Try one of the many classic nursery rhyme songs that are about animals like "Baa, Baa Black Sheep" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Some other traditional nursery rhymes that we all remember from our childhoods are "This Little Piggy" and "Three Blind Mice." Show pictures of the animals in the songs or use animal puppets that you can make dance along as you sing together.
"Old MacDonald Had a Farm" and "Farmer in the Dell" are perfect songs for a farm theme unit for young children. Include any animals that the students are learning about in this classic kids tune. "B-I-N-G-O" is a catchy animal song that can be used in a farm unit or any animal related musical activity. "Five Little Ducks" is another song that teaches animal sounds and also teaches counting. It's a simple song with repetition that young children can sing along to.
Nothing can get a group of little kids up and moving like the song "Going on a Bear Hunt." Use this song as inspiration for learning more about bears, such as types of bears, bear habitats and hibernation. Teach about smaller forest animals like squirrels and owls with the songs "Gray Squirrel," which kids love because they can pretend to swish their bushy tails, and "Wide Eyed Owl," which lends itself to interactive hand movements.
Any child who has made a trip to the zoo will love to learn about zoo animals through music. If possible, take a fieldtrip to the zoo after teaching the children some zoo animal songs like "Animal Fair." Adapt the song "Farmer in the Dell" to fit zoo animals by changing the title to "Keeper in the Zoo" and singing the lyrics "the keeper feeds the..." and have the children suggest zoo animals they have learned about.