Books
Campbell, Rod. DEAR ZOO. Kids will love this lift-the-flap story about a child who asks the zoo for a pet.
Hendrick, Mary Jean. IF ANYTHING EVER GOES WRONG AT THE ZOO. Leslie loves all the animals in the zoo and invites a new one to come home with her each week. Guess what happens when the zoo is flooded?
Hillenbrand, Will. DOWN BY THE STATION. Baby animals ride the zoo train while kids ride a school bus.
Knowles, Sheena. EDWARD THE EMU. Edward finds being an emu really boring and starts imitating all the other animals in the zoo.
Massie, Diane Redfield. THE BABY BEEBEE BIRD. A baby bird keeps the other zoo animals awake all night until they trick him into sleeping at night like everyone else.
Rathmann, Peggy. GOOD NIGHT, GORILLA. The zoo animals sneak out of their cages as the zookeeper shuts down the zoo for the night.
Rice, Eve. SAM WHO NEVER FORGETS. Sam the zookeeper is feeding all the zoo animals, but has he forgotten Elephant?
Sierra, Judy. WILD ABOUT BOOKS. When the library bookmobile visits the zoo, the animals discover how much fun reading can be.
Waber, Bernard. A LION NAMED SHIRLEY WILLIAMSON. The other lions are jealous of Shirley’s special name and all the attention she gets.
Songs & Fingerplays
“The Animals at the Zoo” sung to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus” from Preschool Education.
The lions at the zoo go roar, roar, roar, Roar, roar, roar, Roar, roar, roar, The lions at the zoo go roar, roar, roar, All day long!
The snakes at the zoo go hiss, hiss, hiss (etc.)
The hyenas at the zoo go ha, ha, ha (etc.)
The monkeys at the zoo go oooh, oooh, oooh, (etc.)
“Walking Through the Jungle” from Head, Shoulders, Knee, and Toes and Other Action Rhymes by Zita Newcome
Walking through the jungle, (make motions of walking) What do you see? (put hand above eyes, looking) Can you hear a noise? (cup hand over ear) What could it be? (shrug shoulders)
Ah well, I think it is a snake! (make snake motions with hand) Sss! Sss! Sss! I think it is a snake, Sss! Sss! Sss! I think it is a snake, Sss! Sss! Sss! Looking for his tea. (put hand above eyes, looking)
Repeat opening lines…
Ah well, I think it is a tiger! (make hand motions like a scratching tiger) Roar! Roar! Roar! I think it is a tiger, Roar! Roar! Roar! I think it is a tiger, Roar! Roar! Roar! Looking for his tea. (put hand above eyes, looking)
Repeat opening lines…
Ah well, I think it is a monkey! (scratch like a monkey) Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! I think it is a monkey, Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! I think it is a monkey, Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! Looking for his tea. (put hand above eyes, looking)
Repeat opening lines… Ah well, I think it is an elephant! (stomp like an elephant) Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! I think it is an elephant, Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! I think it is an elephant, Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Looking for his tea. (put hands above eyes, looking)
Repeat opening lines…
Ah well, I think it is a crocodile! (snap arms like a crocodile’s mouth) Snap! Snap! Snap! I think it is a crocodile, Snap! Snap! Snap! I think it is a crocodile, Snap! Snap! Snap! Looking for his tea. (put hand above eyes, looking) Hope it isn’t me! (cover head with hands)
Robin Fosdick