Every week I checked out an animal book at my elementary school library.
Every time I went to my elementary school library one year, I checked out a book from the Getting to Know Nature’s Children series. I obsessed over the photographs and details in the glossy pages between robin egg blue hardcovers. Each edition featured a different species — whales, wolves, weasels — giving a glimpse into what made each animal unique, and the ways in which we could relate to them.
At home, I coveted my growing Wildlife Fact-File binder, eagerly awaiting the next packet of species inserts. I pored over each new arrival and filed them neatly into their respective classification tabs.
Then, I went outdoors to observe robins, blue jays, and Canada geese in my neighborhood. I dutifully captured field notes, hanging new knowledge on the scaffolding of what I had already learned about animal life.
Studies show that learning about nature and experiencing the outdoors in our youth makes us more likely to be lifelong conscious stewards of our planet. I still venture into nature and seek connection with life we share the planet with, and do my best to help protect it.
Now fostering kids’ love of animals with an updated take on the Wildlife Fact-File of my youth.
Now, I want to recreate the magic I felt as a kid – for people of all ages – with a modern take on the things that sparked my own obsession with wildlife. Whether you’re a parent of a young learner, an educator or librarian, or simply an animal lover of any age, I hope you love my series, My Wildlife Wonders.
My Wildlife Wonders activities are targeted at early elementary school children, roughly ages 6 to 9 (grades 1–3) – the same age I fell in love with animals through books in my school library and the Wildlife Fact-File. Each spotlights one species with a thoughtful, fun collection of striking photographs, curiosity-catalyzing information, coloring sheets and fun activities.
I am so excited about this series. It is at once nostalgic, heartwarming, and motivational for me. I hope you love it as much as I do. Be sure to forward it to a friend, and share the contents with a kid you love.
Each free activity sheet and coloring page has:
- Simple vocabulary (e.g., “nest,” “save,”” “white,” “tree”) and short sentence structure in both the facts and activity prompts
- Coloring book elements with bold outlines—appropriate for kids developing fine motor skills
- Word search that uses horizontal, vertical, and diagonal orientations, moderately challenging but appropriate for early readers
- Maze activity that is visually engaging but not overly complex, requiring basic spatial reasoning
Activities and coloring sheets for kids aim to help help build and reinforce developmental skills and knowledge like:
Literacy & Vocabulary Development
- Word recognition: Through the word search, kids practice identifying common animal and nature-related words.
- Reading comprehension: “Did you know?” and “Wildlife Facts” boxes give factual information in easy-to-digest chunks, promoting informational reading.
Science & Nature Knowledge
- Species awareness: Children learn about a critically endangered species and its native habitat.
- Ecological vocabulary: Terms like “Insects,” “Nectar,” “Tree Cavities,” and “Endangered” introduce early conservation and biology language.
- Biodiversity geography: Kids are introduced to exciting and unique wildlife, ecosystems and places around the world.
Problem-Solving, Spatial Reasoning, Fine Motor Skills & Creativity
- Mazes: Helps develop visual tracking, logical sequencing, and problem-solving skills
- Word searches: Strengthens scanning, pattern recognition, and direction-following
- Coloring: Encourages hand-eye coordination and creative expression while reinforcing recognition of visual features
| Target Age Range | 6–9 years (Grades 1–3) |
| Key Skill Areas | Literacy, Science, Problem-solving, Fine Motor Skills |
| Learning Goals | Animal awareness, habitat knowledge, conservation empathy, vocabulary building |
Encouraging empathy and stewardship of the natural world from a young age.
Perhaps most important of all, these activities inspire empathy and stewardship for the natural world around us. By learning about the exciting – but often endangered – animals of this planet, children are gently introduced to the idea of conservation, respect for nature and wildlife, and environmental responsibility.
These endangered species activity pages and coloring sheets strike a balance between education and entertainment, making them effective tools for early elementary nature education. Print them and enjoy them for free in your home, school, organization or program! And be sure to let me know what animals your favorite kids want to see in My Wildife Wonders!
