Whale Facts for Kids
Woah, look out! it’s time to talk about whales! From the top of their heads to the tips of their tail fin we will talk about everything whale. These interesting whale facts for kids are sure to please! Download your free whale facts for kids packet at the bottom of the blog post. You can read the facts, color in the whale, do the puzzle and complete the maze! ALL ABOUT WHALES!
Did you Know?
Did you know whales can sing? Many whales including the male humpback whale use “whale songs” to communicate with other whales, It turns out whales are actually very social animals. Did you know that?
Whales are the single largest living creature on the planet with the largest whale weighing in at 330,000 pounds. I bet you can’t even picture anything that large! Well, it’s true and we are just getting started. They are so many other cool and fun facts about whales I can’t wait to share with you, so get ready to dive into the deep blue sea and learn about whales. Here we go!
Whale Facts for Kids – Habitat
Whales can be found all over the world, from the Arctic to the Antarctic! Have you ever seen a whale? Do you remember where you saw it?
Whales are extremely large animals. They are the largest marine mammal. They live in ocean waters and some seas, including the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Whale Facts for Kids – Species
There are about 90 different known species of whales, including grey whales, beluga whales, toothed whales, baleen whales, humpback whales, blue whales, and killer whales. Other types of whales include the sperm whale and bowhead whale.
Some whale populations are endangered, like the North Atlantic right whale and the Blue whale. Endangered means they have a lower population and are more likely to become extinct in future years. There are less than 25,000 blue whales alive today.
Whalebone whales, which is another name for the species of baleen whale have baleen plates in their mouths to help them such as plankton, small fish, and other creatures from the ocean floor.
Whale Facts for Kids – Size
Whales are the largest living animals. The biggest whale is the antarctic blue whale and it can grow up to 98 feet long! That’s almost 100 feet long, which is why whales ate the largest animals. Their enormous size makes them a lot taller than you and I combined. Can you imagine seeing a hundred-foot creature in the deep blue sea?
A baby whale is called a calf. They may be babies, but calves can weigh between 5000 and 6000 pounds at birth. That’s one huge baby!
Characteristics of Whales – Blowholes
Whales have a blowhole on the top of their head that they use to breathe air from the surface. Have you ever seen a whale use their blowhole? It blows mist up to 30 feet in the air! That would be pretty cool to see.
Whales can stay underwater for up to 45 minutes! That’s almost a whole hour. How long can you hold your breath underwater?
Whale Facts for Kids – Diet
Whales eat a lot of different things, such as small and large fish, plankton, even krill! There’s always enough food in the ocean for the whales.
Some whales only have one or two sharp teeth, while other types of whales have nearly 300 teeth to help them digest their food.
Whales Travel in Groups
Whales are very social animals and often travel in groups called pods. Small groups of whales may only have two whales while a larger group of whales can contain up to 30 whales in a single pod. Could you imagine seeing 30 whales at the same time? That’s a lot of whales!
Some whale species, like the humpback whale, migrate long distances every year. On average, whales can travel up to 40 miles a day. That’s 14,600 miles a year!
Whale Facts for Kids – Communication
Whales communicate with each other using a variety of sounds, including clicks and whale songs! Have you ever heard a whale song?
Humans and Whales
Humans have hunted whales for centuries for their meat, oil, and blubber.
Whale watching is a popular tourist activity in many countries. Have you ever gone whale watching? How many whales did you see?
More Interesting Facts for Kids
A female whale is called a cow. Female gray whales can grow to about 49 feet long and weigh over 90,000 pounds. That’s 45 tons!
Male whales are called bulls. Male sperm whales are approximately 68 feet long and 80 tons heavy. Those are some big whales!
Whales play an important role in the ocean’s ecosystems. Just like forests, there are food chains in the oceans. Whales are near the top of the food chain and are responsible for preventing the overpopulation of krill and smaller fish.
Whales are fascinating creatures and there is still much we don’t know about them! Whales are an important part of our planet’s history and culture. They are a reminder of the beauty and power of the natural world and hold a special place in the hearts of many people around the world.
Whales are one of the many reasons we should all care about the health of our oceans. We need to do our part to make sure the oceans remain healthy so that whales and other marine animals can continue to thrive!
We need to do everything we can to protect them for future generations.
What Can you Do to Help the Whales?
If you want to help protect whales, there are lots of ways you can get involved. You can help protect whales by learning more about them and spreading awareness. Show your support for whale conservation by sharing information about whales on social media or talking to your friends and family about them. Ultimately, the fate of whales rests in our hands and it’s up to us to make sure they survive into the future!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE FUN WHALE DAY FACTS FOR KIDS PACKET HERE
1. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter and other announcements from Growing Play at the bottom of this post. If you already subscribe, just enter your email and you will get access to the freebie too!
2. Download the fun and FREE whale printables!
3. Read the facts, color, solve the puzzle and complete the maze. ALL FREE!
WANT MORE FUN FACTS FOR KIDS?
Check 100 fun facts for kids here and browse all the other topics at the bottom of the post.
