Pets - Cats and Dogs Theme and Activities


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Songs and Fingerplays

Five Little Kittens
Five little kittens standing in a row
They nod their heads to the children, so.
They run to the left, they run to the right,
They stand up and stretch in the bright sunlight.
Along comes a dog who’s in for some fun,
M-e-o-w, see the kittens run.

preschool pet theme

Five Little Puppies
Five little puppies were playing in the sun.
This one saw a rabbit, and he began to run.
This one saw a butterfly, and he began to race.
This one saw a cat,and he began to chase.
This one tried to catch his tail,and he went round and round.
This one was so quiet,he never made a sound.

Little Puppies
Little puppy one fell asleep in the sun.
Little puppy two likes to play with my shoe.
Little puppy three always kisses me.
Little puppy four ran out the door.
Little puppy five watched a crow dive.
Little puppy six likes to do little tricks.
Little puppy seven counted stars in heaven.
Little puppy eight jumped over the gate.
Little puppy nine sat down to dine.
Little puppy ten fell asleep in the den.
Can you count the puppies?
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.

My Kitten tune: Sing a Song of Sixpence
I have a little kitten,
She's black and white and gray.
When I try to cuddle her,
She always wants to play,
So I drag a piece of yarn
Across the kitchen floor.
She thinks it is a little mouse
To chase right out the door.

I Had A Little Poodle
I had a little poodle
His coat was silver grey
One day I thought I'd bathe him
To wash the dirt away.
I washed my little poodle
Then dried him with a towel.
My poodle seemed to like his bath
He didn't even growl.

Activities

  • Make a graph of what pets each children have. Compare cats vs. dogs.
  • Have children bring in pictures of their pets or a relative's pet. Hold up two pictures of pets. Name what is the same about each pet and what is different about each pet.
  • Sort dog biscuits by color. Bring in pet food bowls and label each one with a number. Have children put that many biscuits in each bowl.
  • Dip dog bones in paint and press them on paper for dog bone prints.
  • Bring out a veterinarian or pet shop prop box for dramatic play.
  • Play "Doggy, Doggy, Where's Your Bone?" - All the children are sitting in circle. One stands in the corner and counts to ten. While the child is counting, one of the children in the circle is given a bone to sit on. All the children chant: "Doggy, Doggy, where's your bone? Somebody stole it from your home. Guess who?" The child has three guesses of which child it is. Then the cycle continues until everyone has had a turn.
  • Play a song such as "Alley Cat" or "Cat Scratch Fever" or "Stray Cat Strut" and have children move around likes cats. Example: walk on all fours, arch their back, curl up in a ball, etc.
  • Brainstorm a list of words that rhyme with cat.

Coloring Pages and Crafts