All Activities
Identify a mushroom

Identify a mushroom
Green highlight

Collect and observe a common safe mushroom with adult supervision, note cap, gills, stem, color, and spore print to identify it.

Orange shooting star
Download Guide
Collect Badge
Background blob
Challenge Image
Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to identify a mushroom

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

Mushrooms 101: Identification and Anatomy - Part 1

What you need
Adult supervision required, basket or paper bag for collecting, black paper or dark foil, clear jar or cup, hand sanitizer or wipes, magnifying glass (optional), pencil, small knife or scissors, small notebook, white paper

Step 1

Go outside with an adult and find one common fresh mushroom that you both agree is safe to handle.

Step 2

Clean your hands with sanitizer or wipes and put on gloves if you have them.

Step 3

Use the knife or scissors to cut the mushroom at the base of the stem.

Step 4

Gently place the mushroom into your basket or paper bag.

Step 5

Open your notebook and write the date and the place where you found the mushroom.

Step 6

Look at the top of the mushroom and note the cap’s shape size and color in your notebook.

Step 7

Turn the mushroom over to see the underside and look for gills pores or teeth.

Step 8

Write the gill or pore color spacing and whether they are attached to the stem in your notebook.

Step 9

Look at the stem and write its length thickness texture and any rings or bumps in your notebook.

Step 10

Cut off the stem so you are left with just the cap for the spore print.

Step 11

Place the cap gills-down on a sheet that has white paper on one side and black paper on the other so spores can show up.

Step 12

Cover the cap with the clear jar or cup to keep it still and wait for at least four hours or overnight.

Step 13

Lift the jar and remove the cap to see and write down the spore print color and pattern in your notebook.

Step 14

Share a photo or drawing of your finished mushroom notes and spore print on DIY.org.

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

Complete & Share
Challenge badge placeholder

Help!?

What can we use if we don't have gloves, a basket, or a clear jar for the spore print?

If you don't have gloves, use hand sanitizer or wipes from step 2; carry the mushroom in a clean paper bag or plastic container instead of a basket (step 4); and cover the cap for the spore print with a clear plastic cup or glass bowl if you don't have a clear jar (steps 12–13).

My spore print showed nothing—what might have gone wrong and how do we fix it?

If no spores appear, check that you cut off the stem so only the cap sits gills-down on the white/black paper (step 11–10), that the cap was fresh and not dried, the cap stayed still under the clear jar (step 12), and wait overnight as recommended (step 12) before concluding it failed.

How can I adapt the activity for a 4-year-old versus a 10-year-old?

For a 4-year-old, have the adult do the cutting (steps 3 and 11) while the child looks at cap shape and color and feels stem texture to draw simple pictures in the notebook (steps 5 and 7), and for a 10-year-old, let them measure stem length and gill spacing, record detailed notes (steps 8–9), make the spore print overnight (steps 11–13) and upload photos to DIY.org (step 14).

What are simple ways to extend or personalize our mushroom identification project?

Make a nature-journal page that combines your date/place notes (step 5), labeled drawings or photos of the cap, gills, and stem (steps 6–9), glue the spore print onto the page (step 13), and share or compare photos on DIY.org (step 14) or between different mushrooms to study patterns.

Watch videos on how to identify a mushroom

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to Identify Common Mushrooms

4 Videos

Facts about mushroom identification and safety

🧪 A spore print's color (white, pink, brown, black, etc.) is one of the quickest clues scientists use to identify a mushroom.

🧠 Fungi are actually more closely related to animals than to plants — cool family-tree surprise!

🍄 Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi — they release spores (tiny reproductive cells) to make more fungi.

🌈 Some mushrooms are bioluminescent and can glow in the dark to attract insects that help spread spores.

👀 The gills under a mushroom cap act like packed pages, giving a huge surface area so millions of spores can form.

How do you safely collect and observe a mushroom to identify it?

With an adult, choose a common, locally known safe species or get expert help first. Gently dig or cut the whole mushroom at the base and place it in a paper bag (not plastic). Note habitat, take photos, measure cap diameter, and observe cap, gills, stem, color and smell. To make a spore print, place the cap gill-side down on half-white, half-black paper, cover with a bowl, and wait several hours before checking.

What materials do I need to identify a mushroom with my child?

You’ll need adult supervision, a small knife or trowel, paper bags for samples, a field guide or ID app, camera or phone, notebook and pen, ruler or tape measure, magnifying glass, disposable gloves, and white-and-black paper plus a jar or bowl for spore prints. Bring hand sanitizer and a brush to clean dirt. Never use plastic bags for fresh specimens, and label each sample with location and date.

What ages is mushroom-identifying suitable for for children?

With close adult supervision, basic mushroom observation is suitable for children around 5 and up. Young children can learn to observe color and shape; ages 8–12 can help measure, note features, and make spore prints. Teens can practice careful note-taking and use field guides or apps. Always restrict handling and never allow tasting—tasks should match the child’s attention and maturity level.

Is mushroom identification safe for kids and what are the benefits?

Mushroom ID can be safe if adults lead, enforce no-eating rules, and use gloves. Teach children to wash hands, avoid touching unknown fungi near face, and to consult experts before assuming safety. Benefits include improved observation, scientific thinking, outdoor exploration, and respect for nature. Emphasize that spore prints and field guides help but expert confirmation is needed before any consumption.
DIY Yeti Character
Join Frame
Flying Text Box

One subscription, many ways to play and learn.

Try for free

Only $6.99 after trial. No credit card required

To create a safe space for kid creators worldwide!

Discovery Tools

DIY Wiki

DIY TV

Creativity Tools

How to draw

Teacher Tools

SafeTube

DIY Blog

2025, URSOR LIMITED. All rights reserved. DIY is in no way affiliated with Minecraft™, Mojang, Microsoft, Roblox™ or YouTube. LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group which does not sponsor, endorse or authorize this website or event. Made with love in San Francisco.

Identify a mushroom. Activities for Kids.