Did you know that a spider’s silk is as strong as steel? While we may be familiar with the orb shaped spider webs that can be seen on a walk through the forest, there is a lot more to be learned about different shapes of spider webs, and just how strong they really can be. To learn more, check out our blog post here. Next, try out this activity where you create your own tangled web in the forest, and challenge your friends to escape!
Photo by Gerald Romanchuk
What You’ll Need
A ball of yarn
A forest or group of trees
A bandana or piece of cloth (for optional blindfolded component)
A couple of friends
What To Do
Tie one end of the yarn around a tree. This will be the starting point of your web.
Get started weaving your spider’s web! Wrap the yarn around trees, bushes, and branches. Wrap it high and low, it can even criss-cross over itself. Make the web as complex or as simple as you like in the space you have. Just be sure not to tie any knots in the middle of the web, and to keep the yarn a little bit loose.
Once you’re satisfied with the web you’ve created, ask a friend to try to navigate through it! They must hold on to the yarn at the beginning of the web, and attempt to weave their way through the web, without ever letting go of the yarn.
Be sure to take all the yarn with you when you leave the patch of trees.
Ask Yourself
Try navigating the web blindfolded. Did your four senses (other than sight) come in handy to help you escape?
How do spiders know what shape to make their web?
What other animals or bugs can you think of that build structures?
Blog post written by Claire Merkosky, SCiP intern.