Activities on Kangaroos for Kids
There are many things about kangaroos that tend to appeal to children. They have big feet, hop everywhere and carry their babies in pouches. Kangaroo activities teach children about the animals and where they come from. Depending on the age group you are working with, there are a number of different angles from which you can approach activities on kangaroos.
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Sounds
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For kids who are just learning their letters and sounds, a kangaroo coloring page works well to teach the "K" sound and some facts about the animals. This activity would be for Pre-K or kindergarten age groups. Find some clip art of kangaroos and an image of the letter "K" and design your own page. Put lines at the bottom so the kids can practice writing the letter. You also can find printable sheets online that are already made. As you are passing out the page, talk a little about the kangaroo. Give basic information, such as the way kangaroos move around and carry their babies.
Crafts
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For kids who are able to use scissors, you may want to introduce some paper crafts as they learn about kangaroos. One such craft makes a kangaroo and her joey out of a toilet paper roll and some cutouts. The cutouts create faces for both kangaroos and a pouch for the joey. You can print the pattern for this project, or have them draw their own to cut out. As you begin the project, talk to the class about where the kangaroos live, what their babies are called and how they carry them.
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Games
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Games are another way to illustrate some facts about kangaroos. One such game called "The Kangaroo Cruise" illustrates how kangaroos move through the outback of Australia.
Go over some facts about how quickly kangaroos hop and how far they can jump at one time. Then, divide your class into two groups and mark off a starting spot and a finish line. Have the first person on each team jump as far as he can from a standing position. Then, the next person in line starts her jump from the spot where the first person landed. Keep going down the line until one team crosses the finish line. This game takes a lot of space, so you may want to do it outside or in a gym.
Charts
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For kids who are old enough to write, consider doing a K-W-L chart on kangaroos. The K-W-L model breaks lessons into three categories: what students know (K), what they want to learn (W) and what they learned (L). Have the students turn their paper horizontally and divide it into three sections, labeling each section with a "K", "W", and "L" respectively. Model this same chart on a chalkboard or overhead. First, ask students what they already know about kangaroos. They may respond with phrases such as "They hop" or "They carry their babies in pouches." Write these in the "K" column. Ask what they want to learn. They may respond with "Why do kangaroos use a pouch for their babies?" or "What kind of animal is a kangaroo?" After your unit on the kangaroo, have the students fill in the "L" column of their chart to show what they learned.
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References
- Photo Credit kangaroos image by christine dedman from Fotolia.com
