In this post, we will talk about 7 Fun and Educational Ways To Use Animal Mini Toys. Mini toys are excellent tools for children, offering opportunities to explore the world and learn.
When those miniatures are of kid-friendly animals, it makes learning even more fun and interactive. Use these seven ideas to jumpstart animal toy learning.
7 Fun and Educational Ways To Use Animal Mini Toys
1. Create a Sensory Bin
Sensory bins are awesome educational tools that are also fun to use. Perhaps even more appealing, they are super easy to assemble with some basic supplies you probably already have around the house.
Fill a plastic storage bin, a large sauce pot, or an old shipping box with a filler material and add in your mini toys. Then, let your kids use their imaginations to let the fun begin.
2. Practice Sorting Similar Animals
Sorting items into similar and dissimilar categories is human nature, and you can use miniature animals to make it a fun activity for kids. Ask your kiddos to put them into groups by features such as:
- Habitat (jungle, tundra, desert, etc.)
- Animal type (reptile, mammal, bird, etc.)
- Mode of travel (walking, swimming, flying, etc.)
3. Learn About Animal Habitats
Let kids explore the many different types of places that animals call home by creating dioramas of different habitats and then acting out scenes with the mini animal toys. Another fun idea is to read stories about different places and then choose which animals would live in them.
4. Use Paint To Make Foot/Paw/Hoof Print Art
Take the idea of a palmprint turkey to a whole new level by dipping animal figures into paint and creating unique works of art.
There is no right or wrong way to paint with animal toys, so go ahead and have some fun making tracks that tell a story or something completely abstract.
5. Play Matching Games
Matching games offers a lot of flexibility. You can match figurines to animals you see outside, animals to their sounds, or even toys to colors in the room.
You can fit a lot of mini animals into a small bag or plastic shoe box, which is great for offering extra variety for matching games.
Plus, because mini toys are portable, this is a great way to break up boring car trips — and limit the “Are we there yet?” questions coming from the back seat.
6. Act Out Favorite Stories
Books and mini animal toys are a natural pair. They are both portable, require no electricity, and give you and your kids plenty of chances to use creativity. Pair a few minis with some animal books for kids for hours of fun and learning.
7. Make Your Own Fossil Footprints
Creating fossil footprints is a great way to encourage and engage budding paleontologists. Get hands-on by making a batch of salt dough and then using mini figurines to stamp tracks. Once dry, you can bury them in the sand to uncover them or include them in sensory bins.
Simple toys can bring hours of entertainment to children (and parents). Mini toys offer countless opportunities to learn, play, and explore the world. Shop online for a nice assortment to keep on hand so you always have a new adventure nearby.
What did you think about my blog post about 7 Fun and Educational Ways To Use Animal Mini Toys? Did you learn something? What toys do you have for your kids that allow them to be creative and still learn? Leave me a comment below letting me know! Thank you!