27/08/2026
Baby Play | Exploring Animals
Exploring Animals is a simple, engaging way to introduce babies and young toddlers to animals from around the world through shared exploration, sensory discovery and play and explore early literacy through serve and return and shared experiences.
This activity supports cognitive development, fine motor skills through reaching, grasping and exploring books and toys, language development, and imaginative play.
This activity is best enjoyed side by side with your baby, following their curiosity as they explore. The space is divided into two simple environments, green for land and blue for water, to introduce early ideas about where animals live. For younger babies this may be visual exploration and sensory discovery, while older babies may begin to reach for, move or return to favourite animals. Talk gently about what your baby can see, hear and feel, using simple animal sounds and language to build connection.
What you need:
• Soft animal toys
• Animal-themed board books
• Blue fabric or scarf (to represent water)
• Green fabric, mat or grass (to represent land)
• Optional: animal sound recordings
What you need to do:
1. Create a simple play space using a blue fabric or scarf for water and a green surface for land.
2. Place soft animal toys onto each area, separating land and water animals.
3. Sit with your baby and invite them to explore at their own pace.
4. Talk about the animals as they are discovered: the sounds they make, how they feel and what they look like in the books.
5. Connect toys to images in the board books to support recognition and shared attention.
6. Follow your baby’s lead as they look, reach, touch and explore the animals that capture their interest.
7. Extend the play by making sounds together and talking about the world of animals in simple, playful ways.
