Identify wild animal scat

What can we use instead of disposable gloves, a magnifying glass, or a ruler if we don't have them?

If you don't have disposable gloves, magnifying glass, or a ruler, use disposable plastic sandwich bags over your hands (but still don't touch the scat), use your smartphone camera's zoom or a clip‑on macro lens to inspect visible contents from the same safe distance, and place a common object of known size (like a coin or stick) next to the scat before photographing for scale.

What should we do if photos come out blurry or we can't see contents with the magnifying glass?

If photos are blurry or the magnifying glass doesn't show details, steady the camera against the ruler or a stable surface, switch to the phone's macro mode or increase zoom while keeping at least the three‑meter safe distance, and retake a clear photo that includes the ruler or coin for scale before recording length and width in your notebook.

How can I adapt this activity for different ages, like a 4-year-old, an 8-year-old, or a 13-year-old?

For a 4‑year‑old have the adult lead the walk and take the photos while the child makes simple drawings in the notebook, for an 8‑year‑old let them use the magnifying glass and ruler to measure and write short notes about shape and contents, and for a 13‑year‑old require precise measurements, two species comparisons using the field guide, and a full scat‑identification report with photos to post on DIY.org.

How can we extend or personalize the scat-identification activity after finishing the instructions?

Turn your notebook entries, ruler‑scale photos, and species guesses into a personalized field guide by adding map locations or GPS coordinates, a comparison chart of shapes and contents from your notes, and a photo slideshow or detailed DIY.org post that links each finding to the two likely species.