Now she had no food to bring her grandmother. She sat there and rubbed her foot.

Search the ground around you, can you see Little Ant? What other animals do you see? There are a lot of animals that like to live near lakes and ponds. Use the magnets in your YAK Pack to match the animals to their habitat.

Not long after, a cricket came along and saw Little Ant sitting there. What happened? the cricket asked. Little Ant explained I slipped on the ice and hurt my foot, and dropped the berry I was bringing to my grandmother. The cricket replied Thats the frosts fault. The frost froze the drop of water, the drop of water turned into ice, the ice made you slip. Blame the frost. So Little Ant set off to find the frost. When she found the frost she said You froze the drop of water, water turned to ice, ice made me slip and hurt my foot, and drop the berry I was bringing to my grandmother To which the frost replied No, it wasn't my fault. There is one much stronger than I am. The sun makes me melt. Blame the sun. So the little ant set off to find the sun. Fields are a great place to see and hear crickets. Can you find one? Try Hopper in your pack to try to jump as far as a cricket!

When Little Ant found the sun she said Its your fault! You melt frost, frost freezes water, water turns to ice, ice made me slip and hurt my foot, and drop the berry I was bringing to my grandmother. No, no, it wasn't my fault, said the sun. There is one much stronger than I am. The cloud covers up my face. Blame the cloud. So Little Ant set off to find the cloud.

Use your paint brush to sweep a little ant into the magnifying box. How many legs does it have? All insects have 6 legs. How many body parts? Three; A head, a thorax, and an abdomen . Use the Velcro board in your YAK pack to put Little Ant together.
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When Little Ant found the cloud she said Its your fault! You cover the sun, the sun melts frost, frost freezes ice, ice made me slip and hurt my foot and drop the berry I was bringing to my grandmother. No, no it wasn't my fault. said the cloud. The wind pushed me in front of the sun. Blame the wind. So Little Ant set off to find the wind.

What is the weather like today? The pinwheel in your backpack will help you see which direction the wind is blowing. Is it sunny? Cloudy? What do you think ants do when it rains?

When Little Ant found the wind she said Its your fault! You push the cloud, the cloud covers the sun, the sun melts frost, frost freezes ice, ice made me slip and hurt my foot and drop the berry I was bringing to my grandmother. No, no, There is one much stronger than I. The trees stop me dead in my tracks. Blame the trees. So Little Ant set out to find the trees.

What animals like to live around trees? Try flipping over a log to see who might be living underneath. Have your bug box and paint brush ready so you can take a closer look. When you're done, make sure you put the bugs back where you found them and flip the log back over..

When she found the trees she said Its your fault! You stop the wind, the wind pushes the cloud, the cloud covers the sun, the sun melts frost, frost freezes ice, ice made me slip and hurt my foot and drop the berry I was bringing to my grandmother.. No, no, it wasn't my fault. said the trees. There is one much stronger than I. The beetle eats my wood and sap. Blame the beetle. So Little Ant set out to find the beetle.

Besides berries, little ant likes to eat nuts, mushrooms, and even other insects! See if you can spot some food for little ant. Were any of them already nibbled on by other animals? Try to match the leaves on the ground to the ones on the guide in your YAK pack.

When Little Ant found the beetle she said Its your fault! You eat the trees, the trees stop the wind, the wind pushes the cloud, the cloud covers the sun, the sun melts frost, frost freezes ice, ice made me slip and hurt my foot and drop the berry I was bringing to my grandmother. No, no, it wasn't my fault. Said the beetle. There is one much stronger than I. The woodpecker, he sends out his long sticky tongue to catch me. Its his fault. So the little ant set out to find the woodpecker.

Can you spot woodpecker in the trees on the way to the next stop? Can you hear him pecking? Try the Flapper activity in your backpack to see if you can flap your arms as fast as a bird flaps its wings.

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On her way, Little Ant remembered what her mother had said about woodpecker. He pecks the wood to eat the insects! Well Im an insect! thought Little Ant. Id better not blame the woodpecker. Instead, she put a bandage on her foot, dusted off the berry, and set off to her grandmothers house. She never did get justice, but at least she didn't get eaten!

Try putting little ants story in order using the puzzle board in your YAK pack.

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We hope that you enjoyed your walk. Please take the time to fill out the short survey that can be found in your YAK Pack.
New York State Parks Regional Environmental Office (631)581-1072

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