Props can turn a blah science lesson into a hands-on learning extravaganza. Kindergarten-aged children commonly use their senses to learn about the world around them. Instead of simply lecturing or telling the young student about animals, use a variety of props. You can use animal props for many different science-based activities and lessons, such as identification, life cycle, habitats and basic body structure. Depending on what type you choose, an animal prop can lead to better understanding of the subject matter, the promotion of pretend play situations and building creative thinking skills.
There is an array of commercially available animal props available from school supply stores and toy retailers. Props include puppets, plastic or rubber small toys and plush or stuffed animals. These props allow a child to fully interact with the faux animal, feeling its fur, pretending the animal is moving or creating vocal noises for the creature. Other props that encourage hands-on experiences include samples of animal coverings, such as mock fur or snake skin. Some educators also use real, stuffed animals during science lessons. These provide children with an actual example of the animal, but it might require some discussion about what happened to the creature.
Choose to introduce specific types of animals based on your classroom or home lesson goals. Group animals by their habitat or environment, geographic region, appearance or use, such as farm animals. For example, if you want to teach your kindergartner about sea creatures, select a dolphin puppet or plastic model whale. Other animal groups include animals at the zoo, pets, animals of the African Savannah, arctic animals, feathered friends or animals with scales.
Although there are countless ways to use animal props with kindergartners, try a few of these interactive ideas to get the learning started. Encourage children to explore and discover real or mock animal coverings. Use these furry, scaled and smooth props to help students link what an animal looks like with where it lives, how it can adapt to the environment and how it differs from other living things. Give the children different animal hand puppets. Ask the students to create their own scenarios and interactions among the animals, using animal movements and noises. Allow the kindergartners to get up close and explore all kinds of animals by providing the students with small plastic or rubber animal models.