Zoo Themed Lesson Plans for Teachers and Parents of Two's and Three's

Today our play date was at the Houston Zoo. This week in preparation for this exciting adventure I planned our lessons around the Zoo Animals Theme. These plans are one of my favorites, as well as some of the children and parents that I have taught over the years. They are fun, colorful, easy to do, inexpensive and so very exciting to children; especially if the field trip this week includes real animals. If your budget or time doesn't allow for a field trip, that's ok too, there are some other ideas in these plans that are just as much fun.

For Circle Time (as referred to in many preschools) but we call it quiet learning one day this week we had a pajama day, my daughters and I got up, had breakfast and kept our pj's on when we started our lessons. On another day we had foam cut out pictures of the moon and stars and foam sheets to peel and stick the several different pictures of the moon (different phases) and start.

Toy Time

The Fisher Price camera takes imaginary pictures of animals, but also shows in the view finder lifelike pictures of animals. There is a pop up flash, push button to take pictures and a sliding back and forth camera cover. It also hangs off a small wrist band so your little adventurer can pretend to take pictures every where this week.

The Fisher Price A-Z Learning Zoo is great for the toddler age group. You can reinforce color recognition, use your imagination for playtime, letter and phonic recognition is introduced when you push a button and the zoo set up includes many of the items that we saw today, such as; a waterfall, tree swing, zoo vehicles, and animal food and water barrel.

Imagination Time

Build a zoo with blocks, pull out the animals you have in the house (plastic, soft, plush) and get down on the floor and play zoo time with your child. Acting out the animals actions of eating, walking, and animals sounds will be fun for both of you.

Pretend to be different animals. Stretch way up high like a giraffe's neck, roar like a lion, swing your arms like a gorilla, and make silly animal sounds. Your children will giggle so much with mom or dad acting so silly.