Farm Animal Activities for Kindergarten

Farming provides a basis for a variety of activities in areas such as math, science and social studies. Your class can study the topic of animals on the farm as a more in-depth study of farming communities. Through various activities, your students can learn about the types of animals as well as their practical uses for food and materials.

Farm Animal Math Manipulatives

The use of manipulatives can enhance a child's understanding of mathematical concepts. Purchase toy farm animals, and allow the class to use them while completing math problems. If you prefer not to purchase manipulatives, you can make your own using computer images. Print out a variety of farm animals on heavy paper and cut them out. Because the manipulatives are simply a tool, you can use these in a variety of math lessons including counting, adding, or subtracting.

Feeding the Farm Animals Checklist

Every farmer must feed her animals to keep them healthy. Study the variety of animals you might find on a farm. Ask the students to pretend they are farmers and create a checklist of farm animals to feed during the day. This activity allows the child to practice writing and spelling the various farm animal names. It also helps a child learn how to develop an organized task list.

Farm Animal Venn Diagram

Farm animals are used for a variety of purposes. Discuss how some animals such as chickens are used for food, while other animals such as cows may be used for both food and materials such as leather. Create a Venn diagram using two circles. Overlap the two circles to form a middle area of the diagram. In the first circle, write the word "Food," and in the other, write the word "Materials." In the overlapping oval, write the word "Both." Cut out pictures of farm animals and ask the students to glue the picture in the appropriate circle for the animals' use.

Field Trip to the Farm

Learning through personal experience helps a child create connections between academic material and the real world. Research local farms in your area and set up a field trip to visit the farm. Prior to the visit, ask the farmer to focus the farm tour on the animals he keeps. Have him explain their needs as well as their uses. Be sure to have adequate parent volunteers to chaperone the field trip. If you are unable to take a field trip due to cost or other school restrictions, invite a local farmer to come to the classroom. Have him tell the class about his farm animals and their uses in the community.