Why do chameleons change color?
Chameleons change color to show how they feel and to stay warm or cool.
Pip’s answer
- Chameleons change color to show how they feel and to stay warm or cool.
- Tiny sparkly bits in their skin move to make new colors.
- A dark color soaks up sunshine, and a pale color keeps them cool.
- Ooh, an excited chameleon can glow bright orange and blue!
For grown-ups
Chameleons change color mainly to communicate and to control their temperature, rather than simply to blend in. Special skin cells contain tiny crystals; by relaxing or tensing their skin, chameleons change the spacing of the crystals, which changes how light reflects and so the color we see.
Ask your child: If you could change color with your mood, what color would happy be?
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