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Reptile Theme Activities

May 4, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky 3 Comments

Reptile-themed art. science, small world, and pretend play activities for early learners. Topics include snakes, turtles, and lizards.

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A Reptile Theme is THE WAY to encourage early learners to get more comfortable with animals such as snakes, lizards, and turtles. Little ones often have a fear of these animals, partly because of how they get depicted on television. Hands-on activities alleviate fear and encourage an interest in learning more about these creatures.

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Reptile Pet Store

An effective way to introduce a reptile theme is to set up a pet store pretend play center. Collect the following and display them on shelves and tables gathered for the store:

  • snake. lizard, turtle, frog, and insect figurines
  • baskets and cages
  • cash register and play money

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Reptile Store pretend play center. Snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, and insects for sale.

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At first, your early learners may say they are afraid of animals such as snakes, lizards, and turtles. But after playing in the store and organizing, buying, and selling the animal figurines, they will warm up to them.

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Geometric Shape Snake Craft

Geometric shapes snake craft suitable for all ages.

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Cut out large, winding snakes from 12-inch x 18-inch pieces of construction paper.

Paper punch circles, squares, triangles, ovals, stars, and hexagons from bright colored cardstock.

Ask your little learners to use glue sticks to attach shapes to the snakes. Offer tiny sticker eyes for a finishing touch.

Purchased sticker foam shapes would also work well for this craft.

Geometric shapes snake craft suitable for all ages.

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Mounted together, these snakes make a dynamic display.

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Beaded Snakes

Early learners love using craft supplies like pony beads.

Offer pipe cleaners and a variety of pony bead colors.

A colorful selection of pony beads.

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Invite your early learners to string bead colors of choice on the pipe cleaners. Wrap the ends around the first beads so the rest will stay in place. Ask your little ones to stop stringing beads about 4 cm from the other end of the pipe cleaners.

Set the snakes aside and add beads to make the snake heads. Glue on tiny craft eyes.

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Pony bead snake replica of a sedge viper.

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Showing photos of real snakes and discussing their colors and patterns encourages little learners to bead a patterned snake of their own.

Pony bead replicas of a sedge viper, butter corn snake, and Arizona mountain kingsnake.

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Painted Turtle And Lizard

Set out this two-ingredient taste-safe paint in red, green, yellow, and blue colors.

You will need: white corn syrup and food coloring.

Pour corn syrup into paint containers. Stir in a little food coloring. Add a paintbrush to each color.

Cut out cardstock lizards and turtles. Feel free to download the turtle printable below.

Allow your little learners to paint them.

Lizard decorated with taste-safe paint. An all-ages craft.

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Turtle decorated with taste safe paint. An all-ages art activity.

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Turtle template for art and craft activities.

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Turtle PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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This craft needs generous time to dry. It also looks stunning displayed.

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Reptile Sensory Tub

Reptile small world with snakes and lizards, and animals they feed on.

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This sensory tub is sure to delight your little ones. It includes:

  • leaves and a play grass base
  • rocks and wooden pieces
  • snake, lizard, frog, and insect figurines
Reptile small world with snakes and lizards, and animals they feed on.

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Wildlife Worker Photo Op

Hang up a treed party backdrop and set up a table with hats, snakes, and lizards nearby. Ask your little learners to pick a few props and stand against the backdrop. Take lots of photos.

Reptile-themed photo-op props.

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Wildlife Worker Prop Box

Use the photo op props shown above, and add eggs, gloves, binoculars, and pails. Set all items in a prop box for your early learners to use during play.

Reptile-themed prop box toys for pretend play.

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Family Night

An epic way to end the Reptile theme is to plan a potluck supper family night:

  • Display art projects on the walls.
  • Create a spot for a Wildlife Worker Photo Op.
  • Set out Snakes And Ladders-themed paper placemats, dice, and game chips on the dinner tables.
  • Assemble plants and beaded snakes in vases for table decor.
Pony bead replica of a burrowing asp snake used in table decor.

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  • Enjoy a potluck meal together.
  • Hire a guest to give a live animal presentation (that includes a snake and lizard) afterward. Having explored the topic of reptiles in a variety of ways, early learners are more receptive to being near live ones.

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Locally, Butterfly Wings n’ Wishes gives wonderful animal presentations.

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This reptile theme allows children to participate in engaging, non-threatening activities that help them gain knowledge about snakes, lizards, and turtles. As a result, they value these animals more.

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You may also like:

Reptile Egg Science

Reptile egg activities. Make a rubbery reptile egg and use turtle and snake figurines with egg theme play mats.

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Charlotte’s Web Book Theme

Charlotte's Web storybook activities. Sensory tubs, crafts, and games for children. Art, math, and language arts opportunities to learn.

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Don’t forget to share this post on Pinterest or your favorite Social Media channel. Sharing is caring!

Reptile-themed art. science, small world, and pretend play activities for early learners. Topics include snakes, turtles, and lizards.

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© Annette Kaminsky May 4, 2020

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Filed Under: art, pretend play, reptiles, science Tagged With: family, lizards, small worlds, snakes, turtles

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brooke says

    October 6, 2021 at 3:16 pm

    Do you have the template for the turtle? I love your ideas!

    Reply
    • Annette Kaminsky says

      October 12, 2021 at 1:50 am

      Hi Brooke,
      Thanks for your compliment about my blog! I couldn’t find the turtle template I used for this art activity, so I made a new one and popped it in this blog post. Feel free to download it.

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Annette Kaminsky. I am a preschool teacher who loves to share easy and fun early learning activities. Thanks for visiting my blog. Feel free to stay awhile!

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