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Printable Animal Classification Game for Kids (free)

Printable Animal Classification Game for Kids (free)

This animal classification game for kids is a fun way for a small group to learn about basic classification of the animal kingdom and different continents where they live.

Categories of Different Animal Groups

  • Birds
  • Insects
  • Mammals
  • Reptiles
  • Amphibians
  • Fish

Characteristics

  • Birds have a beak, feathers, and wings. They breathe with lungs and lay eggs .
  • Insects have three body parts and six legs.
  • Mammals have hair and fur. They breathe with lungs and make milk to feed their babies.
  • Reptiles breathe with lungs. Some live on land and some live in water.
  • Amphibians spend part of their lives in water and part on land. They are born with gills and develop lungs and legs as they get older.
  • Fish spend their lives in water and breathe with gills. They lay eggs to have babies.

Targeted Age: first grade, second grade, third grade

Continents

  • North America
  • South America
  • Asia
  • Africa
  • Australia
  • Europe
  • Antartica

How to Play

The goal of the game is to collect four different animals of any animal category.

Directions

  1. Shuffle the animal cards and deal 5 cards to each player.
  2. Place the remaining cards on the table in a pile, face down.
  3. Take the top card from the pile and place it face up on the table.
  4. The first player can take either the turned up card or ask a player for a specific category card.  (Do you have a Mammal card?)
  5. The other player must give the card if they are asked and have it, but only have to give one card per turn.
  6. At the end of each turn, a player must discard a card. They must keep five cards in their hand at all times.
  7. The first player to get four of a kind (all shown at the top of each card), wins. 

Another Way to Play

Players can be sneaky and simply ask for a continent card if they don’t want the other players to know which group of animals they are trying to collect (except with fish).

Animal Classification Game for Kids

 

Download the Animal Classification Card Game here: 

Use this educational resource as a follow up to a science lesson for kids of all ages. It is a great way to practice what they have learned about animal classification of living things.