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These Wildlife Theme Activities For Kids are perfect to help our little ones learn more about our natural world and the creatures in it!

“The continued existence of wildlife and wilderness is important to the quality of life of humans.” – Jim Fowler

When we were kids, a tiger was just another wild animal. It was there in many places and you could easily visit a zoo to see one. We never imagined that by the time we grew up and had kids of our own, the tiger would be classified as an endangered animal.

Thankfully, due to all the awareness campaigns and active community efforts, tiger numbers are now increasing, but we still have a long way to go. And it’s not just about tigers, it’s about wildlife in general, threatened by human activities like deforestation, poaching, and industrialization.

That’s why we have many days dedicated to wildlife scattered throughout the year – from World Wildlife Day on 3rd March to Wildlife Conservation Day on 4th December. The idea behind these special days is to encourage young people around the world to unite and tackle the biggest challenges to wildlife.

As with everything, the best way to begin is with books!

Kids’ Books about Wildlife

• The Wilderness War by Julia Green
• Yucky Worms by Vivian French
• Wild Life: The Extraordinary Adventures of Sir David Attenborough by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe
• One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest by Jean Craighead George
• Be a Neighbourhood Naturalist by Labonie Roy, Vena Kapoor, Suhel Quader

It’s a good idea to combine these books with some hands-on activities to help kids learn about wildlife, their habitats and how human interference can affect the natural cycle of things. Here are some easy and interesting wildlife theme activities for kids to try at home!

15 Wonderful Wildlife Theme Activities For Kids

1. Printable Animal Crowns

These printable animal crowns are perfect if you’re looking for wildlife theme activities for kids under the age of 5. You can turn it into a game.  Put a crown on a kid’s head, but don’t tell him what animal it is. Let him ask questions to identify the animal, and the others reply only in monosyllables. Continue till the correct animal is guessed!

2. Printable 3D Forest Diorama

This diorama project shows kids just how rich a forest is in terms of biodiversity. So many plants, animals, and insects, all coexisting in the same place – it’s a wonderful lesson for us humans!

3. Endangered Animals Corner Bookmarks

Currently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has featured over 40,000 species in its Red List, which means they are endangered. Our craft here features three of those species – see if you can find out some more!

4. Recycled CD Animal Crafts

Isn’t it wonderful if you can find wildlife theme activities for kids that also save the planet? Our printable gives you ideas on turning old CDs into animal crafts, so that you can recycle, get creative and learn at the same time!

5. Animal Track Stamp Activity

If your kids are not in the mood for complex projects, then this project from Green Kid Crafts is perfect! All you need are colored sponges and cardboard to make the animal track stamps. Research with your kids and find out how different animals make different footprints, the shape of each animal’s foot & how it helps in its survival.

6. Hibernation Activity for Preschoolers

No, this isn’t about sending your preschooler off to a long nap, although I know it can be tempting when they’re acting out! Barley and Birch has a lot of fun hibernation activities that include books, crafts and even setting up your own hibernation hideout! Download the free printable of hibernation sort cards that’s sure to make a fun game with the little ones!

7. DIY Insect Hotel

Yes, why not give the creepy crawlies in our neighborhood some five-star accommodation? You can, with this insect hotel activity from Red Ted Art! All you need is a wooden box and lots of stuff from the outdoors. With these, you can build a fun science activity that’ll also give your bugs a nice place to relax. This is an excellent opportunity for kids to observe bugs move about their daily lives – just be careful of getting bitten!

8. Jungle Sensory Bin

Sensory bins are often recommended as a quiet time activity, but this jungle sensory bin from Raising Hooks is perfect in this list of wildlife theme activities for kids! This incredibly detailed sensory bin uses many natural materials, giving it a beautifully realistic look. You can improvise and add your own materials to customize the various elements – trees, grass, river and rocks. The animals look right at home in this bin!

9. Oil Spill Activity

Wildlife theme activities for kids should also include learning about how human actions are impacting animals and their habitats. This oil spill activity from One Time Through talks about a real danger of our times – oil spills, which cause immense damage to water and wildlife.

10. Wildlife Movement Dice Activities

As Moms, we often wonder if kids are a certain species all by themselves – after all, they are also prone to biting, scratching and howling! Let them get some movement in it too, with this fun wildlife movement dice from Mother Natured. Just download, print, fold, and stick, and you’re all set for a game that’s bound to have the family in splits!

11. Animal Habitat Activity

There’s nothing like hands-on learning to really understand concepts, especially when it comes to learning about the world around us. This beaver habitat activity from Natural Beach Living is great for young kids to learn about habitats. This is also a good opportunity to kick-start a conversation about how humans are affecting the habitats of other creatures.

12. Food Chains and Webs Activity

One thing most kids love learning about is the food chain, seeing how animals keep feasting on others as you go up the chain. It’s a fascinating subject, and these food chain models from Enjoy Teaching are great to learn more.

13. Biomes Worksheets & Learning Unit

A biome refers to the naturally occurring plants and animals in a specific area, like a desert or an ocean. Woo Jr. has some fun printables that introduce kids to different biomes, and they can choose one to explore in more detail.

14. Beaver Dam Pond Life Activity

Beavers are some of the most amazing animals kids can learn about, especially considering their dam-building skills! Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool has an interesting activity that focuses on this, and it’s sure to have kids excited!

15. Animal Migration Mapping Activity

Studying animal migration patterns is one of our favorite wildlife theme activities for kids, and that’s why we’re so excited about this one from Teach Beside Me, with maps, fact sheets and more!

If this is the first time you’re trying out wildlife theme activities for kids, we recommend doing a bit of introductory reading before getting into each activity. This will encourage more questions from the children and take the learning process forward. Remember, it’s never too early or too late to start, and we need to begin young if we are to have a better future for our only planet!