In Defense of Swamps: Why Your Coffee Table Needs a Wetland

Some people don’t like swamps. They think they’re messy and undesirable. But in reality, we need swamps! They’re part of a working, breathing ecosystem.

Swamps go by many other names. For example, they’ve recently been rebranded as “wetlands.” Whether you like to call them swamps or wetlands or bogs, these marshy areas serve an important purpose. Swamps soak up excess water, helping reduce downstream flooding.

Further, plants and microbes in swamps help trap pollutants and improve water quality before the water moves on. And do you see how green a swamp can be? That means they’re putting oxygen into the air. 

Plus, frogs, fish, insects, and alligators use wetlands as nurseries, pantries, and sometimes even dating apps! All kinds of critters meet and mingle in the swamp.

Turn Your Coffee Table Into a Wetland!

To help improve the image of swamps, we created the Uncle Goose Environments Swamp Blocks. These blocks are 100% made in the USA from sustainable Midwestern basswood. 

With these blocks, your living room becomes a small-scale swamp lab:

• Stack the blocks into a levee, then pretend a big rainstorm is coming! Where will the water go?
• Line up the lily pads and count them! How many frogs can sit without falling in the water?
• Use the printed ruler to measure how long the alligator’s tail is! How long is your finger or arm? 

Congratulations! You’ve just introduced concepts like habitat, counting, and measurement! No worksheets required, just playtime fun!

And who knows? Maybe your child will even grow up thinking, “Hmm, maybe swamps are pretty cool!” That alone can be an important revelation. Playing with Uncle Goose Swamp Blocks can be a first step toward caring about where real alligators and frogs live.