Nature’s Camouflage Meeting Plan and Unit Study
One of the most fascinating topics kids can explore is nature’s camouflage—the way animals and plants blend into their surroundings to survive. This badge is not only fun to earn, it also encourages kids to sharpen their observation skills and appreciate the incredible adaptations in the natural world. Whether you’re running a troop meeting, a co-op lesson, or just diving into the topic at home, here’s a ready-to-go plan you can use. Other badges you may wish to earn alongside include badges such as Animal (Specific), Outdoor Exploration, Animal Tracking, Biomes, or Animal Migration.
Opening Discussion
Start by asking your kids like:
- Why do animals need camouflage?
- Can you think of animals that blend in with their surroundings?
- How might camouflage help both predators and prey?
Print out the animal cards below. Discuss what type of camouflage each animal uses; background matching, disruptive coloration, or mimicry. How does camouflage helps each animal survive?
Fulfills Preschool requirement #1, Level 1 requirement #2, and Level 2 requirement #2 – can also be used for optional requirement #6
Create Your Own Camouflage
Many animals survive by blending into the world around them. An owl can disappear against the bark of a tree, while a stick bug looks almost identical to a branch. They are aided by shape, by color and by texture.
Print out the animal outlines below and have the kids color each of them to blend into one of the three backgrounds. Then click on and print out one of each background. Cut out the animals and place them on the background and see how well the kids were able to match. Place each of the animals on each background and discuss that camouflage only works when the animal is in its native habitat. Move it somewhere it doesn’t belong and what do you think will happen?
Fulfills optional requirement #21
Studying Natural Camouflage
The history of studying camouflage is full of fascinating examples. In the late 1800s, Abbott Thayer carefully documented how countershading—dark on top, light underneath—helped animals like sharks and deer blend into their surroundings. He even painted examples to prove how effective this was and became known as the “father of camouflage.” Around the same time, Edward Bagnall Poulton in England became facinated with animal coloration and and camouflage and he invented the term “aposematism” for warning colorations. Later, in World War I, artists and naturalists like Norman Wilkinson adapted these ideas to create “dazzle camouflage” on ships, using bold, broken patterns to confuse enemy submarines. These early studies revealed not only how animals survive in the wild but also how humans could apply the same principles for survival and design.
Create a timeline of the study of natural camouflage and how humans have used that knowledge for our own use. If you need some ideas on how to make a timeline fun and engaging, read through our blog post, “9 Fun Timeline Activities to Make History Come Alive”.
Prehistoric Times – Early humans notice how animals blend into their surroundings while hunting and begin copying nature by wearing animal hides.
4th Century BCE – Aristotle – The Greek philosopher records observations of animals like octopuses changing color to match their environment.
1600s – Scientific Curiosity Grows – Naturalists in Europe begin cataloging plants and animals, noting camouflage as a survival trait.
1850s – Henry Walter Bates and Mimicry – While studying butterflies in the Amazon, naturalist Henry Walter Bates documents how harmless species mimic the colors and patterns of poisonous ones, laying groundwork for the scientific study of protective coloration.
1896 – Edward Bagnall Poulton – Publishes The Colours of Animals, one of the first scientific books to explain camouflage, mimicry, and protective coloration.
1890s–1910s – Abbott Thayer – Known as the “father of camouflage,” Thayer studies countershading and disruptive patterns in animals and publishes his ideas in Concealing-Coloration in the Animal Kingdom (1909).
Early 1900s – Military Applications Begin – Ideas from nature inspire camouflage in hunting gear and military uniforms.
World War I – Dazzle Camouflage – Norman Wilkinson and others design bold patterns for ships, inspired by natural disruptive coloration, to confuse enemy submarines.
Mid-1900s – Expanding Research – Biologists and ecologists study camouflage in many environments, from deserts to the Arctic, and connect it to predator–prey survival strategies.
Today – Biomimicry and Technology – Scientists continue to draw inspiration from nature’s camouflage to create better military gear, fashion, medical technology, and even stealth materials. A perfect example is the light responsive camouflage material that mimicks the skin of an octopus.
Fulfills Level 3 requirement #2
Hide and Seek
A fun way to show kids how camouflage is used is to play a game of hide and seek. Have them look at what they are wearing. How will what they have on influence where they will hide? Play a few rounds of hide and seek and discuss why it was harder to find some kids then it was to find others.
If you don’t have enough kids for a game of hide and seek, or have limited space, you can play hide and seek with items intead. Choose 5 or 6 items to hide like toy animals, colored pens, or anything else handy. Have the kids leave the room and hide each item in a way where the item can still be seen, but is camouflaged so that hopefully it won’t be noticed. Invite the kids back in and see how long it takes them to find all the items.
Fulfills Preschool requirement 2
Camouflage Design Challenge
Animals use colors, patterns, and textures to blend into their surroundings for survival, and people have borrowed these same ideas in areas such as military gear, hunting clothing, fashion, and even technology. This activity will give kids the chance to explore how nature inspires design by creating their own camouflage patterns and testing how well they work in different environments.
Supplies Needed:
- White t-shirts or paper vests
- Markers, crayons, or fabric paints
- Photos of camouflaged animals (zebra stripes, tiger stripes, leaf insects, military camo, etc.)
- Sample photos of camouflage in human use (military uniforms, hunting gear, fashion prints)
Instructions:
- Learn First: Using the links below, discuss how camouflage is used in design.
- Pick a Background: Choose an environment for your “design challenge” (forest, desert, snow, ocean, city wall).
- Design Time: Kids decorate their shirt, paper vest, or poster to create a camouflage pattern that would help them blend into that environment. Encourage them to use colors, shapes, and patterns. Alternately you can have the kids paint their outfit to make them blend into a specific background the same way the artist Liu Bolin does.
- Camouflage Runway: Have kids “model” their designs by standing against a matching background (like grass, trees, or a painted poster) to see how well they blend in.
Fulfills Level 4 requirement #2
Nature Hike
The best way to learn about nature’s camouflage is to get out in nature and see it in action. Print out the form below and log what types of camouflage you see. Write down the animal you saw in the column showing the type of camouflage it was using. At the end of the hike, gather together and let each child share their favorite find.
Background Matching – An animal blends in by looking the same as its surroundings (like a stick bug on a branch or a snowshoe hare in the snow).
Disruptive Coloration – Bold patterns break up the outline of the animal, making it harder to see where one part ends and another begins (like a zebra’s stripes or a leopard’s spots).
Mimicry – An animal copies the appearance of another organism or object, often one that is poisonous or dangerous (like a harmless butterfly mimicking a toxic species, or an orchid mantis looking like a flower).
Countershading – The animal is darker on top and lighter underneath, balancing shadows so its shape is harder to see (like deer, sharks, or penguins).
Seasonal Camouflage – Animals change their coloring with the seasons to match their environment (like arctic foxes or ptarmigans turning white in winter and brown in summer).
Concealment by Texture/Shape – The body looks like part of the environment, not just in color but in form (like a leaf insect with wing veins that look like a real leaf, or a frog with bumpy skin that looks like moss).
Motion Camouflage – Some animals use movement that makes them harder to detect, either by blending into a moving background or by approaching in a way that confuses predators (dragonflies and hoverflies use this).
Fulfills optional requirement #3
Watch Nature’s Camouflage Up Close
Watching a video or documentary about animals that use camouflage is a great way to see just how creative nature can be. Films bring the hidden world of camouflage to life, showing real examples of insects that look like leaves, fish that vanish into coral reefs, or big cats that disappear in tall grass. These resources often use close-up photography that make it easier to understand how colors, patterns, and behaviors work together to keep animals safe.
Below are links to some quick videos (10 minutes or less) that do a great job of showing nature’s camouflage up close.
Mimic Octopus – Master of Disguise – Watch as it mimics several different species.
OCTOPUS Camouflage – Changes color, texture and shape – Amazing video of an octopus changing color, texture and shape. Good for all ages.
Animal Camouflage; Learn How Animals Can Blend with Their Environments.– Short video for small children, best for Preschool through Level 2.
How Do Animals Change Color – Best for Level 3 and up as he talks fast and has some advanced vocabulary and sicence.
