Barnyard Movie: Educational Activities and Games for 2 to 5 Year Olds

Let's face it, kids love movies, but it's been proven that they should watch no more than 2 hours of TV a day. So why not combine their love of a movie and activities that will help them learn and grow? Following are suggestions for the movie Barnyard released in December of 2006. These activities would also work well for preschool classes and party games for this age group.

Watch the movie

Let your kids watch the show while you prepare the activities for the rest of the day or attend to other responsibilities.

Let's Pretend

Have your children pretend to be different barnyard animals such as a dog, cat, cow, donkey, chicken, goose, pig, etc.

Read a Book

There are many books available that have barnyard animals as the main characters following is a listing of some of the most popular. Read one of these books or another related book you have at home.

• Barnyard Dance! By Sandra Boynton
• Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! Barnyard Hullabaloo by Giles Andreae and David Wojtowycz
• Barnyard Banter by Denise Fleming
• Barnyard Song by Rhonda Gowler Greene and Robert M. Bender
• Barnyard Boogie Puppet Book by Jim Post and Daniel Vasconsellos
• Barnyard Lullaby by Frank Asch
• The Little Red Hen by Carol Ottolenghi
• Hey Diddle Diddle by Jeanette Winter
• Mrs. Wishy-Washy's Farm by Joy Cowley and Elizabeth Fuller
• Farm Animals (A Chunky Book(R)) by Phoebe Dunn

When reading involve your child as much as possible. Ask them to find certain things in the pictures, and ask them questions about the story. If they are having a hard time sitting still show them a picture and ask them to act like one of the animals.

Poems, Songs, Rhymes and Actions

Children between the ages of two and five love the predictability and beat of poems and rhymes add actions and you have a great combination. Try some of these as transition activities during the day.

Cows in the Meadow

Cows in the meadow

Take a little nap (lay down and pretend to sleep)

Thunder, (stamp your feet on the floor)

Lightening (clap your hands)

Jump up and clap.

Pop Goes the Weasel

(crouch down on the ground and on the last line jump up)

All around the Mulberry Bush

The Monkey chased the weasel.

The Monkey laughed to see such sport

Pop goes the weasel!

Don't forget the Barnyard favorite Old McDonald Had a Farm and This Little Piggy.

If you are able to take a small trip, visit a local petting zoo or a farm that allows visitors so that the children can see the animals in real life.