Engaging Preschoolers with the Squirrel Habitat Game

Young children are naturally curious about animals, especially ones they see in their neighborhoods and parks. Squirrels, with their playful running and nut-gathering, fascinate preschoolers. This fun squirrel habitat game helps children understand what animals need to survive while keeping them engaged through movement and play!

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The Squirrel Habitat Game: Understanding Food, Water, Shelter, and Space

This activity is adapted from Growing Up Wild: Exploring Nature with Young Children Ages 3-7 and is a great way to introduce young learners to basic ecology.

Why The Squirrel Habitat Game Works for Preschoolers

Learning Through Movement

Preschoolers learn best by moving. Instead of just talking about habitats, this game lets them act like squirrels, running to different areas that represent food, water, shelter, and space. This hands-on experience helps them understand the concept in a meaningful way.

Building Connections to Nature

Even at a young age, children start noticing how animals interact with their surroundings. This game helps them see that all living things need the same basic things to survive.

Encouraging Empathy for Wildlife

By pretending to be squirrels searching for food and shelter, children begin to understand what real animals go through. This helps build empathy and an appreciation for nature.

Whole-Child Development

The game strengthens many skills at once:

• Physical: Running and moving between habitat areas
• Cognitive: Thinking about which habitat element meets each need
• Language: Discussing and explaining choices
• Social: Cooperating with classmates

How to Play the Squirrel Habitat Game

Materials Needed:

• Four large signs labeled “Food,” “Water,” “Shelter,” and “Space”
• Open area for movement (indoor or outdoor)
• Scenario Question Cards
• Optional: Props (pictures of acorns, blue fabric for water, etc.)

To save time, you can purchase the signs, question cards, headband templates and puppet craft in our Animal Habitat Game | Squirrel Theme with Crafts for Pre-K & Kindergarten

Setup:

Place the four signs in different areas of your classroom or playground. Before starting the game, talk with the children about what each habitat element means for a squirrel:

1. Food: What squirrels eat (acorns, nuts, berries, seeds)
2. Water: Where squirrels drink (puddles, streams, birdbaths)
3. Shelter: Where squirrels stay safe (trees, nests, hollow logs)
4. Space: Areas for squirrels to move, play, and store food

To make the squirrel habitat game even more fun, use props:

• Put the shelter sign near a tree or a cozy den.
• Lay blue fabric on the ground for water.
• Scatter pictures of nuts and berries near the food sign.
• Mark a large open area for space.

Gameplay:

1. Read a scenario card question aloud to the children.
2. They decide which habitat element matches the scenario.
3. They run or walk to the correct sign.
4. Briefly discuss why their choice was correct before moving to the next round.

Sample Squirrel Habitat Game Scenarios:

Food Scenarios:

• “Squirrels, you spot some tasty berries on a bush. Where will you go?”
• “Squirrels, you are very hungry after a long winter. Where will you go?”

Water Scenarios:

• “Squirrels, the sun is hot, and you are thirsty. Where will you go?”
• “Squirrels, you are looking for a puddle after the rain. Where will you go?”

Shelter Scenarios:

• “Squirrels, a hawk is flying overhead. Where will you go?”
• “Squirrels, it’s getting cold outside. Where will you go?”

Space Scenarios:

• “Squirrels, you want to run and play with your friends. What do you need?”
• “Squirrels, you need room to store your food for winter. Where can you hide the food?”

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Taking the Learning Deeper

Habitat Connections

Once children understand the basic game, challenge them with scenarios that involve multiple habitat elements:

• “Squirrels, you’re thirsty after eating many acorns. You were at food—now where will you go?”
• “Squirrels, it’s starting to rain while you’re drinking from a puddle. You’re at water—where do you need to go now?”

Human Impact Discussions

For older preschoolers and early elementary children, introduce simple questions about how humans affect animal habitats:

• “Squirrels, someone dropped a bag of popcorn on the ground. Where will you go?” Discuss if this is good for squirrels.
• “Squirrels, the tree where you live has been cut down. What do you need to find now?” Discuss why trees might be cut down.

Seasonal Changes

Talk about how squirrel needs change with the seasons:

• “It’s winter, and snow covers the ground. Where will you look for food?”
• “It’s spring, and many new baby squirrels are being born. What do the mother squirrels need more of now?”

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Squirrel Habitat Game Printable Resource

Want to make setup a breeze? I’ve created a resource with everything you need:

• Four colorful habitat signs (ready to print and display)
• 64 Ready-to-use scenario question cards covering all habitat elements
• Squirrel headbands for children to wear during the game
• Squirrel stick puppets as an alternative to headbands

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Making Connections

After playing the Squirrel Habitat Game, encourage children to connect what they learned to real life:

• Take a neighborhood walk to look for real squirrel habitats.
• Discuss how our homes provide food, water, shelter, and space for us.
• Draw simple pictures of a squirrel habitat with all four elements.

Preschoolers love playing this game over and over. Since it’s active, engaging, and builds science skills, it’s a great way to introduce ecological concepts in a way that sticks!

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