It's always exciting to find an animal track. After all, the
creature who made it may be just around the corner. You can
capture that moment of discovery by making a plaster cast of the
print to bring home. When you find an animal track, ask your
kids to note all the details. Are there toes? If so, how many?
Can you see claws? A webbed foot could be a duck, and cloven
hooves might be a white-tailed deer. Look for animal footprints
in wooded areas and along fields and near water; the muddy or
sandy banks of a lake or river are ideal. Once you find a track,
form the poster board strip into a circle that's wide enough to
encircle it like a collar. Secure the circle with paper clips
and press it in the ground around the track. Add water to the
plaster in the bag, mixing it by squeezing the bag from time to
time, until the plaster is the consistency of a smoothie. Pour
the plaster into the mold so it is about 1/2 inch deep. Let the
plaster harden, about 10 to 20 minutes. Carefully pull up the
cast and peel off the