Editor's note: Most of the activities listed below are available to view at anytime.
Below is a schedule of events that you can tune in for throughout the week, plus activities for kids of all ages. We’ll also be featuring fun facts and other fascinating content on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Join us for a week of online learning and fun!
Monday, April 27:
- Moving a large animal that may want to wrap eight arms, each wielding about 200 suckers, around you definitely has its challenges! Visit our blog to learn about our long history of octopus releases and some of the logistics involved.
- 10am: Tune in for virtual story time as one of our staff members reads Octavia and Her Purple Ink Cloud by Donna Rathmell and Doreen Rathmell and illustrated by Connie McLennan.
Tuesday, April 28:
- 10am: Join our team for a live diver experience on our Facebook page where YOU can ask questions as a diver interacts with a variety of fish in our Window on Washington Waters exhibit.
Wednesday, April 29:
- How many octopuses are in Puget Sound? There’s no way to know for sure—but we’re leading an effort to try to understand how, and if, the local population is changing over time. Head to our blog to learn about our annual octopus survey and successful efforts to establish protected areas for giant Pacific octopuses in our local waters.
- 10am: Watch a video of Aquarium divers releasing an octopus back into Puget Sound—plus see what the octopus survey looks like from a diver’s point of view!
Thursday, April 30:
- Ready for some cool cephalopod facts? Go to our blog learn how many hearts a cephalopod has (it’s more than one and less than 10!), why cephalopods change color, and much more. You’ll even get a true inside glimpse of a squid, if you know what we mean—don’t miss it!
Friday, May 1:
- Test your knowledge from the week by completing some sustainability trivia on our blog.
ENJOY SOME OCTOPUS WEEK ACTIVITIES!
We’ve compiled a list of activities and actions that you can do on your own.
- Check out our YouTube channel for an amazing assortment of videos!
- Learn about octopuses around the world with our activity sheet.
- Try your hand at our giant Pacific octopus coloring sheets: coloring sheet 1 is great for younger kids; coloring sheet 2 is just the thing for older kids and adults.
- Learn more with our octopus relative cheat sheet, then test your knowledge with this “is it or isn’t it” activity.
- Find the octopus—and other sea creatures—in our hidden picture activity.
- Try our word search and octopus-themed codebreaker!
*So why are cephalopods “head-foot” animals? The word refers to the way the animals’ many legs attach directly to their heads, rather than their bodies. Learn more about these fascinating animals throughout the week!
PS: Did you have a chance to check out our other themed weeks? If not, take some time to explore the many learning opportunities we posted on our blog, and watch the live diver experiences we did on Facebook with some members of our Aquarium team. Plus, check out our animal fact sheets, infographic library and at-home activities for kids, or check in on our animals in real time with our live webcams.
