Designing a Zoo with Kids!
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Designing a zoo is such an intriguing challenge. There are so many facets that go into building and running a fun (and safe!) zoo. We enjoyed this creative exercise because it was easy to set up, open-ended, and offered us a joint space to create together.
The Invitation:
I offered my son an assortment of materials like plastic animals, pipe cleaners, plastic cups, chalk, and his nature collection (shells, acorns, and pine cones). I wanted the activity to be as enticing and inviting as possible. Here's what our creative table looked like:
The Challenge:
Then, I issued him the challenge to create his own zoo. I placed the materials out in the morning and left them out all day so that he could go back and build/draw whenever inspiration hit.
The Discussion:
As he created, we talked about ideas like:- What certain animals eat
- Where certain animals live
- Which animals are considered dangerous
- Whether certain animals could live together
- Why it's important to have a bathroom for people
It was really neat to see how the zoo developed over time and to hear my son's thoughts. Kids really are so imaginative and thoughtful, aren't they?
I hope you try this activity out with your kiddos too! And if you're looking for some great picture books to go along with this activity, here are
Our 15+ Favorite Zoo Themed Books
- Dear Zoo
- Ida, Always
- How Machines Work- Zoo break!
- Where's Walrus?
- Zoo-ology
- My Big Animal Book
- Tails
- Goodnight Gorilla
- Color Zoo
- If I Ran the Zoo
- Edward the Emu
- 1, 2, 3 to the zoo
- Peek-a-Zoo
- My Heart is Like a Zoo
- Put Me in the Zoo
- Polar Bear, Polar Bear What do you hear?
More Preschool Zoo Activities
Looking for more fun zoo crafts and activities for preschoolers? Check out the links below from our favorite preschool-loving bloggers!!- Recycled K-Cup Lion Craft | Artsy Momma
- Giraffe Finger Puppet Craft | I Heart Crafty Things
- Who Lives in the Zoo Sorting Tray | A Little Pinch of Perfect
- Zoo Creative Drawing Ideas | Hand Made Kids Art
- Z is for Zebra Alphabet Craft | School Time Snippets
Happy creating, friends!
