Creation Day 6: Animals

Preschoolers are fascinated by animals!  Truthfully, we could do whole learning units on various animals. This week we're going to explore all that we can as we admire God's creative work.

Bible Truth: God created animals that live on land.
Bible Story: God created all the animals, even dinosaurs!
Bible Study: Genesis 1:24-25

teach

Begin this lesson with review.  First lead preschoolers in repeating Genesis 1:1 as you read it from your Bible, and then quickly review the first five days of Creation.  Singing "God Created," as you show a visual for each verse of the song, is a good way to review.

picture book walk

We've been doing this each week, because it's a great way to add both visual and hands-on elements to our lessons, as the kids explore books themselves.  Check out a collection of animal books from your local library to bring into your classroom.  Talk with the children about how to properly care for the books that you are borrowing.  As the children are perusing the books, engage in conversation with them about all the amazing, and different animals that God created.

read-a-loud

While you are at the library, you may also look for a read-a-loud animal book, like "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" by Bill Martin Jr.  I like to read "Desert Night Desert Day" by Anthony D. Fredericks (pictured above) to my class because we live in the desert, so these are animals that they may actually see out in the wild.

animal sounds

Download a free animal sounds app onto your phone or tablet.  I have this one.  Play the sounds of various land animals for the children to identify and discover.  This could work well as a game with the picture books, or even animal cards, if you have them.  Play the sound of an animal, and see who can find a picture of that animal.

play

animals all around

Collect an assortment of toy animals (plastic and/or stuffed).  Gather the children to sit in a circle, and give each child an animal to hold.  Sing "God Created Animals" (an adapted version of "Old MacDonald"). Call the names of animals that children are holding as you repeat the song.  When their animal is called, invite the child to stand up and animate their animal as the class sings along.

sing

• God Created - this week sing through verse six

• God Created Animals

craft

tactile animal book

Here is an animal "touch" book for preschoolers to create as they match the animal skins on their own.

You will need:

• this booklet print out
• animal print paper, felt or Foamies
• stapler
• scissors
• glue
• crayons

To prepare, make double-sided copies of the print outs to create a booklet with two full sheets of paper for each book.  Copy the cover page with page #2 and #7 on the reverse side.  Make double-sided copies of the two remaining pages.  Be sure that the page numbers are in the correct order, fold them into a booklet, and staple near the fold.  Cut out animal print paper, felt or Foamies in appropriate sizes for each animal.

In class, give each child a booklet and one of each animal "skin."  Invite children to color the animals and glue the appropriate skin to each animal.

Animal "skins" for pig, elephant, dinosaur, zebra, tiger and giraffe.

dynamic dinos

I found this great dinosaur craft here.  The templates for each dinosaur demonstrated are at the end of the post.  I will probably stick with the Diplodocus, pictured below, since it is the most simple design to cut out.  

Just a word about dinosaurs.  I believe it is important to include dinosaurs in our teaching about Creation. Young children are often enamored with dinosaurs, and most of the information available about dinosaurs propagates an evolutionary world view.  The fossil record supports the Bible's mention of dinosaurs who lived on the earth at the same time as man.  By including dinosaurs in our teaching about Creation, we are laying a foundation for children to accept the literal Creation that is described in Genesis, which included dinosaurs.  For much more in depth reading on this subject visit answersingenesis.org.

sticker art

Provide animal stickers for children to add to a coloring page such as the one pictured below that you can download from here.