Preschool Pond Animals Theme

Below you can find a variety of preschool pond themed activities focused on Lily Pads, Frogs, Ducks, Turtles and the many other animals that make a pond their home. This page is packed with fun, hands-on activities designed to help you plan engaging bird-themed lessons for your preschoolers. You’ll find everything from learning objectives and circle time lessons to activity ideas for different learning centers. Use the buttons below to quickly jump to each section.

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Preschool Pond Theme Planning Section

Below, you'll find our Theme Map outlining key topics to explore, suggested learning objectives to guide your lessons, and a free activity plan to help you get started. Club Members can download pond theme planning guide and all of our printable resources and instruction pages for free! Not a member? Learn More Here

Preschool Pond Animals Topic Ideas & Learning Objectives

Below you can find some suggested preschool learning objectives for a pond animal theme:
Identify Pond Animals: Recognize and name various animals that live in or near ponds, such as frogs, turtles, ducks, and dragonflies.
Understand Habitat: Develop an understanding of the pond ecosystem and the different elements within it, including water, plants, and animals.
Observe and Describe: Practice observation skills by closely examining pond animals and describing their characteristics, behaviors, and habitats.
Classification Skills: Sort and classify pond animals based on various attributes such as where they live, what they eat, or how they move.
Fine Motor Skills: Engage in hands-on activities like crafting, painting, and sensory play related to pond animals to develop fine motor skills.
Gross Motor Skills: Participate in movement-based activities like jumping, hopping, or pretending to swim like pond animals.
Numeracy Skills: Incorporate numeracy concepts by counting, measuring, or sequencing pond animals and related objects in activities.
Literacy Skills: Foster literacy development through storytelling, reading books about pond animals, and engaging in language-rich discussions.
Scientific Inquiry: Encourage curiosity and exploration by asking questions about pond animals, making predictions, and conducting simple investigations.
Environmental Awareness: Develop an appreciation for nature and the importance of protecting pond habitats and the animals that live in them.
Creative Expression: Express creativity through art, music, drama, and imaginative play related to pond animals and their environment.
Social Skills: Practice cooperation, sharing, and taking turns while engaging in group activities and interacting with peers during the theme unit.

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Pond Animals Preschool Activity Plan

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Preschool Pond Activities

Below you will find some of our favorite activities for this theme, and a free sample activity plan!
Click on a button below to find specific activities by type, or visit our free Preschool Activity Library to find even MORE Preschool Activities for this theme!

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Pond Animal Art Supplies

Add these items to your Art Space this week: Green Play Dough (find our play dough recipe here), Green Construction paper, pom poms and Wiggle Eyes. View Member Instructions

*Water Lily Potato Stamping

Discover a fun and engaging art activity for your preschoolers with Water Lily Potato Stamping! Watch their creativity blossom as they explore textures and colors, making beautiful prints to bring home. Perfect for teaching fine motor skills and fostering creativity in your little learners.
View Member Instructions

Try this!

Paper Plate Turtle Shell

Provide a paper plate and tissue paper squares for your preschooler to create a paper plate turtle shell. Introduce the term scutes, and other facts, as they make their critter.

Your preschooler may wish to add a head and legs as well! Or maybe they want to pretend the turtle has its legs and head tucked into the shell and leave it as is. View Member Instructions

Pet Frog Rock Craft

Paint rocks to look like frogs and turtles. Create a pretend pond outside and use the rock animals for pretend play. Check out our tutorial for tips and tricks on Making Your Own Pet Rock Frog.
View Member Instructions or View the Blog Post

Try this!

Pond Animal Tracks Process Art​

Provide plastic pond animal figures and paint in a shallow dish. Invite your preschooler to dip the animals in the paint then stamp on paper to create animal tracks. View Member Instructions

Pond Dip

Spark curiosity and teach little ones about the fascinating creatures that call ponds home while enjoying a delicious Pond Dip snack.
View the Blog Post or View Member Instructions

Try this!

Make a Pet Turtle

Pair cardstock with a paper bowl to create a little pet turtle.
View Member Instructions

​More Pond Animal Art and Creativity  Preschool Ideas

Visit our free Preschool Activity Library

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*Create a Life-Sized Pond

Turn your Dramatic Play Area into a Life sized Pond. Add Blue Fabric Water, Brown Fabric Dirt, and Green Fabric Grass. Add a variety of items: Fishing Poles, Picnic Basket, Binoculars, etc.
View Member Instructions

This adorable pond dramatic play space was created by community member Cheryl V.

Photo Credit: Cheryl V.

Act Out Your Favorite Pond Rhyme or Story

Read some pond related stories or rhymes with the children. Set the books out in the Dramatic Play Area along with dress up clothes, puppets and props that could be used to act out the stories. Invite children to act out scenes from the different stories or rhymes.
View Member Instructions

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*Invitation to Build a Miniature Pond

Add materials to encourage children to construct their own Ponds.
Items to add: blue fabric or silk scarves for water, blue felt or fabric for dirt/mud, Pond Animals (Frogs, Ducks, Fish), Twigs, gems, green cut felt for lily pads or green lids from empty containers.
View Member Instructions

Build a bridge over a pond

Provide your students with building materials to build their own bridge over a pretend pond. You can use a blue sheet or blanket as the pond.

Take an invitation to build outside!
Use sidewalk chalk to make a pond. Add blocks to construct a bridge, small houses, lily pads, or to use as logs in the water. 
Be sure to bring pond animals and little insects. 
View Member Instructions

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Feed the Frog Letter Game

This Feed the Frog Letter Game is a fun preschool activity that helps little ones learn letters while feeding a hungry frog! With adorable frog graphics and interactive gameplay, it's perfect for teaching letter recognition and fine motor skills. Buy Now

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In the pond hide and seek letter mat

This printable preschool activity is perfect for a fun game of hide and seek in the pond! Let your little ones search for hidden letters on this adorable letter mat. A great way to learn the alphabet while having a blast!
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*Pond Animal 3-Part Cards

Introduce your little one to the world of animals! Our 3-part cards printable preschool activity is a fun and educational way to teach animal names, pictures, and spelling. Perfect for homeschooling or as a rainy-day activity. Let the learning begin!
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Finger plays, Songs, and Rhymes

There are lots of fun finger-plays and songs to go with the Pond Animals Theme. Here are a few favorites

• Five Green and Speckled Frogs
• Five Little Fishies
• Row Row Your Boat
• Five Little Ducks

Keep cards with these favorite songs near your circle area for children to choose from each day. 
This set of Fingerplays, Songs, and Rhymes from Pre-K Printable Fun includes little cards for this purpose along with lyrics to 28 favorite Fingerplays, Songs and Rhymes for preschoolers including these pond ones. 

Lily Pad Alphabet Jump

Draw lily pads with letters on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk (or use paper plates if inside).

Play music and encourage children to hop from pad to pad. When the music stops, children identify the letter they landed on. If able, encourage your preschooler to make the letter phoneme or say a word that starts with that letter. View Member Instructions

I had a little Turtle Rhyme

Try out this fun rhyme with your preschoolers!
Our I Had a Little Turtle Song Props and Digital Song Board set (members only) is perfect for circle time!

Members get this in our shop for free!

Fish For Letters

Fill a sensory bin with water beads and plastic letters. Give children nets or scoops and have them fish the letters our of the "pond." Once they have caught a letter, have them identify the letter before throwing it back into the sensory bin. You could also give the children a specific letter to try to catch. This activity is great for letter identification!
View Member Instructions

Five Little Speckled Frogs Puppet Sticks

Create puppet sticks of 5 frogs and sing “5 Little Speckled Frogs” together.
This set of Five Little Speckled Frogs Props and Digital Song board are available free for members 

Members Download for Free in our Shop!

Learn & Sing a Silly Song

Mmm Ahh Went the Little Green Frog is super cute and perfect for this theme!
Learn this song and sing with your preschoolers during circle time. 
As a follow up, create little paper frog and fish puppets to use the next day during circle.

Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
Pond Walk by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Turtle Splash Countdown at the Pond by Cathryn Falwell
The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner
In the Small Small Pond by Denise Fleming
Life in the Pond by Craig Hammersmith
And the Bullfrogs Sing by David L. Harrison
From Tadpole to Frog by Shannon Zemlicka
The Frog Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta
Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel

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Count and Clip Cards

These Count and Clip Cards are a fun and engaging way to practice counting and number recognition skills with your preschooler! Simply count the adorable images and use a clothespin to clip the correct number. A perfect activity for math centers or independent learning.
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Frogs Counting Mat

This fun and educational Frogs in the Pond Counting Mat printable preschool activity is perfect for teaching little ones how to count from 1 to 20. Watch as they place the correct number of frogs on each lily pad and hop their way to mastering numbers! Buy Now

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Frog and Lily Pad Shape Matching

This engaging shape matching activity will have your preschooler hopping with excitement! Help them develop critical thinking skills as they match frogs to their corresponding lily pads. A fun and educational printable for little learners! Buy Now

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Frog Jump Measurement

Preschoolers love to learn about measurement. Use fine motor skills to make the frog jump, next practice measuring skills by measuring the distance, then practice writing numerals and gathering data by recording the results. You can find a measurement recording worksheet for this activity. View Member Instructions

*Lily Pad Counting Cards

Engage little learners with our interactive Lily Pad Counting Cards! This printable preschool activity is perfect for honing early math skills while having fun. Kids will enjoy counting and placing the correct number of frogs on each vibrant lily pad. Teaching numbers from 1 to 10 has never been more exciting! Buy Now

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Learn and Practice Addition

This playful and educational playdough mat printable preschool activity lets little ones create their own pond scene! With lily pads and frogs to add, it encourages fine motor skills and imaginative play. Perfect for hands-on learning fun! Buy Now

Buy this Activity Pack!

Rubber Duck Number Identification

Write numbers 1-10 on the bottom of rubber ducks. Add the ducks to a bucket of water or water bead sensory bin. Have children pick up a duck identify the number and count to that number then put the duck back in the "pond." View Member Instructions

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Pond Sensory Play

Immerse your preschoolers in a hands-on learning experience with Pond Small World Sensory Play! Through exploring the water-filled pond, children will develop fine motor skills, engage in imaginative play, and learn about pond habitats and wildlife. With an array of toys and opportunities for scooping and pouring, this activity promises hours of fun and learning. View Member Instructions

Frog Egg Sensory Bin

Get your preschoolers hopping with excitement with this easy and fun DIY Frog Egg Slime activity! Perfect for sensory play and teaching about amphibians. View the Blog Post or View Member Instructions

Try this!

Differences Between Frogs and Toads

Explore the differences in frogs and toads with the activities included in the Frog Science Activities pack. Buy Now

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Label Parts of a Duck

This Parts of a Duck Science Labeling Activity is a fun and educational printable for preschoolers. They will learn about the different parts of a duck as they label the picture. Great for science lessons or homeschooling! Buy Now

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*Life Cycle of a Frog

This printable preschool activity about the life cycle of a frog is a fun and educational way for young children to learn about the fascinating transformation these amphibians go through. Perfect for homeschooling or classroom use. Buy Now

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Pond Sink or Float

This Preschool Pond Sink or Float activity allows children to explore the concepts of buoyancy, density, and water displacement through hands-on play in a mini pond. They can predict and observe whether items sink or float, while also engaging in imaginative play with toy frogs, turtles, and water lilies. This activity encourages scientific curiosity and fosters group discussions, making it both educational and enjoyable for preschoolers. View Member Instructions

Pond Sensory Bin Ideas

Pond life Sensory Bin Submitted by
Erica's Educare Learning Center

Photo Credit: Erica's Educare Learning Center

Pond Life Sensory Bin

Create a fun pond sensory bin incorporating math and science. Add frogs and numbers from our Pond Animals Activity Pack for preschoolers to find.  View Member Instructions

Photo Credit: Cheryl V.

​More Pond Animal Science & Discovery  Preschool Ideas

Inspecting Pond Water from Stir the Wonder
Explore the Frog Life cycle from Live and Play

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Assemble a Pond Puzzle

Looking for a fun and educational activity for your preschooler? This 1-10 puzzle printable is perfect for teaching number recognition and counting skills! Your little one will love matching the numbers to the corresponding objects. Download and print today! Buy Now

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*Color Lily Pad Jump

This Lily Pad Color Match Mats printable activity is perfect for preschoolers to practice color recognition skills while having fun with adorable lily pads! Simply match the colorful frogs to their corresponding lily pad colors and watch little learners enjoy this engaging educational activity. Buy Now

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Practice Fine Motor & Scissor Skills

Get little ones ready to write and cut with this fun and engaging printable activity! Help develop fine motor skills with tracing lines, shapes, and cutting practice. Perfect for preschoolers to improve their hand-eye coordination and prepare for writing and cutting tasks. Great for home or classroom use! Buy Now

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Duck Duck Goose

An oldie but a goodie! Take your preschooler outside to play a friendly game of Duck Duck Goose! View Member Instructions
       

Move Like a Pond Animal

Call out a pond animal and challenge your preschoolers to move around like that animal! There are so many interesting creatures at the pond, moving like them will get bodies moving in a variety of ways!
View Member Instructions

Feed the Frog

Create a frog you can feed by cutting a slit in a tennis ball and adding googly eyes. Have children Use tweezers to “feed” flies (black mini pom poms) to the frog. Students develop fine motor and coordination skills as they pinch the tennis ball to open the frog's mouth with one hand and use the tweezers to pick up the pom poms and put them in the mouth. View Member Instructions

Turtle Pom Pom Color Sorting

Grab some cardboard tubes and green paper to set up this activity, pair with tweezers/tongs for preschoolers to pick up and sort giving fingers a big workout. View Member Instructions

​More Pond Animal Physical Development Preschool Ideas

Visit our free Preschool Activity Library

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Take a Trip!

Visit a pond to make observations.
Bring a clipboard with blank paper for children to draw the pond or any creatures they see at the pond. This is a great time to introduce and practice thoughtful, quiet observation. Close your eyes, what sounds are heard? What animals can be seen above water? Are their insects hovering nearby? Can animals be seen below the surface?
​When observing a pond, patience is key! View Member Instructions

Talk about Water Safety

While studying Pond Animals talk about water safety with your preschoolers. Make sure they know that if they ever come across a body of water, no matter how shallow, they should be with an adult.
Talk about life vests and precautions people can take to be safe around water. Consider having a life vest available for children to investigate and try on. View Member Instructions

*Calm Down Binder-Lily Pad

Help children practice calm down strategies by using this lily pad jumping page from my Calm Down Binder. Have the child use one finger to jump from one lilt pad to the next mindfully breathing in between each jump. Buy Now

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Be the Pond: Mindfulness Video

Practice mindfulness with this exercise. Play water/pond audio. Listen to the animals around the pond as you begin to relax. Our mind is like a pond full of fish. Imagine your feelings (fish) swim by you as you focus on being the pond, observe the fish, and not get swept up by them.
View Member Instructions

Share about a Pond Visit

Inform families that you will be doing a study of Pond Animals. Encourage them to visit a pond with their child if they are able and take lots of photos! Create a digital album or print the pictures to display in the classroom. Encourage children to share about their experience.
View Member Instructions

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