Dolphins off of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina ©Dawn Riccardi Morris
Yes, we were this close to the dolphins on a raft last week at Hilton Head Island! A couple of days later, we went kayaking in the bay and saw dolphins again. They didn't come as close that time, but it was a thrill to see.
We learned that dolphins fight off a shark by working as a team to scare it off. They fight for one another and with one another.
It seems to me that this example could be used to teach children to stick together when a friend is being bullied. It seems common for friends to abandon friends when one is being picked on, and the strategy of standing together is an important one. There's a picture book I once mentioned which discusses this very issue.
After a trip like this, I often like to seek out related books at the library. Young children would love to read about dolphins after a trip like this! Off the top of my head, an enjoyable one for children between the ages of 4 and 8 is If a Dolphin Were a Fish
Anyway, we spent a lot of time on the beach as well. The water is clean, and the waves are not too rough. People can even ride their bicycles on the wet sand. While we were walking along one day, we found these sand dollars (howstuffworks.com is a great site for kids, by the way):
Sand Dollars at Hilton Head Island ©Dawn Riccardi Morris
Aren't they beautiful? They were in the dry sand, so we threw them back in the shallow water, hoping it wasn't too late to save them.
If you look really closely, hopefully you'll see that there's a flower-like pattern on each one. That pattern is actually part of the tube feet that allow the sand dollar to breathe. Pretty amazing, huh?
Anyway, I figured I'd give you a few highlights of our wonderful beach vacation. I hope you're having a FUNtastic summer!
Here are some other vacation related posts:
If you know of any other great family destinations, please do share!
