About Squirrels for Kids

Squirrels are found in many parts of the world and come in dozens of varieties. They eat mostly foods they can find in nature, such as seeds, nuts and fruits, but are not shy about helping themselves to scraps of human food if they find it. They have sharp teeth that grow continually to compensate for being worn down on hard foods. Female squirrels have litters of two to eight offspring at a time, and they sometimes have two or more litters a year.

  1. Where Squirrels Are Found

    • Squirrels are mammals and members of the rodent family; their Latin name is Sciuridae. They are found throughout the United States and in most other parts of the world, except Australia, Greenland and the Sahara. There are more than 200 varieties worldwide, but most fall into one of three main categories based on their body type: tree squirrels, ground squirrels and flying squirrels. The most common squirrel in the United States is the gray squirrel, which belongs to the tree squirrel category.

    Tree Squirrels

    • Most of the squirrels you see in your yard, parks and neighborhood are tree squirrels. They can climb trees very quickly and use their long tails to help them balance on branches and the sides of trees. They can jump quickly and smoothly from branch to branch almost without stopping. Many are used to living in the same areas as people do and are not afraid to approach people if they think there is food around. They do have sharp teeth and claws, however, so they can defend themselves if they feel threatened. They eat nuts, seeds and fruit found in nature and have been known to eat scraps of human food as well.

    Ground Squirrels

    • Ground squirrels usually have larger bodies and smaller, less bushy tails than their tree-dwelling counterparts. This group of squirrels is adept at digging long tunnels and making underground burrows. They eat seeds and nuts like tree squirrels do, but they also feed on grasses, insects and leaves. Many hibernate during the very cold months, dropping their body temperature and slowing their body's functions to conserve energy during the extended cold period. They mostly hibernate in underground burrows, whereas the tree squirrels hibernate in nests they have built deep in trees.

    Flying Squirrels

    • The so-called flying squirrels are fascinating to watch as they glide from tree to tree. They are not really flying; instead, they have extra skin that can be stretched out between their limbs to capture air, like the sail of a boat or a parachute. This allows them to soar for extended distances -- as much as 150 feet -- when they jump from one high tree to another. They eat most of the same foods as their tree and ground cousins, and they also may eat insects or fungi. Like all squirrels, they can store extra food in their nests.