American Pika Coloring Sheet

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Learning about American Pika is made possible by: Make math simple and effective with CTCMath for grades k-12, and Award-winning science curriculum by Apologia.

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American Pika Facts for Kids

Have you ever heard of an animal so small, gentle, and adorable that it could fit comfortably in the palm of your hand—and yet tough enough to live where few other animals can survive? Discover these amazing American pika facts for kids!

These incredible little creatures remind us of God’s thoughtful design, even in the most extreme environments.

Today, we’ll discover why American pikas pick flowers, how they survive harsh mountain winters, and what these cute creatures can teach us about storing up hope and truth for difficult times.

What Exactly Is an American Pika?

If you’ve never seen an American pika, you’re missing out on one of God’s most delightful creations. About the size and weight of a stick of butter, the American pika resembles a fluffy little rabbit or guinea pig, but with its own unique features—like those irresistibly round ears.
Although pikas might look like rodents, they actually belong to their own special group called lagomorphs, which also includes rabbits and hares. Unlike rodents, lagomorphs have an extra set of top front teeth behind their main ones.

American pikas primarily live in mountainous areas of the western United States and southern Canada, typically in rocky habitats called talus—loose piles of rocks that provide safety from predators and harsh weather.

Life on the Mountain Tundra

The American pika thrives in an environment where most animals wouldn’t survive: the alpine tundra. These mountain heights are extremely cold, windy, and harsh. Trees cannot grow here, and oxygen is thin. During winter, snow piles high and temperatures plunge well below freezing.
Yet even in this seemingly inhospitable place, God carefully designed the American pika to flourish. Its thick fur coat, small size, and high metabolism keep it warm in extreme cold. Amazingly, pikas don’t hibernate—they stay awake and active all winter, hidden safely beneath thick blankets of insulating snow!

This reminds me of Psalm 104:24, which says:

“How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”

Why Do American Pikas Pick Flowers?

One of the most charming behaviors of the American pika is that it spends its short summer picking wildflowers and grasses. But why does this tiny animal gather such beautiful bouquets?
The answer is survival! In the tundra’s harsh winter, food becomes impossible to find. To prepare, pikas carefully harvest grasses and flowers during the summer months, creating large piles called haypiles. Before storing them, pikas spread these plants out on sunny rocks, letting them dry to avoid mold growth. These carefully dried bundles become their winter food supply.

This clever behavior is called haying, and it’s another example of God’s incredible wisdom in creation. Imagine a tiny creature instinctively knowing how to preserve food—preventing mold, and ensuring its survival. It’s another beautiful reflection of how God thoughtfully equips His creatures.

What Can the American Pika Teach Us?

Just as the pika stores up haypiles for harsh winters, we, too, can store up something vital for challenging times: God’s truth and hope.
Consider Psalm 119:11:

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Just like the pika carefully gathers food, we can intentionally store up God’s Word by memorizing Scripture, meditating on its truths, and letting it shape our hearts. This way, when hard times come—whether temptation, fear, or uncertainty—we have nourishment already stored up within us.
And what about hope? Lamentations 3:21-23 encourages us:

“But I have hope when I think of this: The Lord’s love never ends; his mercies never stop. They are new every morning; Lord, your loyalty is great.”

Just as the pika trusts its stored-up hay to sustain it through winter, we can trust God’s never-ending love and mercy to carry us through our trials.