Do you have a child that absolutely loves elephants? We love elephants. Here are some ideas for elephant-obsessed kids of all ages, even amazing internship programs for future mammalogists!
In a large park in South Africa, I had a life-altering experience. Rounding a bend in the road, we met a beautiful female elephant, so close we could almost touch her. You see her there in the top photo, watching us. What did she think as she calmly observed me? What an unforgettable experience to see such beautiful giants in the wild.
Adopt and track your own wild elephant
Get involved and Adopt an elephant with Save the Elephants!
- You get to choose a beautiful elephant bracelet, available in many colors.
- Each bracelet comes with a wild elephant to track and access to an interactive map to follow their adventures. How cool!!
- Learn about their story, their age, and what family they belong to.
Here is the official Wildlife Collections bracelet website in partnership with Save the Elephants. Note: please be cautious about purchasing these bracelets from other sources. Apparently, this is the only genuine bracelet officially partnered with the conservatory.
Elephant Ideas
Elephant Migration Project
- As you receive updates about your elephant, pin the location on a map of Africa (your elephant may wander further – they don’t believe in boundaries!). You can learn about geography and migration and follow your new friend’s travels.
- There’s also this type of large peel-and-stick animal wall map for a different map option, which I want.
- You could track them using small removable stickers like these inexpensive ones. Or use stickie-notes and write the date they were spotted.
Make your own elephant!
See this post for free, detailed instructions on how to make a paper mache elephant.
Elephant Puzzles
Ages 3+: Elephant block puzzle, nice and colorful
Ages 7+ Elephant shaped floor puzzle
Ages 8+ Wooden 3D elephant puzzle
Elephant Videos
Disney’s Whispers – An Elephant’s Tale, follows a baby elephant who’s just learning to walk and is separated from his mother. See parent and grandparent reviews (kids seem to love it)
Elephant Books
Ages 3+ Elephants: A Book for Children: eighty photographs of the elephant’s life and world, African and Asian, in the wild and domesticated, at play and at rest
Ages 2-5 : National Geographic Readers: Elephants
Ages 5+: Safari Readers: Elephants: facts, photos and puzzles
Ages 10+: National Geographic Kids Mission: Elephant Rescue: All About Elephants and How to Save Them. Real-life stories about elephants and their challenges.
Elephant Coloring Book
Simple kid’s elephant coloring book
For Future Researchers and mammologists
A small number of interns are accepted to Save the Elephants in Kenya each year. These internships are 1-2 month professional placements in research projects in Kenya, designed for university students or graduates pursuing a career in conservation, focusing on skills in scientific data collection and analysis.
This awesome opportunity is for those 18 or older, but it’s something exciting kids can plan to do if they love elephants.
Here’s an interview with two young interns about what they do with the program, why they want to get involved, and what they get to experience.
What are
Elephants Afraid Of?
BEES!
BEES!
Did you know? The Elephants and Bees Project studies how elephant behavior can protect food and crops from raiding elephants by using their instinctive avoidance of African honey bees. How cool is that!? See how more info and how you can be involved.
The Big Sis