Make It Topic: Safari

Imaginative:

• Set out a jeep and different animals binoculars and go on a safari 
• Dress up in different animal costumes 
• Make a village with different animals that visit the children

Language:

• Read “Anansi the spider” 
• Read “chimpansneese” 
• Read “why do mosquitos buzz in peoples ears” 
• Read “Way far away on a wild safari” 
• Sing Elephants have wrinkles
  Elephant have wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles, everywhere.
  Wrinkles on their toes no one knows why.
  Elephant have wrinkles wrinkles, wrinkles everywhere (go through body parts)

Art:

• Place out shapes of animals and rubbing plates to make designs 
• Place out stamps of wild animals 
• Place out butcher paper on the bottom of the wall allow the children to paint or color the savannah 
• Make paper tube binoculars 
• Use paper bags cut like a vest allow them to color and decorate their vests 
• Place out zebra shapes and do marble painting 
• Make macaroni lions 
• Make animal masks

Water/Sand

• Place out safari animals and jeeps in the sand table 
• Have an elephant washing station 
• Place out large bugs that are found in the savannah 
• Plant grass in the sand/sift grass 
• Have a crocodile pond

Gross Motor

• Use a projector to enlarge elephants, giraffes, hippopotamus, crocodiles, tigers and more place them around the house/yard and go on a safari hunt 
• Go on a lion hunt 
• Banana bean bag toss 
• Walk around like different animals

Science/Curiosity

• Plant some grass in egg shells 
• Place out different pictures of paw and hoof prints to match 
• Place out different habitats

Blocks

• Place out green blocks and animals 
• Place cars, jeeps and safari animals and people 
• Get little hay bales for the children to stack

Conceptual/Table top/Fine motor

• Animal memory game 
• Place out play dough for making animals 
• Lacing animals 
• Make African necklaces 
• Have a file folder game of animals crossing the alligator swamp 
• Animal print match up 
• Safari bingo 
• Place out animals and have the children add the stripes to zebra, or spots on giraffes 
• Matching animals 
• Matching animals to the prints of the animals

Music:

• Sing “Going on a lion hunt” 
• Sing “One elephant went out to play” tape a spider web to the floor and dance around

Quiet

• Place out flannel stories with African animals 
• Place out large pillows and blankets for nests

Cooking

• Have animal crackers and yogurt as a snack 
• Make Safari bars:Stir together 1/3 Cup flour, 1 Cup quick oats, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp. baking soda, dash of salt, and ½ cup raisins in large bowl. Add a mixture of 1 cup mashed banana, ¼ cup milk, 2 egg whites, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into a 9X13 cake pan and bake35-40 minutes. When cool cut into bars or use cookie cutters to make animal shapes

Field trip

• Go to the zoo for a visit 
• Go to a field of tall grass to walk through

Extensions from the activities

• Talk about large animal vets 
• Zoo keepers