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Explore · Wild and Tumble activity

Gentle crabbing

Dangle, wait, wiggle, lift! Catch a crab with a net, say hello, and pop it home.

  • 30 min total
  • Some mess
  • Ages 3–5*
  • Outdoors
  • Summer
Let's do this

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 5 min to set up · 22 min to crab · 3 min to tidy. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • A crabbing net or bag, not a hook
  • A little bait, like bacon or fish scraps
  • A bucket of seawater, kept in the shade

Let's begin

Five simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Put the bait inside the net.

  2. From a safe harbour wall or rock pool edge, lower it into the water.

  3. Wait patiently, then slowly lift it up.

  4. Any crabs? An adult pops them gently into the bucket.

  5. Look closely, then tip them back where you found them.

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

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