9 Fantastic ways to introduce your child to animals

From colouring sheets to a trip to the zoo, here are 9 easy ways to get your child interested in animals. Downloadable worksheets for your kids attached below.

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How do kids differentiate between a donkey and a deer? Does your child know what a rhinoceros is? Do zebras have spots and leopards have stripes, or is it the other way around? Introducing kids to animals isn’t as easy as you think it is!

Or is it?

Here are some amazing yet absolutely simple ideas that are bound to make Animal Identification a breeze for your child!

1. Sing Animal Songs

Be it Elly the Elephant swaying her trunk or 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed, music is a great way to make kids learn. Children can be introduced to attributes and features of different animals through fun rhymes and songs. In fact, action songs further their understanding and help in animal recognition.

2. A Trip to the Jungle / Zoo

Go on a fun exploration to the jungle for a night safari or even a trip to the zoo. Taking children outdoors is an excellent non-academic way of teaching them about animals. Children learn about animal habitats, the need for animal conservation, and even about their basic lifestyles!

3. Go on a Nature Walk

Take a walk around your neighbourhood or go to a nearby picnic spot. Nature trails offer a variety of opportunities to learn about domestic animals. Be it ducks or cows, deer or even dogs, kids get a better visual understanding through observation.

Download flintobox.com Worksheet for 2 to 3 year olds

4. Animal Accessories

At home, you can create animal-themed decor to accessorise your child’s study table. Recycle items to create different animals and give your child a hands-on learning about animals.

5. Technology Time

When technology is the only way out, make use of apps to teach kids about animals. Be it flash-cards, games, animal videos (Peppa Pig series) or songs, technology can be used positively to teach kids. You can also switch the TV channel to Nat Geo and watch your child absorb meaningful content for a change!

6. Library to the rescue!

Take a walk to the nearest library and your little animal enthusiast is sure to learn something new. Picture books come in handy and kids learn marvellous facts about animals!

Download flintobox.com Worksheet for 3 to 4 year olds

7. Get Creative With Food

Turn broccoli into a sheep or pancakes into an elephant! Go the extra mile by making a small difference to your child’s breakfast and make eating a learning experience. It’s also a great idea if your child is a fussy eater!

8. Drawing, Colouring, and Puzzling Games!

Take print-outs of animal outlines and get your child to colour them. In addition, you can also try out animal worksheets that include ‘joining the dots’ and ‘connecting lines’ to make different animal shapes. From rabbits to hippos, there’s quite a variety online!

There are also activity kits (like Flintobox) available today that have hands-on animal-themed activities and puzzles! We also have a free animal worksheet from Flintobox, that’s available at the end of this article!

9. Pretend-play!

Make animal costumes and indulge in pretend-play fun by quacking like a duck or roaring like the king of the Jungle! You can also make small hand puppets of animals and enact a complete story. This is an excellent and imaginative way to teach kids about animals (and even those that are extinct!).

Download flintobox.com Worksheets for 4 to 8 year olds

Children are largely fascinated by animals and are completely drawn to their warmth. In fact, children learn and develop in unimaginable ways when they interact with animals. Not only do animals provide comfort and encouragement to children, but also help in emotional development and overall well-being!

What steps have you taken to teach your child about animals? Share your stories and experiences with us!