This entire Farm Theme Unit may be downloaded for a small fee from the following link:
This time of year, many families visit local farms. Children have the opportunity to pick apples, select pumpkins, and see farm animals. If you are in Michigan here are a few suggestions to take your family:
Children will have many different experiences at each of these farms! One way to connect common family activities to the classroom is through the use of themes. A farm theme is perfect this time of year in Michigan! You can incorporate many learning objectives in a fun and relatable way for preschool children. I will be using the Michigan Early Childhood Standards of Quality to direct the activities provided in this theme. These standards are easily adapted to the HighScope Approach and The Creative Curriculum.
Math – Farm Animal Patterning:
Classification and Patterns. Children begin to develop skills of recognizing, comparing and classifying objects, relationships, events and patterns in their environment and in everyday life.
A common preschool goal is to complete, recreate, and create patterns. When children work with patterns, they are learning to make predictions based on observations. This is a math concept children will continue to use later in life!
This product is a .pdf of 12 different patterning cards offering children the opportunity to practice AABAA, ABBA, ABC, and ABAB patterns. The patterning cards give the children the ability to create new patterns also!
These cards can be found at the following link for a small fee to download:
Math – Barnyard Shape Sort
Simple Operations and Beginning Algebraic Thinking. Children begin to develop skills of sorting and organizing information, seeing patterns, and using information to make predictions and solve new problems.
You will receive a printable .pdf that allows children to use visual discrimination and algebraic skills as they match the shapes. This set includes:
- Circle
- Square
- Triangle
- Star
- Oval
- Rectangle
The fun clipart will appeal to children as they develop new skills!
These cards can be found at the following link for a small fee to download:
Math – Fence Building
Classification and Patterns. Children begin to develop skills of recognizing, comparing and classifying objects, relationships, events and patterns in their environment and in everyday life.
Children will use visual discrimination skills as they recreate the fence with colored popsicle sticks. Visual discrimination is the process of seeing differences between two things. Children use these skills when learning to read. It is important to give young children the chance to practice and develop these skills. This activity encourages children to spot the differences while actively being involved.
You will receive 6 distinct fence pattern cards. The cards also have different numbers of animals needing to be contained. This will allow the children to also use math skills.
Directions:
•Print the fence building pages.
•Provide the children colored popsicle sticks that can be found here (affiliate link): 200 PCS Colorful Craft Sticks Natural Wooden 4-1/2″ Length Treat Sticks Great for DIY Craft Creative Designs
•Encourage the children to recreate the fence patterns.
These cards can be found at the following link for a small fee to download:
Language – Barnyard Shadows
Children begin to understand written language read to them from a variety of meaningful materials, use reading-like behaviors, and make progress towards becoming conventional readers.
Visual discrimination is the process of seeing differences between two things. Children use these skills when learning to read. It is important to give young children the chance to practice and develop these skills. Shadow matching activities are an excellent way to practice visual discrimination in a fun way! Children will match the picture of the animal to the picture of the shadow. This activity can also be used to play memory.
You will receive 6 animal cards and 6 shadow cards.
Directions:
•Print the cards.
•Encourage children to match the farm animal to its shadow.
These cards can be found at the following link for a small fee to download:
Language – ABC Barnyard Search – DIGITAL/VIRTUAL ACTIVITY
Show progress in identifying and associating letters with their names and sounds.
Struggling to keep young children engaged during virtual class time? This is activity is a must-have for virtual preschool! Tested and kid approved!
You will receive a PowerPoint activity to be used virtually with children. Simply open the PowerPoint, share your screen, and begin searching for the letters of the alphabet. Children can identify the letter based on the farm animal it is near. Click the mouse to move the animal and letter to the barn.
This activity can be found at the following link for a small fee to download:
Language – Farm Question of the Day
Struggling with morning drop offs? The question of the day helps establish a routine or this often difficult transition time!
Children develop abilities to express themselves clearly and communicate ideas to others.
You will receive a .pdf file with a question and 6 animal cards for the children to choose from. These cards are designed to fit a standard pocket chart. You can also use a cookie sheet and magnet tape to create a sign-in board! Images can be found for free from: https://unsplash.com/
This activity can be downloaded for FREE from the following link:
Language – What Animal Do You Hear? – DIGITAL/VIRTUAL ACTIVITY
Expressive. Children develop abilities to express themselves clearly and communicate ideas to others.
Children love to guess what different sounds are! This activity makes it easy to play a guessing game with young children virtually. The sounds, graphics, and animal photos are all in one place! Simply open the PowerPoint, start the slideshow, and share your screen. Each click of the mouse will progress you from guessing to the answer.
Included are the following animals:
- Cow
- Pig
- Sheep
- Chicken
- Cat
- Duck
This activity can be found at the following link for a small fee to download:
Physical Health – Muddy Pig, Horse Hair, Cotton Sheep – FREE
Fine Motor Development. Children experience growth in fine motor development and use small
muscles to improve a variety of fine motor skills both in structured and unstructured settings.
Horse Hair: You will receive a template to use to create a horse with a beautiful mane. Children will use their fine motor skills as they cut, decorate, and thread pipe cleaners to create a horse. One .pdf template is included.
Directions:
•Trace horse onto card stock or colored paper. You can choose a color or white so the children can then add color on their own.
•Hole punch on the circles.
•Cut pipe cleaners into half.
•Provide 6 pipe cleaners per horse.
•Have the children place a pipe cleaner in each hole and twist to create a mane.
Muddy Pig:
You will receive a template to use to create a muddy pig. Children will use their fine motor skills as they cut and finger paint brown all over the pig. One .pdf template is included.
Directions:
•Trace the pig outline on pink paper.
•Have children cut the pig or precut the pigs.
•Provide children with brown paint.
•Encourage the children to paint the pig to make it muddy.
Cotton Sheep:
You will receive a template to use to create a cotton sheep. Children will use their fine motor skills as they cut, squeeze glue, and place cotton balls. Two .pdf templates are included.
Directions:
•Print the sheep.
•Trace onto card stock or construction paper.
•Allow children to cut out the sheep or have them precut.
•Provide children with glue and cotton balls.
•Encourage the children to squeeze the glue and place one cotton ball on the glue.
•The second sheep provides spots to place a dot of glue or from a dauber.
Download the templates for FREE at the following links:
The following links contain additional activities to include all areas of development using a Farm Theme!
- https://stayathomeeducator.com/best-farm-activities-for-preschoolers/
- https://planningplaytime.com/preschool-farm-theme/
- https://teaching2and3yearolds.com/farm-sensory-bin-preschoolers/
- https://www.pre-kpages.com/farm-small-world-sensory-play/
- https://modernpreschool.com/gross-motor-farm-game/
The following items can be purchased to use with children for a Farm Theme (affiliate links):
- Melissa & Doug Lace & Trace Farm
- Fabulous Foam Adhesive Farm Shapes – Crafts for Kids and Fun Home Activities
- Mrs. Wishy-Washy’s Farm
- The Learning Journey: Match It! Bingo – Farm – Reading Game for Preschool and Kindergarten 36 Picture Word Cards
- Learning Resources Counting Cows Toy Set, Math Games for Kindergarten, Counting & Sorting Set, 20 Pieces, Ages 2+
- Learning Resources Friendly Farm Animal Counters, Educational Counting and Sorting Toy, 72 pieces
- The Farm: A 4D Book (A Visit to…)
- Learning Resources Veggie Farm Sorting Set, Food Sorting Game, 46 Pieces, Ages 3+
- National Geographic Readers: Farm Animals (Level 1 Co-reader)
- Farm Animal Masks for Kids Party – 8 Felt Masks, Great for Barnyard Farm Themed Birthday Parties, Novelty Dress-up and Halloween
- TOMY John Deere Animal Sounds Hayride Preschool Toy
- Pete the Cat: Old MacDonald Had a Farm
The full Preschool Farm Theme Unit can be downloaded at the following link for a fee: