There is something about farm life that my kids just love. Between the animals, the vegetables, and the overall atmosphere of farm life, there are so many lessons you can take advantage of here! Between games, counting, and crafting there are so many different preschool farm activities that will fit right into any farm theme.
These activities are not only fun but educational too!
Recently, my husband had to travel to a ritzy mountain town for his work. Tough, I know.
Meanwhile, I was left at home with all five kids for a week. (Remember they are eight years old and younger, so it’s busy, exhausting work). I am not meant to be a single parent, and I tip my hat to those who are. But when I’m on my own for extended days, I have to become really intentional with my kids. As in, I need to have daily activities to break the day into chunks, or things get a little dicey by the end of the day, if you know what I mean.
So, most recently, while my husband was enjoying late lunches on restaurant balconies set against some of the most amazing mountains in the United States, the kids and I packed up and headed to a local-ish orchard and vegetable stand.
It’s funny how when your kids do the produce shopping they suddenly are the best eaters in the world.
We shopped for our produce, grabbing a few cantaloupe, a peck of plums, another of peaches, some green beans and eggplant. We also snagged some fresh artisan bread which we late made into cinnamon toast (a first for my kids) and enjoyed some homemade caramels on the drive home.
But not before we stopped to enjoy the animals.
Like many produce stands in our area, they adjoin a mini farm, because after all, they typically are someone’s home, not just their place of business. So we pet the cats (which were much more friendly than our own), played soccer with the dog, paid 25 cents to feed the rabbits, and my toddler may have chased the chickens. Across the way was a milking cow, which my kids awed over.
Like I said, there is something about farms that kids love. So I knew the next few days were going to be filled with as many farm activities we could fit in.
20 Educational Farm Activities for Preschoolers
From letters and counting, print awareness and sorting, to fine motor work and dramatic play, these preschool farm activities have always been our favorites!
Farmer Brown Five Red Apples Song – The favorite farm themed counting song now includes a free printable for preschool math centers! You might also like these other apple themed activities!
Farmyard Families Matching Kit – These farm nomenclature cards use real pictures. My preschoolers love to use the cards to make up stories.
Farm Fine Motor Activity – Scooping and pouring is excellent work for developing fine motor skills, and this activity fits the farm theme by using corn kernels.
Corn Counting Activity – This free printable teaches children how to count as well as identify numerals.
Five Pigs So Squeaky Clean Activity – What a fun circle time song! Sung to the tune of “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”, instead we have “Five Pigs so Squeaky Clean.”What a great counting song!
Farm Animal Sorting Activity – Have some farm animal counters? This post shows all the ways they can be used in math, from sorting to counting.
Fruit and Vegetable Montessori Unit – There are so many great resources here.
Investigating Seeds Activity – This makes a perfect science center for a farm preschool theme. Children get an extra close look at the seeds that make up the vegetables we eat!
Farm Counting Puzzle – Another free printable! These simple puzzles take hardly any prep at all and the kids love putting them together again and again.
On the Farm Book Making – This little book is not for coloring! Each page has a new way to decorate, all based in process art.
Farm Animal Patterns – These easy to make patterns are perfect for any math preschool center. It pairs well with these turkey activities!
Five White and Fluffy Sheep Song – This is another favorite song for a preschool farm theme. We love singing it in circle time, but also resort to it when we have a few extra minutes to fill.
Number Quantity with Farm Barns – Count all the animals and put them in the barn!
Piggy Bank Counting Craft – This is just about the cutest farm themed fine motor activity I’ve ever seen! Grab a tin and paint it like a pig, then use milk caps to practice counting.
Fingerprint Math Activity – Nothing can make counting more personal than using little fingerprints.
Farm Writing Prompts – Need a way to include more writing? These farm writing prompts make great picture prompts and dictated stories.
Farm Theme Old Maid – The free printable is a favorite matching game that gets the whole class giggling! Don’t get stuck with the farmer!
Gross Motor Farm Game – Preschoolers love to act like little farm animals, and these printable cards show them exactly how to walk like a ___.
Pig Tails Color Sorting – Sensory meets fine motor and color matching! And my preschoolers giggle all the while!
Seed Sorting Activity – No list of preschool farm activities would be complete without a seed sorting activity. All you need is a few packets of seeds and a sorting tray!
Farm Themed Books for Preschoolers
Of course, no farm theme is complete without some amazing pictures books for story time! These are our favorites!
And Here Are Some of Our Favorite Farm Toys
By the way…
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I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.
[…] is the perfect time for a farm theme unit in preschool. What with all of the farmers harvesting in September and October and the heavy farm […]