Inside: This collection of preschool penguin activities is full of useful ideas for your winter time themes. Includes free penguin printables!
Penguins are an animal that I find myself just as fascinated with today as when I was a kid first learning about them.
Their ability to keep their egg carefully balanced on their feet for about 2 months through harsh icy winds is amazing!
This list of penguin activities provides some great additions to your winter time classroom as your little ones learn about animals in cold climates- from fine motor to color recognition.
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👉 Scroll down to get your free penguin counting printable!
Preschool Penguin Activities that are Fun!
Related: Toddler and Preschool Penguin Classroom Ideas
Math
Counting Cards – Preschoolers will arrange these counting cards into the correct number order.
Number Clothespin Cards – Place the clothespin on the small number that matches the number in the center of the penguin. (Childcareland)
Pattern Mats – Toddlers will match colorful pompoms with the colors on the pattern mat. (Fairy Poppins)
Art
Marble Painted Penguins – Add some fine motor with this fun painting activity!
Handprint Penguin – Trace and cut out handprints to decorate into penguins and place on a wintery landscape. (The Best Ideas for Kids)
Paper Plate Penguin – Fold a paper plate as shown and paint the edges, adding feet and eyes to make a cute penguin. (Our Potluck Family)
Cardboard Tube Penguin – For a simple toddler craft, paint cardboard tubes and use googley eyes to make fun penguins that stand up. (Creative Family Fun)
Cupcake Liner Penguins – Use black cupcake liners to create little penguins glued to a blue backdrop. (I Heart Crafty Things)
Color Recognition
Penguin Clothes Color Matching – Match the scarf and hat to the correct color written on the penguin with this printable. (Totschooling)
Handprint Penguins – Using construction paper, cut out adorable penguins and have toddlers stamp orange handprints on the bottom as the penguin feet. (Mrs Hodge and Her Kindergarten Kids)
Fine Motor
Trace and Color Page – Toddlers will trace the dotted lines of this penguin before coloring in with crayons or markers. (Trail of Colors)
Hungry Penguin – Make your own penguin with a frosting tub and push the fish through the lid. (FSPDT)
Large Motor
Egg Balancing – Have your preschoolers try to walk with their feet together and a foam ball resting on their feet to explore how penguins waddle with their eggs. (Mrs. Wills’ Kindergarten)
Cotton Ball Penguin – Create a soft and fluffy penguin by gluing cotton balls onto a penguin shape. (Easy Peasy and Fun)
Penguin Large Motor Movement – Use these cards during circle time for some penguin movement fun. (Wantitamalas)
Visual Discrimination
Penguin Matching Cards – Pair together the matching penguins with this fun table game. (Simple Fun for Kids)
No-Sew Sock Craft – Stuff some black socks and decorate them to turn them into cute stuffed penguins that your toddlers will love. (Easy Peasy and Fun)
Cooking
Frozen Banana Snack – For some snacktime fun, decorate frozen bananas with chocolate in order to create these adorable penguin treats. (Momma Told Me)
Penguin Snacks – Make your own penguins with crackers and chocolate. (The OT Toolbox)
Sensory Bins
Igloo Building – Create your own sensory snow and pack it into little igloos with a penguin sensory bin. (Mrs. Plemons Kindergarten)
Snow Sensory – Use water beads as the pretend water for penguins to ‘dive’ in in this sensory bin. (Sara J Creations)
Sensory Bottles
Sensory Bottle – Make a penguin-themed winter sensory bottle for toddlers to hold and swirl around. (Teaching Mama)
Dramatic Play
Penguin Puppet – Make penguin puppets out of black paper bags for some dramatic play fun. (The Resourceful Mama)
Felt Dress-Up – Cut penguins and various clothing shapes out of felt for toddlers to play penguin dress-up on a felt board. (Schooling a Monkey
Light Table
Penguin Light Table Play – Transform your light table to an icy penguin small world play area with a few simple supplies. (Still Playing School)
Small World Play
Penguin Small World Scene – Each child can make their own little penguin scene. (Teach Preschool)
Science
Label the Penguin – Create a velcro bulletin board activity for toddlers to label the areas of a penguin such as the beak, wings, and feet. (Keepin’ it Kool in Kinderland)
Penguin Ice Melt – Freeze penguins in ice cubes and watch what happens as they melt. (B-Inspired Mama)
Shapes
Feed the Penguin – Recognize the shapes on each fish and feed them to the penguin. (Little Family Fun)
Music
Five Little Penguin Counting Song – Work on early numeracy, speech development, and story telling. (Let’s Play Kids Music)
Penguin Action Song – Add some large motor to your music time while making penguin moves. (J Daniel 4s Mom)
Penguin Montessori Activities
Penguins of Antartica (Living Montessori Now)
Antartica Penguins (Trillium Montessori)
More Activities:
20 Activities for Learning About Bats
20 Fun Activities for a Preschool Squirrel Theme
Creating a Forest Animals Theme
Free penguin counting 1-10 cards!
Click on the photo to download the printable:
❄️Toddler and Preschool Winter Lesson Plans❄️
We’ve done the work for you! We now have interactive thematic lesson plans for toddlers (18-35 months) AND preschoolers (3-5 years)!
Get ready for fun and learning with unit lesson plans for winter.
Explore a variety of themed hands-on activities!
Easy to follow lesson plans include activity modifications and adaptations to meet the needs of all learners.
For more information, click on the graphics below:
