Are you planning a field trip to your local zoo? Get the kids excited with these 60 Zoo Activities for Kids. Learn all about the amazing wild animals at the zoo, perfect for young children who dream about becoming a vet or zoo keeper.
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Zoo Activities for Kids
1. Zoo Bingo – Free Printable for Kids
Learn all about the different animals at the zoo with this fun game for preschoolers and kindergarteners. This free printable zoo bingo is a great addition to your early years lesson plan.
2. Giraffe Sensory Bag
This rainbow giraffe sensory bag is a fun and colorful sensory activity. Babies and toddlers will love decorating the giraffe with rainbow spots. This great activity also comes with a free printable template to use for the base of your sensory bag.
3. Zebra Sticky Wall
Draw a zebra onto a whiteboard with some dry erase markers. Toddlers and preschoolers will love decorating this sticky wall zebra with a variety of black stripes.
4. Paper Plate Lion Craft
Make a paper plate lion using the spin art method. If you feel like it, you can even cut out holes for the eyes and turn this cute craft into lion masks for your kids.
You may also like these other 60 Zoo Animal Crafts for Preschool
5. Giraffe Sticky Wall
I love turning my kids’ favorite animals into sticky wall zoo activities for kids. Just like this giraffe into a sticky wall activity.
Or just break out the glue sticks and make a giraffe paper collage instead.
6. Egg Carton Monkey Craft
Turn a regular egg carton into a bunch of silly monkeys. This egg carton monkey craft is a fantastic kids craft idea for preschoolers and kindergarteners.
7. Cheeky Monkey Counting Game
‘5 cheeky monkeys and the crocodile’ is one of my favorite counting songs to teach the kids. So I made this free printable cheeky monkey counting game to use on our bulletin board at home. Teach your toddlers a bit of math with these fun educational activities.
8. Toilet Roll Giraffe
Turn a tissue box and cardboard tubes into this amazing toilet roll giraffe craft. This is a fun craft to try with your first grade students in art class.
9. Craft Stick Monkey Craft
You can make so many different kinds of themed crafts with regular craft sticks. This cute craft stick monkey is made with brown paint, brown paper and a bit of creativity.
For more ideas, here are 25 Monkey Crafts for Preschoolers
10. Playdough Echidna
Add this playdough echidna to your list of zoo play ideas. This is a wonderful way to develop fine motor skills and learn about Australian animals.
11. Animal Tape Rescue
Use painters tape to trap some small zoo toy animals. This is a great way to develop fine motor skills if you’re doing a zoo animals theme at school.
12. Sticky Wall Parrot
Draw a parrot on some contact paper and decorate it with some colorful craft feathers. This is perfect for a zoo or rainforest unit.
13. Wash the Zoo Animals Sensory Bin
Dump your entire zoo collection in a bowl of soapy water. Grab some kitchen sponges and let your kids wash away till their heart’s content.
14. Paper Plate Polar Bear Craft
Turn some paper plates into a collection of fuzzy polar bears. This is a cute craft that toddlers and preschoolers will love.
Photo: Little Bins for Little Hands
15. Animal Charades – Free Printable
Grab your copy of these free animal charades cards and have some goofy fun with the whole family. This is a fun game to add to your list of zoo activities for kids.
Photo: Buggy and Buddy
16. Toilet Paper Roll Elephant
Learn how to turn a cardboard tube into this cute toilet roll elephant craft. This is a fun way to turn the recycling into one of your favorite animals.
Photo: Red Ted Art
17. Zoo Animal Textures Sensory Bin
This is officially my favorite zoo themed sensory bin. Add a collection of animal fur, feathers and textures to the sensory table, along with some pictures of the animals they belong too. The kids can explore the different textures and match them to the picture of the animal.
Photo: The Moments At Home
18. Foam Cup Lion Craft
Make this cute lion cup craft using some simple craft supplies. The kids will love making these little animals.
Photo: i Heart Crafty Things
19. Rescue the Zoo Animals
Hide some plastic zoo animals in small ziplock bags. This fine motor activity is the perfect way to encourage a small group of kids to learn how to open and close ziplock bags by themselves.
Photo: Happy Toddler Playtime
20. Cute Monkey Craft with Free Template
Make this cute paper monkey card out of these free zoo animal printables. These are wonderful if you’re learning about the letter ‘M’ with your preschoolers.
Photo: Simple Everyday Mom
21. My Trip to the Zoo – Free Printable Booklet
This My Trip to the Zoo book is a fun interactive zoo printables for kids. Follow the prompts and draw some of the fun activities that animals do at the zoo.
Photo: Teaching Mama
22. 3D Paper Giraffe Craft
This is a wonderful craft for kids of all ages. Make a 3D giraffe out of color paper and have fun hanging them up all over the classroom wall.
Photo: Arty Crafty Kids
23. Alphabet Zoo Sensory Bin
Find your favorite zoo animal and match it up with their beginning sound. This is a fantastic idea for incorporating a sensory and literacy activity into some little bins.
Photo: Happy Toddler Playtime
24. Z is for Zebra Craft
A Z for zebra is the perfect craft if you’re learning about the letter ‘Z’. Try to learn the name of the animal that goes with the whole alphabet and get your class learning their ABC’s in no time.
Photo: A Dab of Glue will Do
25. Dear Zoo Storytelling Basket for Toddlers
Dear Zoo is a wonderful book for toddlers and preschoolers that inspires all sorts of ideas for zoo activities for kids. Dear zoo activities, like this storytelling basket, is a great idea for young children to play with.
Photo: The Imagination Tree
26. Paper Plate Tiger Craft
Learn how to make a paper plate tiger, and maybe turn it onto a tiger mask if you like. This is an easy craft that kids will enjoy making during a zoo or jungle themed unit.
Photo: Happy Toddler Playtime
27. Going to the Zoo Printable Book
Grab your copy of this free printable zoo easy reader. This is a great idea if you’re trying to teach sight words to your young class.
Photo: Growing Book by Book
28. Fork Print Panda Bear Craft
Use a fork to paint this cute panda bear craft. Then use black paper or black paint for the eyes and ears. Your kids will have so much fun using a fork to create their next art project.
Photo: Crafty Morning
29. Zoo Mini Sensory Bottle
Do you have small toy zoo animals on hand? Place them into a bottle to make a fun zoo sensory bottle for your next zoo unit.
Photo: The Chaos and the Clutter
30. Handprint Penguins
Turn those adorable handprints into a penguin craft. This is a perfect idea if you’re looking for a zoo or wild animal activities for kids.
Photo: The Best Ideas for Kids
31. Zoo Playdough
Make your own zoo animal habitats out of playdough. Interactive activities like this are a wonderful way for kids to learn through play.
Photo: Little Bins for Little Hands
32. Cardboard Tube Hippo Craft
Save your paper towel tubes and turn them into this adorable cardboard tube hippo craft.
Photo: Creative Family Fun
33. Zoo Theme I Spy Printable
There are so many fun and different ways to help preschoolers develop their math skills. This Zoo I Spy is a free printable that will help kids practice counting and writing numbers.
Photo: Schooltime Snippets
34. Paper Plate Rhino Craft
Turn paper plates into a rhinoceros with this easy kids craft idea. Kids will love learning about all the amazing african animals that they see at the zoo or on safari.
Photo: Crafty Morning
35. Mini Zoo Rice Sensory Bin
Make your own zoo in a rice sensory bin. I hope that you have small zoo toy animals on hand, because there are so many different zoo activities for kids that you can make by using them.
Photo: 3 Dinosaurs
36. Newspaper Koala Craft
I love how this koala art uses newspapers. This is just another example of how you can use recyclable materials to make zoo crafts with your toddlers and preschoolers.
Photo: i Heart Crafty Things
37. Zoo Scavenger Hunt
There are so many fun zoo-themed activities to do in the class, but how about while you’re actually at the zoo with your kids? With this free zoo scavenger hunt, you can enjoy this preschool theme while on a field trip too.
Photo: Edventures with Kids
38. Handprint Cheetah Craft
Turn a simple handprint into a cheetah craft with your group of young learners. They’ll love getting messy with this easy art project.
Photo: Fun Handprint Art Blog
39. Zoo Gross Motor and Counting Activity
You’re going to have a lot of fun with these zoo animal puzzles. Burn some energy and practice counting with this zoo themed gross motor game.
Photo: 3 Dinosaurs
40. Fuzzy Brown Bear Craft
Paint a paper plate with bubble wrap to make this fuzzy brown bear craft. Zoo play ideas like this are sure to be a hit with your class of kindergarteners.
Photo: What Can We Do With Paper and Glue
41. Zoo Animals Color by Number
Color in the pictures using the key at the bottom of the picture. This is a wonderful way to practice number matching while playing with the different colors. Get these fun zoo math worksheets for free today.
Photo: Homeschool Preschool
42. Jaguar Mask
Make a jaguar mask for some zoo dramatic play. Decorate these fun masks with your class and let the little jaguars run around.
Photo: JDaniel4’s Mom
43. Zoo Sensory Bottles
Shake the bottle and learn the animal names with these easy zoo themed sensory bottles.
Photo: Living Montessori Now
44. Tortoise Painted Rocks
Try making rock tortoises with your class. The kids will have so much fun making these lovely pet rocks.
Photo: Kitchen Floor Crafts
45. Zoo Animal Counting Activity
Practice counting with these zoo activities for kids. Make a zoo and count out the correct number of animals inside the enclosure. This is a great idea to add to your zoo lesson plans.
Photo: The Educators Spin On It
46. Cupcake Liner Flamingo Craft
Turn a cupcake liner into your favorite animal, just like this pretty pink flamingo craft.
Photo: i Heart Crafty Things
47. Free Printable Zoo Memory Match Game
This is a great memory game for zoo week. Match the zoo animals with this free printable memory game.
Photo: Frugal Mom Eh!
48. Paper Doily Peacock Craft
I love including peacocks in my zoo animal crafts. The beautiful colors in the peacock’s tail is always a hit with the kids. Learn how to make a doily peacock craft with your kids and get crafting.
Photo: Messy Little Monster
49. Zoo Animal Bath Sensory Play
Take your zoo animals into the bath with your kids, or even just a bowl of water if you’re at school. Give the animals a wash with this fun sensory play idea.
Photo: ELEMENO-P Kids
50. Tropical Cardboard Tube Parrot Craft
Don’t you just love the colors in this cardboard tube parrot craft? Preschoolers and kindergarteners will love colorful zoo animal activities like this.
Photo: Kids Craft Room
51. Zoo Animal Fine Motor Activity
This zoo animal tweezers activity is a fun way to develop counting and fine motor skills.
Photo: Pre-K Pages
52. Cupcake Liner Toucan Craft
Exploring the zoo is a fantastic opportunity to talk to children about the different habitats that animals live in. Make a cupcake liner toucan and talk about the rainforest where they live.
Photo: i Heart Crafty Things
53. Zoo Animal Cutting Strips
Cutting strips are a fantastic activity for little hands. Cut out the zoo animals and sort them into their natural environments.
Photo: Living Montessori Now
54. Cute Sloth Handprint Craft
Preschoolers and kindergarteners will have a great time turning their handprints into this adorable sloth craft. Hang them from the classroom ceiling for everyone to enjoy.
Photo: Simple everyday Mom
55. Zoo Animal Peek-a-Boo Board
Most zoo activities for kids are usually for preschoolers and kindergarteners. But this zoo peek-a-boo board is perfect for babies and toddlers. Lift the flap to see what animal is hiding underneath.
Photo: Toddler Approved
56. Bubble Wrap Crocodile Craft
Learn how to turn bubble wrap into a crocodile craft. Crocodiles make adorable crafts that your class will just love.
Photo: Happy Toddler Playtime
57. Put Me In The Zoo Slime Recipe
This slime recipe is designed to accompany the Dr Seuss book ‘Put Me In The Zoo’. Enjoy the spotty slime after reading this wonderful book during circle time.
Photo: Natural Beach Living
58. Paper Plate Snake Craft
This paper plate twirling snake is a preschool craft classic. Paint them green or in a variety of vibrant colors to look just like real snakes.
Photo: Crafty Morning
59. Zoo Animal Counting Mats
Help your little learners to practice counting with these free zoo counting mats. Count from 1 – 10 and learn about some of the amazing animals you can find at the zoo.
Photo: Tot Schooling
60. Zoo Animals Roll and Move Game
Get moving with some wild animal activities for kids. This zoo movement dice game is a wonderful way to teach social skills, like turn taking and sharing, while also burning off some excess energy.
Photo: Pre-K Pages
61. Giraffe Sticker Activity
Put the dot stickers on this free printable template and make a colorful giraffe. This giraffe uses the same template from the giraffe sensory bag, but you can use it for this fine motor sticker activity, or perhaps even a kids craft idea.
Are you going to try any of these Zoo activities for kids?
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