This week at Barefoot University, we have been learning about animal homes. Did you know a squirrel nest is called a drey? After some brainstorming, I came up with a great loose parts, animal home-themed game: Animal House Swap.
The rules are simple.
Print our Animal House Swap PDF located above and on the member section of our website.
Cut all the animal names into strips, fold, and place in one bowl. Cut all the homes, fold them, and place them in a different bowl. Strew loose parts around a table. I used moss, playdough, luffa, milkweed seed, pipe cleaners, etc. Draw one animal and one home. Using your creativity, create the home in the same way that the animal you drew would create it! Example If you picked spider and den, the spider would use some web to create a den out of supplies.
We ended up playing this game for hours. Some of the combinations were hilarious and we were cracking up. It was so fun and the creativity and problem-solving skills that came from this were priceless. This is a perfect cold-weather, around-the-table activity. Try it out and let us know what you think!
-Madeleine