Get ready to explore the enchanting world of elephants through a variety of engaging activities designed specifically for preschoolers. Our collection of 18 activities will not only ignite their imagination but also help them develop essential skills across different domains. Let’s dive right in and make learning a trunkload of fun!
1. Elephant Easel Art Extravaganza
Grab those smocks and let your preschoolers unleash their artistic side! Provide them with paint, markers, and crayons to create magnificent elephant masterpieces on easels or large paper. Encourage them to experiment with colors, shapes, and textures.
Learn More: Kinder Art
2. Ele-fantastic Math Safari
Transform your classroom into an exciting math safari with elephant-themed counting and sorting activities. Use elephant-shaped cutouts or toys for hands-on counting practice, and engage learners in sorting objects by size or color.
Learn More: Amazon
3. Elephant Parade Storytime
Gather your little adventurers and dive into captivating elephant storybooks. Bring the stories to life by using elephant puppets or stuffed animals. Encourage children to retell the stories, express their emotions, and engage in imaginative play after the reading.
Learn More: Jen in the Library
4. Elephant Alphabet Feeder
Let’s explore the alphabet with the help of our elephant friends! Create large elephant cutouts and attach them to the wall. Write letters on small paper peanuts and challenge preschoolers to match the peanuts to the corresponding elephants.
Learn More: ABCs of Literacy
5. Elephant Yoga Adventure
Get those bodies moving and grooving with a fun-filled elephant yoga session! Guide children through elephant-themed yoga poses, such as stretching their trunks (arms) high or stomping their elephant feet (legs) on the ground. This activity promotes body awareness, balance, and flexibility while encouraging imaginative movement.
Learn More: YouTube
6. Sensory Sensation
Create a sensory bin filled with sand or rice and hide small toy elephants inside. Let your littles dig and explore the bin to discover hidden treasures. Encourage descriptive language as they describe the texture, color, and size of the objects they find. This activity stimulates sensory exploration and language development.
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7. Craftastic Adventure
Unleash your preschoolers’ creativity by providing them with various craft materials to make their own elephant-themed crafts. From paper plate elephants to handprint ellies, the possibilities are endless! Let their imaginations soar as they create unique masterpieces to take home.
Learn More: Simple Everyday Mom
8. Elephant Excursion
Take your preschoolers on an outdoor adventure to search for signs of elephants in nature. Observe trees, plants, and rocks and imagine how elephants might interact with their surroundings. Encourage discussions about the natural habitat of elephants; fostering curiosity and environmental awareness.
Learn More: Parenthood 4ever
9. Healthy Ellie-themed Snack Time
Get your students to create elephant-themed snacks using healthy ingredients. They can assemble elephant faces using sliced fruits, such as bananas for the trunk, blueberries for the eyes, and pretzel sticks for the tusks.
Learn More: Ms. Clarisse’s Classroom
10. Elephant Hopscotch
Transform traditional hopscotch into an elephant-themed adventure! Draw elephant footprints on the ground and number them. Your littles can then hop from footprint to footprint; calling out the numbers or letters as they go.
Learn More: Ten Stickers
11. Themed Dress-Up
Provide themed dress-up clothes and accessories like elephant masks, ears, or tails. Encourage your class to then dress up as elephants and engage in imaginative play. They can act out stories, communicate like elephants, and explore different emotions. This is a fantastic way to improve social skills and foster emotional development.
Learn More: WikiHow
12. Ele-phonics Adventure
Engage preschoolers in an elephant-themed phonics activity. This activity reinforces letter-sound correspondence and phonemic awareness. Display large elephant cutouts with different letters written on them. Encourage children to then locate objects in the classroom that start with the corresponding letter sounds.
Learn More: Twinkl
13. Elephant Family Tree
Explore the concept of family with an elephant twist! Provide preschoolers with elephant cutouts and encourage them to draw or attach pictures of their family members. You can then create a beautiful “Elephant Family Tree” display that celebrates the importance of family and promotes a sense of belonging.
Learn More: Etsy
14. Elephant Science Investigation
Delve into the science of elephants! Set up stations where children can explore elephant-related concepts, such as water displacement (by comparing elephant-sized and child-sized objects in water) or elephant toothpaste (a safe and exciting chemical reaction demonstration).
Learn More: Hands-On As We Grow
15. Musical Parade
March to the beat of your own drum with an elephant-themed musical parade. Don’t forget to provide instruments or homemade shakers for preschoolers to create their own rhythmic melodies. Encourage them to move like elephants; swaying their trunks and stomping their feet to the music.
Learn More: YouTube
16. Elephant Habitat Diorama
Let your class dive into the world of elephants by creating their own elephant habitat dioramas. Provide craft materials and let your learners design and construct dioramas with trees, grass, water, and toy elephants. Whilst engaged, encourage discussions about elephant habitats and the importance of preserving their natural environment.
Learn More: Pinterest
17. Elephant Toss Game
Create a fun elephant-themed tossing game using hula hoops or large cutouts of elephants. Preschoolers should take turns tossing bean bags or softballs into the targets; aiming to land them inside the elephant’s trunk or body. You’re promoting hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills without your littles even being aware!
Learn More: YouTube
18. Elephant Mini-Olympics
Enhance gross motor skills and coordination with an energizing activity. Organize an elephant-inspired mini-Olympics where preschoolers can participate in fun physical activities. Set up stations like the Elephant March (obstacle course), Trunk and Toss (throwing bean bags into hoops), and Elephant Balance (walking along a balance beam).
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