6 Weird Hippo Facts (for a 5-year-old)

Hi friend! Here are six silly and surprising things about hippos. I’ll tell them step by step.

1. They love the water. Hippos spend most of the day in rivers or lakes to stay cool. They come out at night to eat grass.
2. They make red 'sunscreen'. Hippos ooze a reddish goo that acts like sunscreen and helps keep bugs away. It’s not blood — it’s like special skin cream.
3. They open their mouths super wide. Hippos can open their mouths very big and show huge teeth called tusks. They use them to fight, not to eat grass.
4. They don't swim like fish. Hippos don't paddle. They push off the river bottom and kind of walk or bounce under the water.
5. Baby hippos can be born in water. Baby hippos are often born near water and can start swimming when they are little. The mom helps keep them safe.
6. They flick their poop with their tails. Hippos spin their tails to throw their poop around. It's how they leave messages for other hippos!

Even though hippos look funny and chubby, they are very strong. We should always watch them from far away. Want to draw a hippo now?