10 Fun Ways to Celebrate Animal Holidays with Kids!

Celebrate Animal Holidays with these fun ideas perfect for kids! These holidays are a great opportunity for kids to learn more about animals and discover what makes each animal unique!

Did you know today is International Red Panda Day?! Today is one of many animal holidays that are celebrated throughout the year. Animal holidays are a great reason for kids to learn more about animals living all over the world!

We celebrated International Red Panda Day by reading about red pandas in books we had at home and by visiting the Red Panda Network and printing off a fun coloring page. Also pictured above is the Red Panda Day card from my new Animal Holidays Card Set! The cards coordinate with my free DIY Children’s Calendar and include over 60 Animal Holidays. The cards offer a great reminder for the day and are a great learning tool for young kids. 

Whether you celebrate an animal holiday with activities or a quick Google search for new animal facts, these holidays offer a great opportunity to learn! Below are 10 fun ways you can celebrate animal holidays with kids! 

10 Ways to Celebrate Animal Holidays with Kids

1.Read a book!

Check out a book about the animal from the library or search the books you already own. Depending on the age and interest level of your child, it can be a factual book or a fun fiction book.

2. Watch a movie or documentary!

If your kids are younger, look for a documentary about the animal geared specifically towards kids. This can be a quick video under 5 minutes. 

3. Get crafty!

Search Pinterest for a fun craft related to the animal of the day. 

4. Visit the zoo!

If the animal lives at your local zoo, plan a trip to observe it in person. Many zoos have a general list of their animals on their website. For extra fun, bring along a sketch book and have kiddos draw the animal. 

5. Visit educational websites to learn more!

Below are a few suggestions of kid-friendly sites with animal directories where you can search for the animal of the day and learn more about them!

• https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/index.php/animals
• https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/
• https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory
• https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/list

6. Look up the history of the Animal Day to share with your kids.

Some animal holidays have their own sites with information about the animal and how the day was started. Many learning webpages and zoos also post about animals on their Animal Day often with a brief history of the day.

7. Research the status of the animal and how we can help protect it!

Many of the animal holidays bring awareness to animals that are endangered or at risk. You can also make a donation to a trusted organization to help in the conservation of that animal.

8. Print off a fun coloring page or draw the animal!

There are lots of free coloring pages available online. Searching the animal name online with “coloring page” after it will bring up lots of options. You can also ask kids to draw the animal from a picture in a book or while visiting a zoo or exploring outside. The red panda coloring page, pictured below, can be found at Red Panda Network.

9. Create an animal fact sheet!

Ask older kids to research the animal and write down 3-5 interesting facts about the animal. Save the fact sheets in a binder or notebook!

10. Mark the dates on your calendar!

Mark the date on your children’s calendar using my fun Animal Holiday Cards! They coordinate with my free DIY Children’s Calendar and include a list and dates for over 60 animal holidays.

I hope you enjoyed this list of fun ways to celebrate Animal Holidays! They provide a great reason to learn more about animals and plan activities for the day! 

If you are interested in my Animal Holiday Calendar Cards, you can visit my Etsy shop! They were created to match my DIY Children’s Calendar I offer for free on my blog in four different languages. You can check it out by visiting my DIY Children’s Calendar post.