Aqua Kids gear up for water-filled week

After a peppy song explained how to keep coral reefs safe, the Aqua Kids campers pretended to be Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium scientists and grow their own coral reef.

Today was only the first day of camp, but the Aqua Kids are ready for the week and looking forward to snorkeling and walking around the aquarium. Today’s activity focused on coral reef safety, restoration and feeding. Throughout the week, campers will snorkel in the bay, meet different exploration animals and spend a day on the boat with Sarasota Bay Explorers.

While some of the campers “grew” their own coral reef by gently hammering coral into a half-circle of styrofoam, other campers cut and tied mock staghorn coral to a mock coral tree made of cut-up pool noodles. The simulations taught campers how coral grows and reproduces. Through the experiments the campers also learned how endangered coral reefs are.

“The underwater coral reef environment is getting destroyed,” Dylan Hall, 7, said.

When each camper took a turn with both activities, Mote employee Michelle Marinangel explained how coral reefs eat. Following her explanation, she taught the campers a song to the tune of  “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.”