Baby Animals and Parents

Life cycle learning builds foundational biology concepts and helps children understand their own growth and development.

Objectives

Materials

Instructions

Begin by reading 'Baby Animals' by Garth Williams and 'Whose Baby Am I?' by John Butler, exploring the differences between baby animals and their grown-up versions. Discuss how all animals start small and grow larger, introducing vocabulary like kitten/cat, puppy/dog, calf/cow, and chick/chicken. Following story time and discussion, organise children into pairs and distribute flashcard sets showing baby animals separated from their parents. Guide children to work collaboratively to match each baby to its parent, discussing the clues they used (size, colour, features). When matches are complete, invite each child to choose a matching pair (kitten and cat, for example) to colour, cut out, and glue onto popsicle sticks as puppets for dramatic play.

Educator tip

Add photographs of children as babies alongside their current photos to make personal connections to growth and change.

Assessment

Observe and note: sustained engagement, sensory responses, early vocalisations, and attachment behaviours. Document using the Characteristics of Effective Learning framework (Playing and Exploring). Observe students' ability to listen attentively, match corresponding animals, and work collaboratively toward a common goal.

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