Young and Old Animals Worksheet: Circle the Correct Ones!
Distinguishing between young and old animals introduces children ages 3-5 to basic life cycle concepts and comparative observation, asking them to notice visual cues like size and features that indicate an animal's age. This worksheet has children first sort animals by age category and then match young animals to their adult counterparts, layering categorization practice on top of matching skills. Understanding that a puppy grows into a dog or a chick grows into a hen also lays early groundwork for later science topics like animal life cycles and growth.
Part of the pack
Month 8: Phonics, Math, Science, Creativity | Ages Up to 4
This is page 18 of the pack. Ages 3-5 · Preschool–Pre-KAges 3-5 · Nursery–ReceptionAges 3-5 · Nursery–LKGAges 3-5
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Curriculum
- Living Things - Animals > Animals & Habitats
How to use this worksheet
Look at the first section of animal pictures together and ask your child to circle the ones that appear to be young, like a puppy or a chick. Move to the second section and have them circle the animals that appear to be fully grown or old. Then ask your child to match each young animal to its correct adult counterpart by drawing a connecting line. Talk through a couple of their choices together, discussing what visual clues helped them decide.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons
Extension activities
- 1Discuss the life cycles of a few of the animals shown, like how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly or a tadpole becomes a frog.
- 2Draw pictures of other young and old animals not included on the worksheet, like a lamb and a sheep.
- 3Create a matching game with animal picture cards, mixing baby and adult versions to sort and pair.
- 4Visit a farm, zoo, or pet store together and look for examples of young and adult animals in real life.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
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