The summer holidays are here, and that means that parents up and down the land are faced with the daunting prospect of keeping the kids entertained full-time once again. But there’s no need to worry and no need to resort to simply plunking them down in front of the telly or the Xbox, because there’s a perfect solution close to hand.

Thanks to the UK’s miles of stunning coastlines, there are loads of opportunities to treat your budding young fishkeepers to a fantastic family day out and get them interested in some of the UK’s native marine life. From starfish to sea scorpions and blennies to barnacles, the nation’s rock-pools are teeming with enough fascinating creatures to keep even the most ardent gamer excited.

Get your family out and about on a rock-pooling trip this summer and see if you can spot some of the twelve species below. Remember to keep safety in mind at all times and keep an eye on the tides so you don't get caught out. It's also worth remembering that as rock-pools are these creatures' homes, it's best to disturb them as little as possible, put back any rocks you've moved and generally try to leave them the way you found them. After a day of discoveries, your mini marine biologists will soon be asking to set up home aquariums of their own!               

  1. Long-spined sea scorpion
  2. Shanny
  3. Common prawn
  4. Shore crab
  5. Common hermit crab
  6. Common starfish
  7. Beadlet anemone
  8. Snakelocks anemone
  9. Common limpet
  10. Dog Whelk
  11. Grey top shell
  12. Common mussel

Children rock-pooling on the beach