Activity Idea: Animal Habitats

Now that spring is officially here and the Easter Bunny is on his way, it's a perfect time for children to learn about animals, particularly the ones they may have seen depicted on spring cards and candies and are beginning to see in parks, yards and gardens.

Kindergarten QuickSource® tells us that "children are natural scientists and their curiosity leads them to seek answers to questions and make connections. By experimenting, making predictions, exploring, testing observations and investigating, children learn about the world around they live in."

Here's an activity called Animal Habitats that helps children explore their world and begin to understand the animals and their habitats.

This is a great sensory activity to do with a partner or as a small group. For this activity, you will need a sand table , sandbox, or sand activity tubs; regular dry/wet sand or moldable sand; sand tools including shovels and rakes; assorted animals, toy landscape items, such as trees, rocks, sticks, etc.

Prior to this activity, you can read a story to the children about animal habitats such as Look Once, Look Again!

Let's get started:

1. Allow the children to create a habitat for whatever animal is being discussed. (Perhaps rabbits, chicks/birds or other animals associated with Easter and spring holiday festivities.)

2. After talking about the animal's habitat, encourage the children to make a habitat in the sand that would be appropriate for the animal.

3. Provide toy landscape items and any materials appropriate for creating the habitat. (Some locations may be easier to build if the sand is wet or moldable.)

Expand the lesson by encouraging the children to create a story about their chosen animal and its habitat. Where does it live? Why does the animal prefer their habitat over others? Encouraging the child to think about another animal that lives in a very different habitat (for example if the child has chosen a rabbit, think about a fish that lives in a pond), can help the child explore the differences in animal habitats. Let the children share the story they have created with the class.

For more great developmentally-appropriate activities, visit Teacher QuickSource® and browse through all age areas, including Preschool, Kindergarten, Infant, Toddler, and Head Start. And with Earth Day around the bend, don't forget to explore activities promoting environmental awareness at Environmental QuickSource®.