Things to Do

Igloos	Today most Inuit people live and work in their houses made of wood and concrete. Traditional igloos are still made mostly as over night resting places on long hunting trips. They are built from slabs of ice that are carefully cut to size and placed together for a snug fit against the wind. The cracks are filled with loose snow for further protection against the cold. Inside, fire from seal oil lamps provides warmth and light while the smoke escapes through a hole in the top. In the past families often lined the walls and floors with skins and blankets. Build an igloo
Dog Sleds	Long ago dog sledding was one of the only ways to travel in the arctic. Today people have cars and snowmobiles to get around but dog sledding is enjoyed as a sport. The most famous dog sled race is the Iditarod which takes place in Alaska. Like in any race, there are rules in dog sledding to make sure that the people who drive (they are called "mushers" ) and the dogs stay safe. Mushers must sign in at checkpoints along the trail and at some of the check points they are required to stop and rest- of course the dogs must rest too! In dog sledding "gee" means turn right and "haw" means turn left. The dogs are trained from the time they are young puppies to be able to understand the commands and build up the strength for all that running. Dog sled coloring sheet
Ice Fishing	The fish that people catch in the arctic are very healthy to eat because the water is so clean. Besides eating fish themselves, Inuit people can feed fish to their dogs because there is very little dog food for sale way up north. Sometimes the ice is over three feet thick and it takes time, patience, and tools to get through the ice to flowing water. When people go ice fishing near a village they can drive their snowmobile or truck right onto the ice to get to their fishing spot. It is possible to catch one fish every fifteen minutes through a single hole in the ice.