Z is for Zoo: Book List and Activity List

Welcome to our Z is for Zoo Book List and Activity List!

This is a part of my A-Z Preschool Letter of the Week book list series. My hope is that this would be a resource you can use in your Preschool, Pre-K, or Kindergarten classroom or homeschool as you teach and disciple your precious little ones.

Below you will find…

• A list of our favorite Zoo books- There are SO MANY!!!
• A list of activities you can try at home
• A couple ideas for Biblical Integration

Z is for Zoo Book List

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Zoo by Gail Gibbons

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Zoo Day by Anne Rockwell

Life Size Zoo by Teruyuki Komiya

This Zoo is Not for You by Collins Ross

Poo in the Zoo by Steve Smallman

1,2,3 to the Zoo: A Counting Book by Eric Carle

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman

Be Nice to Spiders by Margaret Bloy Graham

Peppa Goes to the Zoo by Scholastic

The Way to the Zoo by John Birmingham

FraidyZoo by Thyra Heder

Alligator Baby by Robert Munsch

The Zoo is Closed Today! by Evelyn Beilenson

Through With the Zoo by Jacob Grant

If I Ran the Zoo by Dr. Seuss

Amadou’s Zoo by Rebecca Walsh

1 Zany Zoo by Lori Degman

What’s New at the Zoo? An Animal Adding Adventure by Suzanne Slade

Peek-a-Boo Zoo by Jane Cabrera

If Anything Ever Goes Wrong at the Zoo by Mary Jean Hendrick

Two at the Zoo by Danna Smith

Z is for Zookeeper by Roland Smith

Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire

Z is for Zoo Activity List

Literacy

Talk about the sound that the letter “Z” makes.

Name other words that start with the “Z” sound: zip, zipper, zebra, zig zag, zucchini, zap, zany, zoom,

See if your child can find the “Z” on the cover of each of the Zoo Books you read.

Make a Z out of play-doh

Make a list of as many zoo animals as you can. Work together to put that list in alphabetical order.

Alphabet Zoo: try to list an animal for each letter of the alphabet from A to Z

We love the Leap Frog Letter Factory Movie for learning the letter sounds!

Download this FREE letter of the week coloring sheet. You can use this for dot-a-dot, coloring, or stickering. Alphabet Coloring Sheets (variety pack) PDF

Try these Upper and Lower Case Dot-a-Dot sheets

Check out my Alphabet Mega Pack

Math & Science

Field trip: Visit your local Zoo! Talk about which continent each animal lives on. Talk about animal habitats.

Carnivores, Herbivores, and Omnivores: Name animals you read about. As you name them, write each one on an index card. Talk about the difference between Carnivores, Herbivores, and Omnivores. Sort your flashcards according to what kind of eater each animal is.

Quadrupeds and Bipeds: Sort your index cards into 4 legged and 2 legged animals.

Art, Poetry, Music, and More

Draw Zoo Animals from Art for Kids Hub: elephant, zebra, giraffe, rhino, lion

Tiny Clay Animals: Use modeling clay to make tiny zoo animals

Move like a Zoo Animal: Name an animal you might see at the zoo. Have your child walk and make sounds like that animal.

Zoo charades: Act like a zoo animal. Have other guess what you are!

Guess Who at the Zoo: After you read one of the zoo books, describe one of the animals for your child. See if they can guess which animal you are thinking of! Use descriptions your child can relate to. Example: I live in Africa. I live on the savanna. I have sharp teeth. I eat meat. My babies are called cubs. I have golden fur. I am a kind of cat. Who am I?

Zoo Exercise: TGTB Safari Exercise or Let’s Go on a Safari

Simple Zoo Craft: Make the Z is for Zoo below.

Biblical Integration/Discipleship

Here some things to talk about with your kiddos:

Isn’t it amazing the variety of animals God made on the Earth. He is so creative and wise. In 2022, taxonimists listed over TWO MILLION different species of animals. That list includes about 1 million different kinds of insects, 95,000 different kinds of arachnids (spiders!), almost 40,000 different kinds of fish, 6,000 different kinds of mammals, 11,000 different kinds of reptiles and 11,000 different kinds of birds and more (molluscs, corals, and amphibians)! Those are big numbers! And God made them all.

What is also amazing is that God made us different than the animals! We are uniquely made in His image! We have authority over the animals and the earth. We can know God and be known by Him. We are creative. We can love. We have value. We reflect God’s character, His holiness, justice, goodness. We are male and female. We are individual persons, but made for communion and community. We are specially loved, so loved that God sent His Son to save us!

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I pray it is a blessing for your family!

In Christ alone,

Trish

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