Farm Animal Matching for Circle Time

Last Updated on September 22, 2026 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: Toddlers love this farm animal matching for circle time. Print out the animals and invite the children to match them in a group setting!

Did you know that if you involve your toddlers in your circle time activities they will be more interested?

It’s not about them sitting and listening to you.

It’s about providing learning activities that they can be part of.

I didn’t learn this for many years and was so frustrated with circle time.

I dreaded trying to gather all those little children into one place, hoping they would sit still long enough for me to read a book.

About five years ago I started adding props to my circle times and noticed a huge difference.

Props keep them engaged.

Having them be part of the visuals is even more engaging.

This farm animal matching activity not only helps toddlers learn about what lives on the farm, but it also encourages them to learn the sounds each animal makes!

farm animal matching circle time activity

Table of Contents

Farm Animal Matching for Circle Time

We like to focus on the farm theme in September, right as we are moving into fall.

Young children love farm animals which is why there are so many farm books and toys.

Setting up this theme is always easy!

But creating a circle time activity?

Before I would have said that’s the hardest part, but not anymore.

I knew I wanted to use something from our printable farm packet and decided to put together an animal matching activity.

Supplies

Preparation

I suggest either printing these on heavy paper or laminating them for extra durability.

Make enough copies so that you have one animal for each of your students and a full set of animals for the center of the circle.

I used the larger sized animals for the main set and the smaller animals for the children.

Cut out the farm animals and gather your popsicle or jumbo craft sticks. After cutting them out, tape them to the top of a popsicle stick.

Watch: How to Start Circle Time with Toddlers

The Activity

Place one set of the farm animals in the middle of your circle time area.

As you pick up each animal, ask the children what it is and what sound it makes.

Then, pass out the animal props so that each child has one.

CLICK HERE to see another simple toddler farm circle time activity!

Sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm

As you sing the song, call out the animals that the children are holding.

The children who have the particular animal you mention can hold up their animal.

For example: “Old MacDonald had a cow….”

The children with the cow prop hold it up in the air.

Matching the Farm Animals

Tell the children that when you call their name, they are going to place their animal under the matching farm animal that is in the center of the circle.

I like to go first to demonstrate how it is done.

Ask them what the name of the animal is.

What sound does it make?

When finished, notice how many animals there are!

Extensions

For preschoolers, make different amounts of each animal. When the children are finished matching their animals, count how many of each animal there are. Which animal has the most? The least?
Ask the children if they were a farm animal, which one would they want to be?
Who has been to a farm? What animals did they see while there?