Welcome to Animal Adventures Week at Camp Khan Kids! This week, kids can wander into the wild with amazing animals from our oceans, lands, and skies. Download the printable packet at the bottom of this page, and let’s start our adventure! For play materials, you will need dishwashing soap, colorful clothes, paper, a cardboard box, and an old phone or camera for taking pictures.
[Click here to download this week's printable pack]
[Click here to view Animal Adventures Week in Spanish]
See the chart below for this week’s schedule, and scroll through the article to find details and links. Feel free to mix and match activities to fit your family's needs.
Having fun during Camp Khan Kids? Share your photos and stories with us on social media. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and include #CampKhanKids on your posts! You’re also welcome to submit your child’s artwork here.
Monday
Watch: Ocean Life Circle Time
Join the Khan Kids crew to learn about ocean life. The episode starts with a story about the new characters Beluga and Narwhal. Then, read a book about humpback whales and see pictures of whales in real life!
Read: Great White Sharks
Gaze at great white sharks of the deep blue sea by reading their story in the Khan Kids Library. Find this title under Animal Safari in the Books section. Learn about their size, structure, and serrated teeth!
Write: Favorite ocean animals
Little learners can color in this pair of great white sharks. Find this activity in the Create tab of the Khan Kids Library under the Color section. It is also available in the printable packet. Older learners can write a list of their favorite ocean animals. Let’s see if they can spell out words like octopus, whale, starfish, and stingray!
Learn: Least to greatest
Head to the Math section of the Khan Kids app to compare numbers from least to greatest. Little learners can start by grouping numbers to compare which groups have more or less. Older learners can compare numbers with lessons about greater than and less than symbols. Once you’ve practiced in the app, turn to our printable packet to cut out numbers and put them in order from least to greatest.
Play: Bubble fun!
Mix dish soap and water to create a bubbly sensory experience for kids. Let kids set it up at the kitchen sink by squeezing out the dish soap and running the tap to create bubbles. If the kids have any plastic ocean animals, collect them so they can dive in and take a swim. Take a close look at the bubbles. What do kids notice about their shape, color, and how long they last? Extend this activity with our friends at Tinkergarten. They have great tips for mini bubble experiments with kids, including this one with a dolphin theme.
Tuesday
Watch: Tree Frog Circle Time
Today, we’re getting to know more parts of the animal kingdom, like reptiles and amphibians. Start with Circle Time where kids can sing along to “5 Little Speckled Frogs” with Caitie from Super Simple Songs. Then, learn fun facts about frogs in the Tree Frog book by Bellwether Media.
Read: Books about reptiles and amphibians
Find a selection of books about reptiles and amphibians in the Books tab of the Khan Kids Library under Backyard Wildlife and Animal Safari (scroll down to find these sections). Learn how amphibians live on land and in water and have smooth moist skin. Compare these creatures with reptiles which have dry scaly skin. See how many of these books kids can find: Frogs, Salamanders, Alligators, Crocodiles, Snakes, Turtles, Chameleons, and Komodo Dragons. What is your child’s favorite reptile? What is your child’s favorite amphibian?
Write: Describe and draw a reptile or amphibian
Use the chameleon and salamander coloring pages in the Create tab of the app to get the imagination flowing. Encourage children to think about the unique characteristics they read about in the books. If they could design a reptile, what would it be like? What color would it be? Where would it live? Older learners can use the writing paper in this week’s printable packet to draft their descriptions. Or they can use blank paper to draw their ideas.
Learn: Flexible thinking
Snakes are super flexible reptiles! They slither, twist, and turn. Let kids practice similar flexibility with their brains. As we flex our brains, our mindsets grow. Head to the Logic+ section of the Khan Kids app for lessons on flexible thinking, following directions, sorting, and rules. Practicing these skills is a great way to build the powers of observation and problem-solving.
Play: Dress like a chameleon
How cool are chameleons? Very cool because they can change color to show how they feel. Take a look at these images from the Chameleon book in Khan Academy Kids. The chameleon on the left feels differently from the chameleon on the right, because they each show different colors. Suggest that kids play a game of dress up to match how they're feeling. What colors did they choose to wear, and why? Share their favorite outfits with us on social media using #CampKhanKids so we can celebrate all of their true colors!
Wednesday
Watch: Humane Society Field Trip with Caitie’s Classroom
During Wednesday of Camp Khan Kids, we’re going to focus on the wonderful world of pets. Start with Caitie’s Classroom, and go on a virtual field trip to the Toronto Humane Society. See dogs, cats, and playful kittens. Don’t miss the guinea pigs, turtles, and bunnies too! Learn how the Humane Society takes care of potential pets to prepare them for their adoptive families.
Read: Books about cats
Let kids take a look at our new books about cats. Learn fun facts about unique breeds such as the Norwegian Forest Cat who first came to North America on Viking ships to hunt mice. Wow! What do kids think about the sweet Scottish Fold with folded ears? Too cute! Find these books at the top of the Khan Kids Library under New Non-Fiction.
Write: Keep a log of your pet’s day or describe a dream pet
If there are pets in your household, encourage children to use today’s writing time to keep a log of their pet’s day. How many times do they eat, sleep, or do something adorable? If there are no pets in the household, use the time to draw or describe a dream pet. Or, find the pet coloring page in the app or in this week’s printable packet for some dog and cat coloring fun.
Learn: Capitalization
Pet names, like Fido, Fluffy, or Ferdinand, are all proper nouns. What’s unique about proper nouns? They are capitalized! Show kids the Reading section in the Khan Kids app, and scroll to Early Readers. The books in this section feature the Khan Kids characters. Help kids notice how the names of Kodi, Ollo, Sandy, Reya, and Peck are all capitalized because they are proper nouns. Older learners may enjoy the capitalization lessons in the 1st and 2nd-grade learning levels.
Play: Design a stuffed animal pet carrier
Making habitats for pretend pets can be so much fun. If you have some cardboard boxes handy, let kids choose one that they’d like to repurpose for their pretend pet or stuffed animal. They may need fabric or blankets to line the bottom, a little bowl for food, a mini pet toy, and some markers to put their pet’s name on the box. If it’s a closed-lid box, they may need help making an opening so their pet can go in and out. We love this example from Sophie’s World.
Thursday
Watch: How to Draw Peck Circle Time
Today we’re taking flight with books and activities about birds. Did you know that Peck from Khan Academy Kids is a hummingbird? Let’s start by learning how to draw our friend Peck!
Read: Books about birds
Browse the Khan Kids Library to find books about birds. They will love learning about birds like toucans, parrots, peacocks, ducks, hummingbirds, and owls. What makes birds special? Their wings, their eyesight, their beaks, or something else kids notice while reading? Keep track of these interesting facts, and take a close look at birds throughout the day.
Write: Color a toucan and choose a flying adventure
After reading the books about birds, ask kids if there is a bird that they like the most. Prompt them to create a story about that bird’s day and the flights it needs to take to build its nest or stay well fed. Kids can choose to create their bird adventure on the Toucan page in the app, or they can use the writing paper to jot it down.
Learn: Math time with Peck
Engage children with some focused math time in the Khan Kids app. From the Khan Kids Library, choose the Math tab with Peck. Select the appropriate age level for your child, and carry through counting, addition, subtraction, and more. Or, go to the Videos tab, select an age level, and find the videos featuring Peck. These festive introductions to math concepts make learning fun!
Play: Parrot craft by Super Simple
Can you tell that these colorful parrots are made from simple hand and footprints? Don’t worry if you don’t have colored paper, kids can use white paper and decorate the birds with crayons or markers. Follow the directions on supersimple.com for details.
Friday
Watch: Learn about Lions with National Geographic
The final day of Camp Khan Kids features fascinating animals that you might see on a safari. Begin with the Awesome Animals series on National Geographic Kids, which has an exciting episode about lions! The show is based in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, which has one of the biggest lion populations in Africa. See what lions look like, where they live, and how they survive.
Read: Books about baby lions and tigers
Lions might seem fierce, but their cubs are as cute as can be. Head to the Super Cute section in the Khan Kids Library to check out the Baby Lions and Baby Tigers books. Both types of big cats share certain characteristics, like playfulness, a close relationship with their mom, and hunting practice. What other baby animals do kids see in this section? Oh, and don’t miss Baby Cheetahs!
Write: Go on a virtual safari
Get wildly excited about writing by suggesting kids go on a virtual safari and take notes about the animals they see along the way. They can pretend to ride along in a rugged jeep across the continent of Africa. Prompt kids to share details of their imaginary animal adventure on paper while coloring in their safari jeep. Find this coloring page in the Create tab of the Khan Kids app under New Vehicle Coloring.
Learn: Managing Moods with Moshi Sleep
After an exciting safari, kids might want to wind down with some quiet time. Help children tune into their mood and self-awareness by playing a Moshi Sleep meditation. While kids are listening to the video, parents can review the lesson plan to see how teachers use mindfulness practices in the classroom. These tools are designed to help kids tune into how they are feeling to learn about ways to help regulate their emotions.
Play: Be a wildlife photographer
Now it’s time for kids to take the driver's seat and step into the wild. Let them lead their own excursion by packing up their kit (old camera, old cell phone, hat, glasses, snack) to take pictures of living things while they are out and about. Do they see a bug, a caterpillar, a dog, a bird? These creatures are all part of their personal safari! This week’s printable packet has a page full of wildlife kids can find in their neighborhood. Then, snap photos and collect them for a family slideshow.
Certificate of completion
Thank you for participating in Animal Adventures Week. We loved hosting this super learning safari with you. Don’t forget to print out your certificate to celebrate your accomplishments!
Bonus activities on Pinterest
If you're looking for even more creative activities, check out our Animal Adventures Week Board on Pinterest. These ideas can help kids connect to nature all summer long!
❤️ Special note to our campers
We are so excited that you joined us this month for Camp Khan Kids. You made every day special by participating, and we adored each photo and story that was shared with us. Please keep in touch! You can write us at khankids@khanacademy.org or tag us on social with the #CampKhanKids or #KhanAcademyKids hashtags. Meanwhile, have a wild and wonderful summer!
—The Khan Kids Crew
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