How to Teach Kids About Pigs on the Farm

Use fun, hands-on methods to teach children about pigs on a farm.

Many children may have seen the movie "Babe" or read the children's book "Charlotte's Web." Both focus on pigs as the main characters. Teaching children about pigs on a farm has numerous educational benefits, from helping children learn about where food comes from to showing them what pigs love to eat. Parents and teachers have a variety of engaging, hands-on methods at their disposal for teaching children fun ways about pigs and farm life.

Things You'll Need

• Pig-themed story book
• Large paper plate
• Pink acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Pink chenille stems
• Scissors
• Two wiggly eyes
• Glue stick
• Pink construction paper
• Black marker
• Hot dogs
• Knife
• Refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• Few drops red food coloring

Instructions

1. 

   Read to the children about pigs and farms, and encourage them to read at home.

   Read the children a story that introduces the concepts of pigs and farms, such as "Life on a Pig Farm" by Judy Wolfman (Carolrhoda Books, 2001), "Pigs (Animals That Live on the Farm)" by JoAnn Macken (Weekly Reader Early Learning Library, 2009), or "My Pigs (My Farm)" by Heather Miller (Children's Press, 2000). A silly and fun book about pigs is "If You Give a Pig a Pancake" by Laura Numeroff (HarperCollins, 1998). Also, send the children home with a pig- or farm-themed library book to read on their own or with a parent.

2. 

   Schedule a farm field trip for children to see pigs up close.

   Arrange a field trip to a local farm, where the children can see pigs up close and even touch them. Visiting a farm helps show children where food comes from and how animals (in this case, pigs) are raised. Field trips provide valuable education by encouraging children to use all five of their senses to learn about a concept. Check with local farms or a petting zoo to see whether children can visit.

3. 

   Children will love a craft involving cute pigs on the farm.

   Have fun doing a pig-themed farm craft with the children to teach them about what pigs look like. One idea is painting a large paper plate pink, then using pink chenille stems to form the pig's ears and curly tail. Glue on wiggly eyes, and have the children draw a pig snout. The children can cut squares of pink construction paper for the pig's feet. After creating their pigs, the children can tell or act out a story with their paper plate pigs.

4. 

   Make a pig-themed snack for the children.

   Fix the children a pig-themed snack, and discuss what pigs on a farm like to eat. One idea is making "Pigs in a Blanket" by wrapping hot dogs cut in half in refrigerated crescent roll dough, then baking them until the dough is golden brown. Explain to the children that pigs are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals.

5. 

   Have the children make their own play dough pigs.

   Help the children make homemade pink play dough, and then encourage them to make their own pigs from the dough. The recipe for homemade play dough is: 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup flour, and enough red food coloring to create a pink color. Because pigs are pink, it's also a great opportunity to make pink the "color of the week" and the letter "P" the "letter of the week."

Tips & Warnings

• Bring hand sanitizer or sanitizing hand wipes on the farm field trip so that the children can sanitize their hands after touching the pigs.

• Always supervise young children with craft materials such as sharp scissors.

References

• Teaching Heart: Down on the Farm
• DLTK's Growing Together: Paper Plate Pig Craft
• Step by Step CC: Pig Theme

Resources

• Kennesaw State University: Farm Animals/Farm Life