A simple explanation for young children about how squirrels gather and store food for winter and why they sometimes forget where they hide it.
Have you ever watched a squirrel running around in the park? Squirrels are little animals that like to collect food, especially nuts and mushrooms. They have a special job that helps them get ready for winter when it gets really cold and there isn't much food around.
During the warmer months, squirrels gather a lot of food. They pick up nuts like acorns and mushrooms and put them in their cheeks. Squirrels are like little treasure hunters, and they are very busy!
When winter comes, it’s harder for squirrels to find food because the ground is covered in snow. So, squirrels hide their food in different places like under leaves, inside trees, or in little holes in the ground. This is called stashing.
Even though squirrels are good at hiding their food, sometimes they forget where they put it. Can you imagine forgetting where you hid your favorite toy? When this happens, it’s actually a good thing because those forgotten nuts and mushrooms can grow into new plants and trees! This helps nature grow. Isn’t that amazing?
Squirrels are very important to our environment. They help gather seeds and nuts, and sometimes even help new plants to grow by forgetting about the food they hid. So next time you see a squirrel, remember all the hard work they do for themselves and nature!