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Sunshine State of Mind

Sunshine on the daily.

Wildlife encounters, beach know-how, water safety and the small print of Florida living — written from the water's edge of Tampa Bay.

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By the Bae

Florida's State Symbols, Explained for Kids: Every Animal, Flower, and Song, and the Stories Behind Them

Every Florida state symbol explained for kids: the panther, manatee, mockingbird, zebra longwing, and more, with the stories and the flamingo debate.

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Watercolor illustration of a Florida panther walking through saw palmetto at golden hour

The Florida Panther: How Many Are Left, Where They Live, and How Kids Can Help

How many Florida panthers are left? Between 120 and 230. Where the state animal lives, why cars are its biggest danger, and how kids can help.

Underwater photo of a Florida manatee mother and calf swimming over seagrass in clear spring water

Manatees for Families: Where to See Them Near Tampa Bay and the Rules That Keep Them Safe

Where to see manatees near Tampa Bay: the free TECO Manatee Viewing Center opens November 1, plus the look-don't-touch rules families should know.

Vintage poster painting of dolphins leaping in a boat wake on Tampa Bay with the Sunshine Skyway bridge behind

The Dolphins of Tampa Bay: What Your Kids Are Seeing Out There, and the One Rule That Protects Them

Tampa Bay's bottlenose dolphins live here year-round, have names for each other, and are protected by one big rule: never feed a wild dolphin.

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From the Archives

Painting of a flamingo and a mockingbird at debate podiums on a Florida beach with shorebirds watching

Why Is Our State Bird a Mockingbird? The Flamingo Question, Answered for Curious Kids

Florida's state bird is still the mockingbird, but a 2026 bill would crown the flamingo and name the scrub-jay songbird. The debate, for kids.

Horseshoe crabs gathered at the moonlit waterline of a Florida beach at high tide

Horseshoe Crabs: Living Fossils on Our Sand, and How Your Family Can Count Them for Science

Horseshoe crabs are 445 million years old, have ten eyes and blue blood, and FWC wants your family's sightings. Where to find them around Tampa Bay.

Watercolor illustration of a zebra longwing butterfly with striped wings resting on a purple passionflower

The Zebra Longwing: Meet the State Butterfly and Plant a Garden It Will Visit

Florida's state butterfly, the zebra longwing, eats pollen, lives for months, and sleeps in family groups. How to plant a garden it will visit.

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Every Story

Florida's State Symbols, Explained for Kids: Every Animal, Flower, and Song, and the Stories Behind ThemLearn The Florida Panther: How Many Are Left, Where They Live, and How Kids Can HelpLearn Manatees for Families: Where to See Them Near Tampa Bay and the Rules That Keep Them SafeLearn The Dolphins of Tampa Bay: What Your Kids Are Seeing Out There, and the One Rule That Protects ThemLearn Sea Turtle Season: The Family Beach Rules That Save Nests from May to OctoberLearn The Gopher Tortoise: Florida's Little Landlord and the 350 Neighbors in Its BurrowLearn Alligator Sense for Families: The Calm Facts Every Florida Kid Should KnowLearn Roseate Spoonbills: Florida's Pink Surprise and Where to Find One This WeekLearn Why Is Our State Bird a Mockingbird? The Flamingo Question, Answered for Curious KidsLearn Horseshoe Crabs: Living Fossils on Our Sand, and How Your Family Can Count Them for ScienceLearn The Zebra Longwing: Meet the State Butterfly and Plant a Garden It Will VisitLearn Sandhill Cranes in the Neighborhood: Why They're Here and Why We Give Them the SidewalkLearn Birding with Kids Around Tampa Bay: The Starter Guide (Binoculars Optional)Learn Fort De Soto in Migration Season: Why Birders Fly In from Everywhere Each SpringLearn The Great Florida Birding Trail, Family Edition: Five Easy Stops Near Tampa BayLearn Baby Shorebirds on Our Beaches: What the Roped-Off Areas Protect, and How to Teach the WhyLearn Burrowing Owls: Tiny Owls, Big Personalities, and How to Visit Them RespectfullyLearn A Family Guide to Weedon Island: Boardwalks, Herons, and a Thousand Years of HistoryLearn Backyard Bird Feeding in Florida: Who Shows Up, What to Offer, and What to SkipLearn The Christmas Bird Count: How Your Family Can Join Science's Longest-Running TraditionLearn Who Lived Here First? The Tocobaga of Tampa Bay, Told for KidsLearn The Mounds at Philippe Park: A Walk Through 1,000 Years in One AfternoonLearn Gasparilla, the Pirate Who Probably Never Was: Legend vs. History for KidsLearn Egmont Key by Ferry: Lighthouse, Fort, and Tampa Bay's Best History Field TripLearn The Sponge Divers of Tarpon Springs: How Greek Families Built a Florida TownLearn Ybor City with Kids: Cigars, Cuban Bread, and the Immigrant Story of TampaLearn Fort De Soto's Hidden Batteries: A Spanish-American War Walk Kids Actually LoveLearn When Conquistadors Landed Here: The 1528 Expedition That Began at Our BayLearn Old Florida Words: Why It's Called Tampa, Pinellas, Manatee, and Pass-a-GrilleLearn The Orange Groves That Built Florida: A Sweet History Kids Can TasteLearn The Tampa Bay Comeback: How Our Bay Nearly Died and Came Back to LifeProtect Seagrass, Explained for Kids: The Underwater Meadows Everything Depends OnProtect Beach Cleanups with Kids: Where to Join One and How to Start Your OwnProtect Red Tide, Gently Explained: What It Is, How to Check the Beach, and How Kids Can Help ScientistsProtect Why We Fill In Our Sandcastle Holes: Small Beach Habits That Save Turtles (and Rescuers)Protect Oyster Reefs: The Bay's Living Water Filters and the Volunteers Rebuilding ThemProtect Lights Out for Turtles: How Beach Towns Go Dark for Nesting Season, and Families Can TooProtect The Mangrove Nursery: Why Florida's Tangled Trees Matter More Than They LookProtect Adopt, Sponsor, Volunteer: Family Conservation Programs Around Tampa Bay Worth JoiningProtect Leave It Better: Teaching Kids the Leave No Trace Rules, Beach EditionProtect Your Family's First Boat Day on Tampa Bay: Rentals, Routes, and the Rules That MatterExplore Florida Life Jacket Laws for Kids, in Plain English (and the Fit Test That Actually Matters)Explore Reading the Beach Flags: What Red, Purple, and Green Mean Before Anyone Gets WetExplore Rip Currents: The Two-Minute Lesson That Makes Your Family Beach-SafeExplore Kayaking Weedon Island with Kids: The Mangrove Tunnel Trail, Step by StepExplore Shell Key by Ferry or Paddle: The Wild Island Afternoon Your Kids Will RememberExplore Tides 101 for Families: How to Read a Tide Chart and Plan a Better Beach DayExplore Manatee Zones and Slow Wakes: How Boating Families Protect the Gentle GiantsExplore The Sandbar Day, Done Right: Anchoring, Etiquette, and Snacks That SurviveExplore Dolphin Tours from Clearwater and St. Pete: Which Boat Fits Your CrewExplore Fishing with Kids 101: Licenses, Piers, and the First-Catch ChecklistExplore What Boater Education Does Florida Require? The Card, the Course, and Who Needs OneExplore The Family Beach Matchmaker: The Right Tampa Bay Beach for Toddlers, Shellers, and Wave ChasersExplore Calm Water Beaches for Little Ones: Where the Gulf BehavesExplore Shelling with Kids: The Best Sands, the Right Tide, and What to Leave BehindExplore Tide Pooling Around Tampa Bay: Where Kids Can Meet Sea Stars and Hermit CrabsExplore Caladesi and Honeymoon Island with Kids: The Full Day, PlannedExplore Fort De Soto with Kids: Beach, Fort, Ferry, and the Best Picnic Tables in FloridaExplore Sunrise or Sunset? The Best Beach Hours for Families, and the Photos to Prove ItExplore Beach Days Without the Meltdown: The Packing List Tested by Real FamiliesExplore Accessible Beach Days: Mobility Mats, Beach Wheelchairs, and Where to Find ThemExplore Rainy Beach Day? The Backup Plan That's Better Than the OriginalExplore The Florida Aquarium with Kids: A Local's Room-by-Room Game PlanLearn Clearwater Marine Aquarium: The Rescue Story Behind Every TankLearn MOSI or Glazer? Choosing Tampa's Science Museums by AgeLearn Great Explorations: St. Pete's Children's Museum, Reviewed by Actual ChildrenLearn The Bishop Museum in Bradenton: Manatee Rehab, Mastodons, and a PlanetariumLearn Tampa Bay History Center: Making 12,000 Years Interesting to a Nine-Year-OldLearn Free Museum Days and Library Passes Around Tampa Bay: The Family CalendarLearn The Dalí with Kids? Yes, Really: How to Do an Art Museum with Young OnesLearn The Homeschool Family's Guide to Tampa Bay: Co-ops, Field Trips, and Free Curriculum GoldLearn Field Trips That Teach Themselves: 15 Tampa Bay Outings Mapped to What Kids LearnLearn Junior Ranger Programs: How State and National Parks Turn Hikes into BadgesLearn Homeschool Days at Museums and Parks: The Discount Calendar Nobody Compiles (Until Now)Learn Nature Journaling for Kids: The One-Notebook Habit That Changes Every WalkLearn The Library Card Curriculum: Free Classes, Passes, and Programs Across Tampa BayLearn Citizen Science for Families: Five Real Projects Kids Can Join This MonthLearn 4-H, Scouts, and Coastal Clubs: Finding Your Child's People in Tampa BayLearn Teaching Kids About Hurricanes Without the Fear: The Science and the SafetyLearn Screen-Free Learning Days: A Week of Tampa Bay Plans That Don't Need a TabletLearn The Tampa Bay Family Weekend Planner: 12 Itineraries by Age, Budget, and Energy LevelExplore Staycation Resorts That Welcome Kids: Pools, Programs, and Parent SanityExplore The Perfect Anna Maria Island Family Day, on a Real Family BudgetExplore Fall on the Coast: A Family Bucket List for September Through NovemberExplore The Manatee Season Weekend: TECO Viewing Center, Springs, and Hot ChocolateExplore Spring with Kids on the Coast: Strawberry Season, Kite Days, and the Gentle GasparillaExplore Summer Survival: Splash Pads, Shaded Parks, and the 9 a.m. RuleExplore Hidden Gems: Eight Quiet Tampa Bay Spots Locals Share KindlyExplore One-Tank Trips: Crystal River, Homosassa, and the Springs Worth the DriveExplore Holidays on the Water: Boat Parades, Beach Trees, and December TraditionsExplore Slow Coastal Living with Kids: The Family Rhythm That Beats the RushLive Well Sun Safety Without the Battle: What Pediatricians Want Florida Parents to KnowLive Well The Gulf Seafood Kitchen: Kid-Approved Fish Dinners from Local DocksLive Well Farmers Markets with Kids: Where to Go and How to Make It the LessonLive Well Grateful by the Gulf: Simple Family Traditions for Beach SundaysLive Well Raising Water-Confident Kids: Swim Lessons, Timing, and What the Data SaysLive Well The Evening Walk: Why the Simplest Habit on the Coast Is the Best OneLive Well Hydration, Heat, and Little Bodies: Florida Summer Health, Simply PutLive Well Community on the Coast: How Newcomer Families Find Their People in Tampa BayLive Well The Memory Keeper: Turning a Season of Beach Days into a Book Your Kids Will RereadLive Well