Critter Crates

Critter Crate Use Policies

State-wide Critter Crates

These crates are sponsored by SD Game, Fish and Parks and The Outdoor Campus.
The Outdoor Campus has several critter crates available to teachers. Crates contain artifacts and some suggested activities. $75.00 deposit - returned when crate and contents returned. Crates can be mailed in South Dakota only. Call 605.362.2777 to reserve a crate or e-mail. The types of crates and the policies concerning the crates are listed below.

  • Bird Box - NEW!
    Contains a feather activity kit, replicas of bird beaks and feet, posters, books, identification guides and bird song books.
    Bird BoxBird Box Photo
  • Land Navigation Crates (GPS) 1 & 2 - NEW!
    Each of the GPS crates contains 8 Etrex Legend Personal Navigators with operation instructions. The Forms and Inventory Packet in each crate also contains "how to" information, activities for GPS units, and charts showing correlations to South Dakota's curriculum content standards. Reserve one or both crates for a two-week period.
    Land Nav 01 CrateGPS Crate 1 Photo
    • Land Nav 02 CrateGPS Crate 2 Photo
  • Endangered Species Crate
    Focuses on endangered species. Consists mostly of items made from endangered species, and confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
    Endangered Species CrateEndangered Species Crate Photo
  • Coyote Crate
    Contains furs, scat, tracks, skulls, books, and activities.
    Coyote CrateCoyote Crate Photo
  • Beaver Crate
    Contains furs, scat, tracks, materials to dress someone up as a beaver, support materials.
    Beaver CrateBeaver Crate Photo
  • Bat Crate
    Contains an echo-locator, and bat-related materials for educators.
    Bat CrateBat Crate Photo
  • Prairie/Grasslands Crate
    Multi-disciplinary education trunk with lessons, teacher guides, pelts, skulls, scat, posters, puppets, felt story boards, rubber stamps and ink, videos, books and a buffalo costume.
    Prairie CratePrairie Crate Photo
  • Tree Trunk
    The Tree Trunk contains kits, activity books, audio visual materials, field guides, fiction and non-fiction books, tree cookies, and leaf samples that teach about trees, plants, wildflowers, and birds.
    Tree Trunk CrateTree Trunk Photo

Sioux Falls Area Critter Crates

These crates can only be used in the Sioux Falls area. Anyone can use them. A $75 deposit is required before the crate will go out. Call 605.362.2777 to reserve a crate or e-mail. The types of crates and the policies concerning the crates are listed below.

  • Wetlands Trunk
    Contains games, activities, puzzles, music, posters and a script for a puppet play with puppets of a blue heron, a muskrat and a salamander.
    Wetlands TrunkWetlands Trunk Photo
  • Snowshoe Crates
    The Outdoor Campus received a grant through the SD Department of Health to purchase snow-shoes that could be used by youth groups. The purpose of this grant was to encourage physical activity in our youth. Snowshoeing is a great way to stay active in winter! Following is all the information you need to check out snowshoes for use for your group.

    Cost: Free! A $75 deposit, in the form of a check written to The Outdoor Campus, is required when picking up the snowshoe crate. We will not cash this check if all snowshoes are returned in good condition.
    Shipping: We do not mail snowshoe crates. You must arrange to pick them up and drop them off during open building hours.
    There must be at least 3 inches of snow on the ground in order to check out a crate.
    Group Snowshoe Crates (2)
    - 11 pairs youth/small adult snowshoes
    - 6 pairs of adult snowshoes
    - 1 pair of snowshoeing poles
    - 1 snowshoeing lesson plan
    - 32 snowshoeing handouts
    - 1 snowshoe crate evaluation form
    - 1 snowshoe book
    Family Snowshoe Crates (2)
    - Each crate contains 4 adult-size snowshoes and 4 youth-size snowshoes
    Snowshoe CrateSnowshoe Crate Photo

South Dakota Natural Resource Crates from other Places

These crates are located in various spots around the state. Contact information is supplied with each location.

  • South Dakota; around the state
    -1 Passport to Fishing and Boating crate, perfect for an outdoor event. Contact Maggie Lindsey for check out information 605.223.7667.
    - 4 warm season fishing crates, 1 ice fishing crate. Contact Maggie Lindsey for check out information 605.223.7667.
    - 1 No Child Left Inside crate, loaded with basic equipment for outdoor explorations. Contact Maggie Lindsey for check out information 605.223.7667.
    - 1 elk trunk, 1 bat trunk. Contact Laurie Root for check out information 605.394.5362
    - Ferret Mini-Kit Contains slide show on Black Footed Ferret, classroom fact sheets, CD-Rom of slide show, and binder of activities for teachers. Contact Maggie Lindsey for check out information 605.223.7667.
  • Waubay, South Dakota
    -Wonderful Traveling Wetland Trunk: Puppets, puzzles, plant and wetland info, furs, videos, educators guide. Contact Laura Hubers at Waubay National Wildlife Refuge, 605.947.4521, for further information or to reserve a two week time slot.
  • Madison, South Dakota
    -Prairie Trunk - multi-disciplinary education trunk with lessons, teacher guides, pelts, skulls, track molds, scat, posters, puppets, felt story boards, rubber stamps and ink, videos, books and a buffalo costume.
    - Wetland Trunk - Trunk includes several games, including "Amphibian Trivia," survival game "Hazards in a Duck's Life", puppet show, track match game, wetland habitat and plant puzzle with match cards, pelt ID, skulls, scat, videos, books, BINGO, beaver costume, plus more. Both trunks are available free of charge. Contact Jennifer Briggs at the Madison Wetland Management District 605.256.2974.
  • Black Hills Area

    -Cougar Crate: Contains furs, skulls, and other artifacts. Also includes books, videos, posters, etc. Supplies are also included to teach activities included in the WILD About Mountain Lions Curriculum and Activity Guide.This crate is only available in the Black Hills area and must be picked up & dropped off at the Rapid City regional office during business hours. A $75 deposit is required. Contact Laurie Root at 605.394.5362.

  • Other Kits from other agencies
    Siouxland Heritage Museums in Sioux Falls Kits
    South Dakota State Historical Society Kits
    W.H. Over Museum at the University of South Dakota Kits

Posters

The Outdoor Campus has several different posters available for classroom use, including South Dakota Bats, Fish, Prairies, and "For the Birds," a poster featuring the birds of South Dakota.

Butterfly Activities for the Classroom and Playground