How to Use a Zoo Theme in Speech Therapy – includes Freebie!

Have you ever used a zoo or safari theme? I have done the jungle, farms, and the ocean, but never a safari or zoo theme. Children love doing animal activities, so I know they will enjoy zoo activities! Some folks are anti-zoo, which I totally get, so you can call it a safari or whatever you like. Here are the books and activities that are going to help you bring this theme to life in your therapy room:

Books I love

• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell is a lift the flap book that is SO good for your little ones or students who are difficult to engage. You can also target core vocabulary like open/close, plus it’s perfect for practicing WH questions and yes/no questions. Grab this FREE mini activity Boom deck.
• Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman is an oldie but goodie! Great for your little ones as it is repetitive and simple.
• Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang is one you can use to work on emotions and feelings, as well as coping strategies for your elementary learners. Plus, it features tons of animals!
• Giraffes Can’t Dance by Gilles Andreae is one I’m sure you’re familiar with. The illustrations are wonderful and the story is so perfect for all of our students! I even have a book companion to make using this book in your sessions easier.
• How to Catch a Unicorn by Adam Wallace… I know you think I’m crazy, but this whole book is set in a zoo! It features tons of animals who help their friend the unicorn escape. A book companion is available for you for this one to make planning a breeze!
• Elmer by David Mckee is a wonderful story about being yourself that would be a good read for all of your elementary students!
• Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? by Eric Carle is a repetitive book, great for working on yes/no questions, labeling and describing animals. Perfect for pre-k and kindergarten.

Hands On Activities

These great eggs are from the Dollar Tree around Easter time, but since it’s not easy for you to find eggs year-round, these similar ones are on Amazon. You can use them with a sensory bin and stuff them with mini objects or pictures to target a specific skill. Speaking of sensory bins, grab all your plastic zoo animals and throw them in there for some hands-on fun.

Lion Craft

This lion mane craft is will be easy for your to make and your students will be so tickled to be able to put their face in it… then they can act out actually being a lion! All you need is construction paper, paper plates or card stock, and scissors & glue. If you’re using a paper plate, cut out the middle, if you use card stock then you’ll need to cut donut shapes for everyone. Then just rip strips of paper and glue around the edge! You can easily write words for speech sounds, vocabulary, or whatever else your students need to work on!

Boom Decks

Did you know you can use these types of articulation activities for SO MUCH MORE? Do yourself a favor and bookmark this post to refer back to for lots of tips! This monkey and banana Boom deck is super cute…the monkey’s mouth moves while the kids feed him his bananas!

Speaking of Boom decks, you will love this Language Safari and all the skills it targets…there’s literally something for everyone with interactive activities that will engage the kids easily.

Virtual Zoo Trips

Virtual field trips are such are a fun way to see some live animals…there are many around the world that you can tap into and see what the animals are up to. Here are some I’ve used:

• San Diego Zoo has 13 different cameras on their inhabitants…including tigers, elephants, and penguins!
• Zoo Atlanta has a panda cam so you can watch those cute little fuzzballs sleep and eat. They also have lots of videos about different animals.
• Reid Park Zoo has a few different feeds, one with the flamingos!
• Explore.org has TONS of live streams, but the gorillas are definitely a favorite.

Freebie

Grab this giraffe writing freebie by filling out the form in the box below! It pairs perfectly with this theme or the book Giraffes Can’t Dance.

Are you ready to rock the zoo theme? I know you are! Let everyone know in the comments about your favorite safari or zoo-themed activities… and don’t forget to pin this post to Pinterest so you can save it!