Fox and the Hound: 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 Fox and the Hound released in 1981. 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.

Rhyme Activity

Teach your child these rhymes.

The Fox

The fox went out on a chilly night

He prayed to the moon to give him light.

For he'd many a mile to go that night

Before he'd reach the town-o, town-o, town-o

He'd many a mile to go that night

Before he reached the town-o.

Read a Book

There are a lot of incredible books available to go along with the movie Fox and the Hound. Pick one you think your child would enjoy and involve them while you are reading. Ask them questions about the pictures and story. Following are a few suggestions of books to read.

• Fox in Socks (Beginner Books) by Dr. Seuss and Theodore Geisel
• Hello, Red Fox by Eric Carle
• The News Hounds in the Great Balloon Race: A Geography Adventure (Dogs on the Trail) by Amy Axelrod and Tim Bowers
• Hounds Around Town!: Guess What They Do Flap Book by Megan Halsey

Animal Hunt

Hide some of your child's stuffed animals. Give them clues like a scavenger hunt, or play hot and cold with them until they find all the hidden animals.

The Smelling Game

Explain to your child that a hound uses his nose to find things. Gather items that have an easily identifiable smell, like flowers, grass, an orange, pepper, your child's favorite food. If your child is older, ask them to close their eyes and see if they can identify the items just by smell. If your child is younger show them one of the items, tell them what it is then smell it.

Make your Own Dog Tag

Cut out a bone shape from colored paper. Let your child pick a name to put on it. Let them decorate it, then attach it to some yarn and let them wear it.