Veterinarians

CIRCLE TIME

Animated discussion

(Open picture game-Veterinarians) Print and laminate the pictures in the format you prefer. Use them to spark a conversation with your group. Ask children questions pertaining to the theme. Add to your discussion by presenting pictures of animals and veterinarians.

Suggested circle time questions:

• Is there a veterinary hospital close to where you live?
• Do you know a veterinarian?
• Can you name 2 tasks performed by veterinarians?
• What do you want to be when you grow up?

During circle time, place a variety of accessories related to the theme on a table in front of your group. Place hair or fur from different animals inside transparent containers. Let children observe them and identify the differences and resemblances. Let them touch them too.

AREA SETUP

Thematic poster-Veterinarians

(Open thematic poster-Veterinarians) Print and display within your daycare to introduce the theme. 

Stickers-Veterinarians

(Open stickers-Veterinarians) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create original stickers.

Educa-theme-Veterinarians

(Open educa-theme-Veterinarians) Print and laminate the elements representing the theme. Use them to present the theme to your group while decorating your daycare.

Educa-decorate-Veterinarians
(Open educa-decorate-Veterinarians) Print, laminate, and cut out. Decorate your walls with the illustrations or hang some from the ceiling to set the mood for the theme.

Pennants – Veterinarians

(Open pennants-Veterinarians) Print and cut out. Hang the pennants within your daycare or over your daycare entrance.

Cut out several animal tracks. (Open pet tracks) Glue identical tracks on the floor to create paths and glue the corresponding animals at the end of each path. Encourage children to follow identical tracks to discover the animal they belong to. Cut pictures out of magazines and display them on the wall throughout your daycare.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures can be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with your group. Use them to decorate your daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Veterinarians) Print, laminate, and store in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bins.

WRITING ACTIVITIES

(Open writing activities-V like veterinarian) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker. 

ACTIVITY SHEETS

Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. Print and follow instructions. (Open activity sheets-Veterinarians)

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS

Have fun with these wonderful workshop ideas provided by Caroline Allard.

Construction/building blocks:

• Dog biscuits and/or bones can be used instead of blocks.
• Giant bricks can be used to build a doghouse.
• Deposit a bin filled with reptiles and snakes in your area, they can also represent pets!
• All figurines which represent pets can be used (cats, dogs, birds, mice...)

Arts & crafts/Drawing:

• Coloring pages representing various types of pets.
• Dry dog or cat food can be used to make collages.
• Bird seed can be used for collages too.
• Empty toilet paper rolls can be used to create miniature dogs...you can provide models or simply let children use their imagination.
• Feathers can be used for painting. Children will enjoy pretending they are painting with bird wings.

Role play (at the veterinarian's):

• Stuffed animals representing various pets.
• A doctor's kit and/or a veterinarian's kit.
• Cages.
• Collars and leashes.
• Dog and cat toys.
• Dog or cat bed.
• Pictures of different animals can be displayed on the walls.
• A white smock (or a white shirt) and gloves.
• Pencils and papers.
• Empty pill bottles for medicine.

Manipulation:

• Memory game involving pictures of pets from the Educatall club.
• Association game in which children must associate a baby animal to its mother to help children learn animal names.
• Puzzles related to the theme.
• Fur and feathers for observation and manipulation.
• Animal sound association game involving pictures of animals.
• Association game involving animals with fur and animals with feathers.

Relaxation and reading:

• Books about pets.
• Photo albums filled with pictures of children and their pets...simply ask parents to provide pictures.
• A few stuffed animals.

Sensory bins:

• A water table can be part of a pet salon. Offer stuffed animals which can be submerged in water, sponges, soap, towels, etc.
• Hide small mice or hamsters (stuffed animals) in wood chips. Children will have fun searching for them over and over again.
• A container filled with water, tiny aquarium pebbles, and plastic fish.
• A container filled with feathers. Children can use them to tickle one another.

Science/kitchen:

• A small container filled with clumping litter and eyedroppers. Show children what happens when you drop water on the litter.
• Bake dog biscuits with your group (see creative recipe in Educatall club).
• Try a smell experiment and discuss how a dog's sense of smell is highly developed.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards-Veterinarians
The flashcards may be used to spark a conversation with your group, in your reading and writing area, or even to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Veterinarians) (Open giant word flashcards-Veterinarians) claws, fur, medicine, scale, collar, syringe, teeth, clinic, cage, veterinarian, feather, vaccine

Picture clue story
(Open picture clue story-Veterinarians) Print. Sit in a circle with your group. Begin reading the story and pause for each illustration. Point to the illustrations and encourage children to guess the missing words.

Sequential story
(Open sequential story-Veterinarians) Print, laminate, and cut out the illustrations. Children must place them in the correct order to recreate the story.

ACTIVITIES FOR BABIES

Who visits the veterinarian?
During transition or relaxation periods, show babies pictures of animals. Name them over and over again until they are able to name them too.

Animal sounds

Show children a series of animal pictures. Make each animal sound and encourage babies to make the corresponding sounds.

My veterinarian picture book
Cut pictures of animals which visit the veterinarian's office out of magazines. Glue them on colorful cardboard and laminate them. Babies will admire the pictures.

My dog
Print a dog outline for each baby. Let them paint their dog with several different colors of finger paint. You may also offer other substances such as Jell-O, pudding, etc.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Veterinarian of the day

(Open veterinarian of the day) Print, laminate, and display next to your daycare entrance. Before children arrive in the morning, add a picture of the child who shall be the “veterinarian” of the day.

Magnetic veterinarians

(Open models-Veterinarians) Print, color, and laminate the models. Glue them on magnetic paper. Children can play with the items on metal cookie sheets.

Roll & color-3D-Veterinarians

(Open roll and color-3D-Veterinarians) Print for each child. This game can be enjoyed individually or as a group. Children take turns rolling a die, counting the dots, and coloring the corresponding item that can be used by a veterinarian. The first child who finishes coloring his picture wins.

Numbered puzzles-Veterinarians

(Open numbered puzzles-Veterinarians) Print, laminate, and cut out the pieces. Children must arrange them in numerical order to complete the puzzles.

Coloring hunt and seek – Veterinarians

(Open coloring hunt and seek-Veterinarians) Print and laminate. Children must find and color the items at the bottom of the page in the scene.

I move like a...
Invite children to move about the daycare like certain animals. You may ask each child to move like a different animal and have the other children guess which animal it is. If you prefer, you may name one animal and ask your entire group to act like it simultaneously.

Yarn toss
Determine a starting line. Give each child a ball of yarn and ask them to roll it on the floor as far as possible while holding the end in one hand. Use adhesive tape to mark each child's distance. Who will roll his/her ball the farthest?

Fetch!
Purchase several dog bones and deposit three pails (different sizes) in front of the children. They must try to toss the bones into the pails. Write a certain number of points on each pail. Calculate each child's total.

I am a veterinarian
Provide several stuffed animals and toilet paper rolls. Show children how they can wrap the toilet paper around the head, arms, or legs of the animals to represent casts. Children will also enjoy playing with the items found in your doctor's kit for this activity.

My imaginary pet
Encourage children to invent an original pet. They can use modeling dough or salt dough. They can paint or decorate their pet as they wish. Invite children to present their pet to the group during circle time. Help them find a name for their pet and tell you where it lives, what it eats, etc.

The cat chases the mouse
(Open model-mouse) Print, cut out, and hide the mice throughout the daycare. Children search for the mice.

Silly kitten
Give each child a ball of yarn. Tie the ends in different corners of the daycare (chairs, furniture, etc.) Children become kittens. They push the balls in every direction.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Kitten keeper
One child plays the role of the kitten keeper and all the other children are kittens. The kitten keeper must try to catch all the kittens. When he catches a "kitten", he must tickle the child. The game continues and the captured kitten becomes a kitten keeper too.

The dog's hole
Each child digs a hole in the sand or in the snow to hide an object. Then, children search for the items.

ACTIVITIES INVOLVING PARENTS

Visit of a veterinarian's office
Plan an outing to visit a local veterinarian's office. Invite parents to join you.

Pet shop visit
Organize an outing to your local pet shop. Invite parents to join you.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Medicine preparation

(Open medicine preparation) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards and pills. You will need small containers that will represent pill bottles. Children pick a card to determine the color and number of pills they must insert in a bottle.

Food distribution for hospitalized pets

(Open pet food distribution) Print the bowls as well as a page with pet food for each child. Children cut out the pet food and glue each piece over the bowl that has the corresponding shape printed on it.

Feather patterns

(Open feather patterns) Print, laminate, and cut out the birds. You must have painted clothespins using the same paint colors as the feathers prior to this activity. Children complete the patterns by pressing clothespins on the birds to fix their “broken” wings.

 
Counting cards – Veterinarians

(Open counting cards-Veterinarians) Print and laminate. Write or paint numbers 1 to 9 on a series of clothespins prior to this activity. Children must count the items in each rectangle and press the clothespin with the correct number on it on the corresponding number at the bottom of each card.

Color by number-Veterinarians
(Open color by number-Veterinarians) Print for each child. Children must color the picture per the color code.

Educa-symmetry-Veterinarians

(Open educa-symmetry-Veterinarians) Print. Children must color the picture on the right (black & white) to make it look exactly like the one on the left (in color).

Puzzles-Veterinarians
(Open puzzles-Veterinarians) Print, laminate, and cut out the pieces. Children must correctly position the pieces to complete the puzzles.

Game-Four veterinarians

(Open game-Four veterinarians) Print, glue the cards on opaque cardboard, and cut them out. Arrange all the cards upside down on the floor or table (so you can’t see the illustrations). Children take turns rolling a die. Every time a child rolls a “1”, he can turn a card. If he doesn’t already have this veterinarian in front of him, he keeps it and places it in front of him for everyone to see. The first child who has collected all four veterinarians wins.

Magnifying glass game
(Open magnifying glass game-Veterinarians) Print and laminate the cards and board game. Cut them out and store them in a Ziploc bag or a box. Children pick a card and search for the item on the board game using a magnifying glass. When they find the item, they deposit the card in the correct square on the board game.

What's missing?
(Open association game-Pets) Print and laminate the two series of pet illustrations. Give children the illustrations. The object of the game is to associate the missing parts with the correct pets.

Sequential story
(Open sequential story-Pets) Print the story, laminate, and cut out. Children place the illustrations in the correct order to recreate the story.

Hunt and seek
(Open hunt and seek-Pets) Print and laminate. Children pick a card and search for the item in the scene.

Pet dominoes
(Open dominoes-Pets) Print, glue on heavy cardboard, and laminate. This game is for 2 to 4 players. Each child picks five cards. Deposit the other cards in a stack on the table. Place one card. The first player then tries to place a card with an identical object next to it. Identical pets must be touching. The next player then tries to do the same and so on. If a player does not have a card he can play, he must pick an additional card from the stack. If he still cannot play, his turn is over. The game ends when a player has no cards left.

Hunt and seek-Veterinarians
(Open hunt and seek-Veterinarians) Print and laminate. Children pick a card and search for the item in the scene.

Educ-same and different-Veterinarians
(Open educ-same and different-Veterinarians) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must circle the illustration which is different in each row.

Educ-pattern-Veterinarians
(Open educ-pattern-Veterinarians) Print and laminate. Children must complete each pattern by placing the correct illustrations in the squares using Velcro or adhesive putty.

Educ-math-Veterinarians
(Open educ-math-Veterinarians) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must count the objects and circle the correct number.

Educ-association-Veterinarians
(Open educ-association-Veterinarians) Print the game. Glue the first two pages inside a file folder. Cover with Mac-Tac. Laminate the illustrations and cut them out. Stick a piece of Velcro behind each illustration and on each illustration on the board game (you may also use adhesive putty). Children associate the illustrations. When they have found the correct association, they simply stick the card in the correct place.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Role play-Veterinarians

(Open role play-Veterinarians) Print and laminate the different name tags. Punch a hole at the top of each one, thread a ribbon through the holes, and knot both ends together so that children can wear them around their neck. Distribute the name tags among the children in your group to assign different roles. Print and laminate the cards on which we can see various tools and items used by veterinarians. Press them on the corresponding items using adhesive putty. Display the pictures of animals and veterinarian clinic scenes on the walls in your role play area. Children will have fun pretending they work in a veterinary clinic.

Colorful bandages for self-awareness

Prior to presenting this activity, glue a strip of male Velcro along the top of several pieces of felt (different colors) and cut the pieces of felt into strips vertically to create bandages. Divide your group into teams of 2 children. (Open bandage game) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Children pick an “animal” card, a “body part” card, and a “color” card to determine which color bandage they must press on one of their partner’s body parts. The child receiving the bandage must pretend to be the animal illustrated on the “animal” card. The bandages can be wrapped around the illustrated body part (or simply deposited on it).

Veterinary hospital
Ask children to bring their favourite stuffed animals from home and set up your own veterinary hospital. Provide your doctor's kit, bandages, latex gloves, blankets, etc. Let children have fun taking care of their animals throughout the day. Variation: Teddy bear hospital. Deposit all the teddy bears you have in a pile and include them in your activities. Use cushions to create tiny beds and offer bandages, a doctor's kit, toy syringes, and anything and everything you have which can be used by your little veterinarians. (Open poster-Teddy bear hospital) Print and display.

The pet and the master
Each child selects a partner. One child is the master and the other child is the pet (let children decide what kind of animal they are). The master must care for his pet throughout the day. He must feed him, take him for walks, play with him, etc. The following day, the masters become the pets.

My pet
Invite children to bring a picture of their pet to daycare (or a picture of the pet they wish they had). They can take turns presenting their pet to the group. Display the pictures on a special wall.

Silly animals
Give each child a piece of white paper that you have folded to create three sections. Ask children to draw an animal head in the top section and then fold the section down before passing the paper to the child sitting next to them. Children then draw an animal body in the middle section before passing the paper along once more. Finally, children draw animal legs in the third section. When everyone is done, unfold the papers to discover silly animals. They will be very unique.

EARLY SCIENCE

Soft like a kitten
Deposit a variety of soft objects and rough objects in a box. Encourage children to manipulate them. Help them identify the objects which are soft like a kitten.

Cats see in the dark
Try different experiments which can be done in the dark with your group. Have children verbalize what they can and what they cannot see.

Colorful drops
Fill a few drinking glasses with water and add food colouring. Using an eyedropper or syringe, let children experiment with different colour combinations.

With a magnifying glass
Collect pet hair and feathers (beware of allergies) and purchase magnifying glasses. Let children examine the pet hair and feathers with the magnifying glasses and discuss any resemblances, differences, etc.

A dog's sense of smell
Dogs have a very strong sense of smell. Pour a small quantity of various essences onto cotton balls and drop them in empty medicine bottles (lemon, maple, vanilla, etc.) Gather your group and blindfold children one at a time. Have each child smell the bottles and try to identify the scents.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Creative recipe-Dog biscuits (Open creative recipe-Dog biscuits)

Dog biscuits
Ingredients:

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 cups of oatmeal
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of water
• 1 spoonful of BOVRIL concentrated bouillon (Chicken or Beef flavour)

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰F.
2. Combine all ingredients except water in a large bowl. Add the seasoning to the water. When the water is added to the mixture the dough will be heavy!
3. Roll the dough until it is approximately 1 cm thick. Sprinkle flour on it so it won't stick.
4. Cut the dough with a knife or cookie cutter. Place the biscuits on aluminum paper. Bake for 20 minutes on one side, flip them over, and bake for another 20 minutes. Stop the oven and let the biscuits dry out for an hour or two.

The biscuits are cooled and ready? Give your companion a taste of your creation!

ARTS & CRAFTS

Animal collars

(Open animal collars) Print and laminate the tags. Children can write the names of their “patients” on them using dry-erase markers with your help. Using a hole-punch, make a hole at the top of each tag. Children can slide each tag onto a pipe cleaner and add necklace beads on either side, leaving enough room to be able to twist the pipe cleaner ends together so that they can tie these homemade collars around the necks of stuffed animals.

My veterinarian kit

(Open veterinarian kit) Print for each child. Children fold a piece of black construction paper in two, from top to bottom, and unfold it. They cut 2 suitcase handles out of a second piece of black construction paper and glue them at the top and at the bottom of their open veterinarian kit. Provide cotton swabs, adhesive bandages (different colors and shapes), cotton balls, etc. that they can glue inside their kit.

My miniature veterinarian
(Open miniature veterinarian) Print, color, and cut out the pieces. Press them on empty cardboard tubes to create miniature veterinarians that can be hung from your daycare ceiling.

My pet
(Open pet shapes) Print for each child. Deposit pieces of yarn, fake fur, different types of paper, felt, etc. in the center of the table. Encourage children to pick a pet shape and use the material to fill it completely.

A doghouse
Encourage children to build a doghouse using Popsicle sticks. Ideally, use white glue for added solidity. Once their doghouse is completed, cut out a dog illustration and glue it inside.

Pet prints
Have children press their hand in paint and then make a print on a piece of paper. Once dry, let them create the pet of their choice by adding paint, pencil marks, or other materials.

Dog puppet
(Open craft-Dog puppet) Print and cut out the various dog parts for each child. Assemble the pieces by gluing them onto a brown paper lunch bag. Encourage children to find a name for their dog puppet and prepare a short puppet show.

Cat or dog medal
(Open medals-animals-pets) Print and cut out. Children color and decorate their medal. When they are done, add a piece of ribbon and help children tie it around a stuffed animal’s neck.

Cat masks
(Open masks-Cat) Print and deposit the masks in the center of the table. Give each child a paper plate in which you cut two holes for the eyes. Using scissors and glue, children add eyes, a nose, a mouth, and moustaches. When they are done, add string and tie it behind their head.

My kitten
(Open craft-cat) Print for each child. Have children color the pieces, cut them out, and glue them on an empty toilet paper roll.

My puppy
(Open craft-dog) Print for each child. Have children color the pieces, cut them out, and glue them on an empty toilet paper roll.

Mystery pet
Each child creates a mystery pet using the material offered: modeling dough, salt dough, feathers, buttons, pipe cleaners, glitter, cardboard pieces, tissue paper, etc.

CREATIVE COLORING

(Open creative coloring-Veterinarians) Print for each child. Invite children to draw their favourite pet in the cage.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme-Veterinarians) Print for each child.

SONGS & RHYMES

Veterinarian
by: Patricia Morrison
sung to: Row, row, row your boat

Vet, vet, erinarian
Vet, vet, erinarian
Won't you please, won't you please, won't you please, won't you please
Take care of my puppy
Vet, vet, erinarian
Vet, vet, erinarian
Won't you please, won't you please, won't you please, won't you please
Take care of my kitten

Have fun!

The Educatall team