Zoo Animal Lesson Plans & Theme Activities for Preschoolers
Preschool zoo animal activities, lesson plans and theme ideas are great, simple activities for teaching pre k kids about zoo animals and various topics in fun exciting ways.
Children and preschoolers love learning about zoo animals and all the people and things associated with the Zoo.
This zoo lesson plan is a simple way to introduce the different Zoo animals and people who work there to the pre k children so they can learn more about this fun, amazing and educational place.
Zoo lesson plans like this one below will help pre school children to learn about various Zoo animals, natural animal habitats, what the various animals eat, where they come from in the world, people who work at the zoo and much more.
Most children, toddlers and preschoolers love or are interested in some sort of animal – that is what makes these lesson activities and ideas great for teaching kids. Using educational books, coloring pages, stories and songs about these animals you can make this pre k theme a success using some very simple teaching ideas and building upon them with the preschoolers & children in your class.
Starting Your Preschool Zoo Theme Lesson Plan:
- Teach the preschool children the basics of the zoo
- Have books in the library about the zoo (age appropriate)
- Pictures of animals, colorful photos of zoo animals
- Have books talking about various zoo animals
- Talk about a new area of the Zoo each day
Theme Ideas for Teaching Kids about the Zoo:
Zoo Keepers:
- feed animals
- bathe animals
- keep cages clean
- provide clean water
- keep animals active and provide attention
Veterinarians & Zoologists:
- check-up on animals to make sure they are healthy
- check animals mouths to make sure their teeth are nice and clean
- rushes to help when animals are sick to make them feel better
- checks and clips nails of animals with large sharp claws
Zoo Animals:
- animals are in cages to keep them safe and to keep us safe
- animals could include, tigers, lions, bears, variety of birds, elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippopotamus, penguins, alligators, flamingos, koala bears, etc.
About the Zoo:
- it’s a place for people to visit and have a nice time learning about exotic animals
- you can buy food, ice cream, drinks, and balloons there
- when we pay money to go to there, our money helps buy food and medicine for our animals friends
Animal Pictures:
Have real life pictures of zoo animals, keepers & workers and more around the room.
When they look at these pictures throughout the day, the preschool children can relate them to what you are teaching them.
A children’s song to sing for this preschool lesson plan could be “We’re going to the Zoo”
We’re Going To The Zoo (Preschool Zoo Song)
(Words and Music by Tom Paxton)
Daddy’s taking us to the zoo tomorrow,
Zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow;
Daddy’s taking us to the zoo tomorrow,
We can stay all day.
Chorus
We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo;
How about you, you, you?
You can come too, too, too.
We’re going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.
See the elephant with the long trunk swingin’,
Great big ears and long trunk swingin’,
Snuffin’ up peanuts with the long trunk swingin’;
We can stay all day.
Chorus
See all the monkeys scritch scritch scratchin’,
Jumpin’ all around and scritch scritch scratchin’,
Hangin’ by their long tails scritch scritch scratchin’;
We can stay all day.
Chorus
Big black bear, all a huff huff a-puffin’;
Coat’s too heavy, he’s huff huff a-puffin’,
Don’t get too near the huff huff a-puffin’,
Or you won’t stay all day.
Chorus
Seals in the pool all honk honk honkin’,
Catchin’ fish and honk honk honkin’,
Little seals honk honk honkin’; (high pitched voice)
We can stay all day.
Chorus
(Slower tempo)
We stayed all day and we’re gettin’ sleepy,
Sittin’ in the car gettin’ sleep sleep sleepy,
Home already and we’re sleep sleep sleepy,
We have stayed all day.
Chorus, Alternate
We’ve been to the zoo, zoo, zoo;
So have you, you, you.
You came too, too, too,
We’ve been to the zoo, zoo, zoo.
Momma’s taking us to the zoo tomorrow,
Zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow;
Momma’s taking us to the zoo tomorrow,
We can stay all day.
Chorus
Let’s Go to The Zoo Song
Zoo Books for Kids:
Discovery Kids Roar at the Zoo Sound Book (Discovery 10 Button)
Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book
Tabbed Board Books: My First Zoo: Let’s Meet the Animals! (Tab Board Books)Animal