• Leader Resource 1: Wild Animal Matching Puzzles
• Crayons

• Print out Leader Resource 1: Wild Animal Matching Puzzles. Decide whether you will cut out the puzzle pieces in advance and have small groups of children do the puzzles during the session and/or whether you will give each child a copy of the entire sheet of five puzzles to take home. Photocopy the number of puzzles you need on card stock.

Matching animals with their homes provides a tactile activity to help children understand that wild animals build their own homes for specific functions and reinforces children's knowledge about which animals live in which kind of homes. If you have made several sets of puzzles ahead of time, invite the children to try matching the animals with their homes on their own, in pairs, or in small groups. First, show all the pictures to the entire group. Then distribute the puzzles and have children mix up all the pieces and match the cards.

You may also like to give each child a copy of Leader Resource 1: Wild Animal Matching Puzzles with all five, two-piece puzzles not yet cut into puzzle pieces. Invite the children to color their puzzle sheets and bring them home to cut, with an adult's help, and play the matching game with family members.