Discover Where Animals and Plants Call Home!

A habitat is the place where a living thing calls home. It gives animals and plants everything they need to survive, like food, water, shelter, and space. You can learn more about these needs by exploring Basic Requirements: Air, Water, Food, Shelter, Space.

Different animals need different habitats. A polar bear needs ice and snow. A fish needs water. A cactus wren needs a hot, dry desert. Every living thing has a special home that is just right for it.

There are many kinds of habitats around the world. Each one is different and is home to special plants and animals.

Desert Habitat

The desert is hot and dry with very little rain. Animals like the cactus wren build nests inside prickly cactus plants to stay safe. Plants like cacti store water inside their thick stems so they can survive without rain for a long time.

Ocean and Coral Reef Habitat

The ocean is a big, salty body of water. Clownfish live near coral reefs, which give them food, shelter, and protection. Fish use gills to breathe underwater, just like you use your lungs to breathe air.

Arctic and Tundra Habitat

The arctic and tundra are very cold places with ice and snow. Polar bears have thick white fur to stay warm and to blend in with the snow. Arctic foxes also have thick fur that keeps them warm in freezing temperatures.

Woodland and Forest Habitat

Woodlands and forests are full of trees. Deer find shelter and food among the trees. Squirrels build nests high in branches and store food there to stay safe.

Grassland Habitat

Grasslands are wide, open spaces covered in tall grass. Bison roam and graze on the grass. Grasshoppers hide in the grass to stay safe from birds and find food to eat.

Wetland Habitat

Wetlands are special places with lots of water and plants. Herons wade in shallow water to catch fish and build nests near the water's edge.

Mountain Habitat

Mountains are high and rocky with cold temperatures. Mountain goats have strong hooves that grip the rocks so they can climb steep cliffs to find food and stay safe.

River and Pond Habitats

Rivers and ponds are freshwater habitats. Salmon swim in rivers and need flowing water to survive. Turtles live near ponds where they can swim and rest on logs.

Habitat: A habitat is the special place where a living thing lives and finds everything it needs, like food, water, and shelter.

Desert: A desert is a very hot and dry habitat that gets very little rain. Cacti and cactus wrens live here.

Ocean: An ocean is a very large, deep body of salty water. Fish, clownfish, and dolphins live in the ocean.

Coral Reef: A coral reef is an underwater habitat made of colorful coral where clownfish and many sea animals find food and shelter.

Arctic: The arctic is a very cold place covered in ice and snow near the top of the Earth. Polar bears live here.

Tundra: The tundra is a freezing cold habitat with frozen ground. Arctic foxes live here and have thick fur to stay warm.

Woodland: A woodland is a habitat full of trees where animals like deer and squirrels find food and shelter.

Grassland: A grassland is a wide, open habitat covered in grass where bison and grasshoppers live.

Wetland: A wetland is a habitat with lots of water and plants where herons and other water birds live.

Mountain: A mountain habitat is high, rocky, and cold. Mountain goats live here and use their special hooves to climb.

River: A river is a flowing freshwater habitat where salmon swim and lay their eggs.

Pond: A pond is a small, still body of freshwater where turtles swim and rest.

Gills: Gills are the body parts fish use to take oxygen from water so they can breathe underwater.

Adaptation: An adaptation is a special feature that helps a living thing survive in its habitat, like thick fur for cold places or storing water for dry places.

Organism: An organism is any living thing, like an animal, plant, or insect.

Shelter: Shelter is a safe place where an animal can rest and stay protected from danger and bad weather.

You can look outside and find a small habitat near you, like a garden, a pond, or a patch of grass. Try to spot animals and think about what they need to survive in that place.

You can also draw your favorite animal and its habitat. Think about what food, water, and shelter that animal needs. This connects to what you will learn about Community Habitats: Local Plants and Animals in your neighborhood.

As you learn more, you will also explore how Human Impact: Effects of Human Activity can change the habitats that animals depend on.

You have already learned about Habitat Components: Food, Water, Shelter, and Space Requirements, which are the four things every habitat must provide. You also know about Plants vs Animals: Basic Differences in How They Meet Their Needs, which helps you understand why different organisms need different habitats.

You have explored Animal Features: Observable Characteristics like body coverings and size, and Plant Features: Basic Parts like roots and stems. These features help living things survive in their habitats. You also know about Growth and Change: Basic Patterns of Growth in Plants and Animals and how Seasonal Connections affect where animals live.

Your knowledge of Local Environment: Caring for Your Immediate Environment and Local Knowledge: Traditional Uses of Plants and Animals also connects to understanding habitats around you.

Learning about habitat types connects to many other important science ideas. You can explore Living vs Non-living: Characteristics That Define Life to understand which things in a habitat are alive. You will also study Animal Classification: Major Animal Groups and Characteristics and Plant Classification: Major Plant Groups and Characteristics to learn how scientists sort living things.

You will look at External Features: Body Coverings, Limbs, and Sensory Organs to see how an animal's body helps it live in its habitat. You will also discover how Seasonal Changes: Weather Patterns Across Seasons affect habitats throughout the year.

This topic prepares you for exciting next steps. You will soon learn about Animal Adaptations: Physical and Behavioral Features that help animals survive. You will also explore Water Sources: Natural Water Bodies, Environmental Changes: Local Ecosystem Effects, and Stewardship: Taking Care of the Environment.