Kids love exploring tide pools, and the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is a wonderful place to explore. See also: Silicon Valley Family Day Trips.
Exploring tide pools is a great family activity that doubles as an incredible way to introduce kids to marine biology! We spent the morning of the Fourth of July out at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The tide was exceptionally low, so we got to see all sorts of exciting sea life! Here are a few of my favorites, and I shared some great books on tide pools at the end of this post!
In this photo, can you spot sea grass, some a giant green anemone, and some coral? What else do you see?
How about the big green crab camouflaged above? There were snails everywhere, and lots of hermit crabs as well.
The tiny fish in this pool is called a Sculpin. They like to stay along the bottom of water bodies.
I was surprised to find a small eel, so I messaged my marine biology friend to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing! She wrote back that it might be a Monkeyface-eel – a baby as it is very small. Do you see the spots on its back? I was fascinated to learn that these eels can breathe air, and therefore can live at least 35 hours out of water, provided they are in a moist environment.
This crab is really well camouflaged! Can you find it? Staying still and watching a single tide pool is a great way to see animals that you would have missed otherwise.
You aren’t allowed to remove anything from the Fitgerald Marine Reserve. This protects marine life and vegetation and keeps the reserve looking the way it should look naturally. It also means that you can find incredible collections of beautiful rocks and shells to admire – and you can take stunning photographs to keep forever!
Have you gone tide pool exploring with your kids? This was our first time, but we will definitely go again!
Books About Tide Pools
Here are some great books about tide pools that you can read no matter where you live! This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
- In One Tidepool: Crabs, Snails, and Salty Tails
- Fylling’s Illustrated Guide to Pacific Coast Tide Pools
- DK Eyewitness Books: Seashore
- Tide Pool: Look Inside
- DK Eyewitness Explorers: Shells
- Between the Tides
Do you know of a book that I should add to my list?
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MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
Another book idea: Pagoo by Holling C. Holling. It looked dull at first, but by the first chapter my kids (11-3) were hooked. It tells the story of a hermit crab and tidal pools in a lovely way with great illustrations.
Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll look for a copy.
Great post for us, we love exploring at low tide! Thanks for the book picks.
ps I can not say my kids LOVED reading the books. They loved the tidepools and thought I was a totally lame mom for making them read the books but eventually I managed to sneak in the books into their night time reading. I cannot say for sure if they retained anything from it though they still love to play in tidepools!
I LOVE tidepools. I grew up playing in them. These are the books I bought for my kids when we explored tidepools in Maine.
https://www.pragmaticmom.com/2010/09/family-reunion-vacations-kennebunk-maine-part-2-surfing-tide-pools-fishing-and-more/
Did you not see any harbor seals? They were there a week earlier.
We did, but I didn’t get any good photos of them. They are pretty neat!
What a wonderful outing! The terrain looks like it could be on another planet. What a perfect place to learn the rewards of patient observation!
It was a really amazing outing. We will be going back!
What a fantastic trip! We should check this reserve out!
I think you would really enjoy it! Make sure you check the tides before you go.
I always loved tide pools as kids, and you’re right going to them is a great way to see some amazing things and a great opportunity to see nature. Sadly none of the beaches in Texas really have tide pools that I’ve seen.
Maybe you will find some on one of your road trips. You could always drive out here ;-)