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TICK-BORNE DISEASES

Don't Let the Ticks Bite! Toolkit

Kids may encounter ticks outdoors and get tick bites because they often enjoy playing and exploring in places where ticks live, such as in grassy areas, leaf litter, and alongside hiking trails or in picnic areas. Kids may be less likely than adults to notice if a tick attaches to them. Sometimes ticks carry germs like bacteria or viruses that can be transmitted to a person or animal while the tick is attached and feeding. These germs can cause diseases in people and pets. The best way to prevent diseases spread by ticks is to know about and prevent tick bites in the first place. Teaching kids about ticks and tick bite prevention at an early age can help keep kids safe from painful tick bites and tick-borne diseases that can be serious. The goal of this toolkit is to provide age-appropriate information about ticks and tick bite prevention in a fun and educational way so kids can be aware of ticks as they continue to grow and learn about the world around them. 

Female Ixodes pacificus tick
The Don't Let the Ticks Bite! instructional toolkit contains tick bite prevention information for youth (suggested ages 7-10 years) and is suitable for use in the classroom, with scouting and other youth groups, or at home.

Timothy Tickfinder and his dog Bullseye


The digital materials in the toolkit are designed to teach kids:

  • What ticks are
  • What ticks eat
  • Where ticks live
  • How to protect yourself from ticks
  • What to do if you find a tick

Tools in the Toolkit

Instructor Guide (PDF)

  • Guide includes lesson overview, suggested use for toolkit materials, background information, discussion questions, and resources for instructors to use in preparation for sharing the lesson presentation (below) with students

  • Slide presentation to share with students 
    (includes presentation notes and slide animations)


Activities

  • Activities are available to download and print for students to complete in-class or at home
    (answer keys available in the Instructor Guide):Don't Let the Ticks Bite! sample activities


Post-Presentation Quiz (PDF)

  • Quiz to assess students' understanding of the key topics presented in the lesson


For questions about the resources in this toolkit, please email VBDS@cdph.ca.gov

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