Why Chameleons Change Colour

Hi! Let's learn about chameleons. Chameleons are special lizards that can change their colour. They do it for three big reasons: to show their feelings, to warm up or cool down, and to hide.

1. To show feelings (mood)

Chameleons can change colour when they are happy, scared, or excited — a bit like how you might smile when you’re happy. For example:

• If a chameleon is angry or trying to look big, it might get bright or dark colours.
• If it is calm, it might turn a soft colour.

2. To warm up or cool down

Chameleons are cold-blooded, which means they need the sun to warm up. If a chameleon wants to get warmer, it might turn a darker colour so it can soak up more sunlight. If it is too hot, it might turn a lighter colour to reflect sunlight and stay cool.

3. To hide (camouflage)

Chameleons can match the colours around them to hide from animals that might want to eat them, or to sneak up on insects to eat. This is called camouflage. For example, if it sits on green leaves, it might look greener so it is hard to see.

Quick, fun game you can try

Make three colour cards: one bright, one dark, and one green/brown. Ask a friend to hold up a card and you pretend to be a chameleon. If they show the bright card, you act excited; if they show the dark card, you pretend to warm up in the sun; if they show the green/brown card, you try to hide behind a plant or couch!

That’s it — chameleons change colour to talk, to feel warm or cool, and to hide. They are like tiny, moving paintings that help them survive!