Free Mammal Printables and Montessori-Inspired Mammal Activities

Our vertebrate series has had lots of fun and learning printables and activities! Our new mammal unit completes the series! We’ve already studied amphibians, reptiles, fish, and birds.

Here, you’ll find links to free mammal printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired mammal pack for our newsletter subscribers’ resource library!

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Mammal-Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired mammal-themed numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) Note: The Montessori-inspired mammal pack isn’t designed as a complete mammal unit but as supplemental materials. I design the packs using realistic images that I’ve often looked for when preparing a unit study (such as font cards and phonogram cards featuring the letter and phonogram related to the theme and math cards with realistic images that fit the theme and can be adapted for math activities at a variety of levels.)

You could mix your mammal-themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special mammal-themed area something like the one pictured. My shelves at the beginning of our unit have a mixture of skill levels. Many of the activities can be adapted for a variety of levels. Many of these are designed for early elementary as well as preschoolers. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, simply rotate them.

Montessori Shelves with Mammal-Themed Activities and Rosalba Carriera Art Print

Notice the framed art print Young Girl Holding a Monkey (1721) by Rosalba Carriera. It’s a free download from Wikiart. I like that the artist is a woman. Too few women are represented in classical art! For our monthly featured art print, I purchased a Li’l DAVINCI art frame that opens in the front for easily changing a free art masterpiece printable or vintage illustration to fit with the month’s theme. The frame can be switched from horizontal to vertical without changing the hanger, which is perfect!

If you’re wondering about the rugs and rug box I use, both the rugs and wooden rug holder are from Montessori Services. I love the Montessori Services rugs and rug holder! I used to use an umbrella stand something like these. I loved that for 1-3 rugs, but I needed something different when I had more grandchildren and some projects that needed more than one rug.

Favorite Shelves, Trays, Baskets, and More for Montessori Homeschoolers

I often get asked about the trays, baskets, etc., that I use, so I published a post with many of the items. You can find lots of helpful resources here. They’re not all essential, so don’t feel you need to have everything. Just choose what’s best for your budget and your unique family’s needs. You’ll find more ideas in the Living Montessori Now Amazon shop

Mammal-Themed Books for Kids

Even though I have books on shelves, I’m now keeping many of my themed books in a forward-facing display after placing a plant where the themed book basket was before. Most of my seasonal books are now in that book basket.

For toddlers and preschoolers, about ¾ of the books I use are typically Montessori friendly (focusing on reality without smiling or talking animals or smiling or talking vehicles). (Note: Our forward-facing bookcase has all Montessori-friendly, nonfiction books at the moment. I have some fun fiction books on another shelf.)

Books for a Mammal Unit

Top Shelf of Main Themed Shelf:

The Book of Horses is filled with easy-to-understand information and beautiful photographs of horses.
What’s the Difference? Monkeys and Apes is a simple but information-filled book about primates. It appears to be out of print, but it’s available at a reasonable price used.
Mammal Pages from DK’s First Animal Encyclopedia
DK’s Animal Atlas

Top Shelf of Forward -Facing Display:

National Geographic Animal Encyclopedia (You’ll notice that I love National Geographic books with their gorgeous photos!)
A Mammal Is an Animal
National Geographic Kids Ultimate Mammalpedia

2nd Shelf:

National Geographic Kids Prehistoric Mammals
The Fantastic World of Marine Mammals
National Geographic Kids Peek Otter!
National Geographic Kids A Zebra’s Day

3rd Shelf:

About Mammals
Bears Are Curious (I already had this, and it appears to be out of print. It’s available used, though. My grandson loves it and has read it a few times.)
National Geographic Kids Bears
National Geographic Kids Cats vs. Dogs

4th Shelf:

One Gorilla is a Montessori-friendly counting book with fascinating realistic pictures. Young children love looking at the primates’ eyes. The book is recommended for ages 3-7, but I especially like it for ages 2-4. Many younger toddlers will love it as well. It was a favorite of my grandkids as toddlers. I still like to get it out for a mammal unit even when they’re older because the eyes are so amazing!
I Am Jane Goodall
National Geographic Kids Squeak!

Bottom Shelf

Some other animal and mammal books we’re using:

Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth
Nature Anatomy
National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Big Book of Animals
The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth is great for plant and animal classification as well as animal themes.
DK Smithsonian Animal Book
Animalium: Welcome to the Museum
Mammal pages from My Encyclopedia of Very Important Things
Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth
Nature Anatomy
National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Big Book of Animals
The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth is great for plant and animal classification as well as animal themes.
DK Smithsonian Animal Book
Animalium: Welcome to the Museum
Mammal pages from My Encyclopedia of Very Important Things
Update: Don’t miss Mammals Everywhere (This is illustrated by Britta Teckentrup!)

You can see lots of the mammal books as they’re published here.

The Book of Horses with Montessori Parts of a Horse Puzzle and Booklet Making

The book is The Book of Horses. It’s filled with easy-to-understand information and beautiful photographs of horses.

Free Printables: Parts of a Mammal Printables from All Day Primary (There are a variety of parts of a horse printables. I used the horse 3-part cards, writing sheets (for booklet making), and definition cards. There are options for a number of ages and levels. The labels for the puzzle are cut out from the Parts of the Horse Definitions Stage 2.

The Montessori bird puzzle can be used in a variety of ways. For older kids, I like to have them build the puzzle outside the frame and/or add labels to the parts of the bird.

Note: Parts of Animals Printables from Montessori Soul has free printable downloads for a variety of other mammals.

Monkeys and Apes Book, Safari Ltd TOOB, and Montessori 3-Part Cards

What’s the Difference? Monkeys and Apes is a simple but information-filled book about primates. It appears to be out of print, but it’s available at a reasonable price used.

Free Printable: Monkeys and Apes 3-Part Cards (goes with the Safari Ltd. Monkeys and Apes TOOB) from Homeschooling My Kinetic Kids

3-Part Cards are much more appealing with Safari Ltd. figures! You can use the 3-part cards alone, but I love to use cards like these with 3-D objects whenever possible.

**Mammal Pages from First Animal Encyclopedia with Mammal Life Cycle and Mammals of the Continents Materials in the Background**

Mammal Pages from First Animal Encyclopedia with Mammal Life Cycle and Mammals of the Continents Materials in the Background

I’ve often used pages from DK’s First Animal Encyclopedia (the book on our book easel). The book has lots of great 2-page spreads. See below for information about the mammal life cycle, mammals of the continents cards, and bears figures and DK Animal Atlas.

Salt Writing Tray for a Mammal Unit with Movable Alphabet Spelling

Salt Writing Tray for a Mammal Unit

Free Printables: /m/ for mammals and monkey (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber). They come in print, D’Nealian, and cursive.

You’ll see a variety of simple letter writing trays in my previous unit study posts. I often used the wooden tray from the Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Shapes. You can use whatever tray or container work best for you, though.

The sandpaper letters I use are available in print or cursive.

I typically now use this lovely spelling/alphabet tray from FamilyTreeWW on Etsy. I like it for writing more than one letter or spelling words. (Note: If that sand tray is currently unavailable, you’ll find lots of other options for Montessori sand trays on Etsy.)

I used salt colored with food coloring for the writing tray. I would use colored sand, though, if a child’s fingers were sensitive to salt. I added a black spider monkey from the Safari Ltd. Endangered Species TOOB.

If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.

My Echidna Fact Book with Hedgehog and Echidna Alphabet Cards

Free Printables: hedgehog and echidna alphabet cards (part of my subscriber freebies, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber). The hedgehog cards are from our Montessori-Inspired Woodland Animal Pack and our woodland animals unit (which includes a number of mammal activities, by the way).

There are so many ways to use the hedgehog and echidna alphabet cards! Just choose a way that works for your child’s age and ability level. (See my previous units for ideas.) I’m using them here for beginning work with cursive by matching the hedgehog and echidna cursive letters. I like that you can clearly see differences between hedgehogs and echidnas, too.

Free Printable: Echidna Life Cycle Printables (a 120-page printable pack!) from Simple Living Creative Learning

The Echidna Life Cycle Printables can be used for a variety of activities. You’ll see two more of the activities on my shelf to the right of the main themed shelf (see below)!

Help the Donkey Reach the Key and Other ey Reading Games

Free Printable: /ey/ in monkey phonogram card (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

Free Printable: “ey” Sound with Letters (I made these into a little booklet) from Montessori Soul

Free Printable: “ey” Spelling Pattern Reading Games from Works of the Heart for You at TPT

This printable includes the Help the Donkey Reach the Key Game and a Roll and Read dice game for the /ey/ phonogram. I added a donkey from the Safari Ltd. Farm Babies TOOB. It’s a perfect size to be the game piece for playing Help the Donkey Reach the Key Game as a cooperative game (taking turns rolling the dice and reading the words while working together to reach the key). Of course, feel free to use whatever you have available as the marker (or markers if playing competitively).

Free Printable: “ey” Grapheme Word Sort from Montessori Soul (I have this and the Roll and Read dice game printed out and on the tray below the Help the Donkey Reach the Key game. For home use, I often put more than one activity on a tray because of limited space. In a school, I typically have only one activity per tray.

5 Little Monkeys Counting Book and Puppets

Free Printable: 5 Little Monkeys Puppet and Bed Printable from KidSparkz

Free Printable: 5 Little Monkeys Book from Kindergarten Worksheets and Games

These are just fun activities for small groups or circle time. The booklet has number tracing and a color or black-and-white version. I made puppets, but the monkeys and bed can be used with magnets or felt board if preferred.

Platypus Subtraction Activity

Free Printable: Platypus numbers and number spinner 1-10 (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

This activity uses realistic-looking flies that the platypus eats (subtracts). Note: Flies aren’t a main food for platypuses, but they will eat them. I use activities like this to study more about the platypus and what it eats along with reinforcing math skills. The open book is A Platypus, Probably with inviting illustrations and lots of fascinating information about the platypus.

This activity is similar to the milk snake and egg subtraction activity from our snake unit.

In our amphibian unit, I used realistic-looking flies and Montessori bead bars with our frog math cards and greater than, less than symbols. I’d just have the child draw two cards from the pile and compare them using the number cards, greater than and less than symbols, flies, and bead bars. For young children, I’d just use number cards 1-10.

There are so many different activities you can prepare using the math cards! You’ll find many ideas in our previous units.

Montessori Shelf with Mammal Life Cycle Printables, Mammals of the Continents, and Schleich Bear Figures with Animal Atlas

Free Printables: Through August 20 only, you can get over 30 FREE life cycle posters from For the Love of Homeschooling! They’re gorgeous, and the pack will be $25 after this week!

Free Printables: Echidna, panda, and more mammal life cycle packs from Simple Living, Creative Learning

The tray on the left has some free printables from Simple Living, Creative Learning, such as the echidna life cycle cut-and-paste activity and life cycle matching cards as well as panda life cycle book.

There are a number of mammal life cycle posters in the massive Life Cycle Mega poster pack from For the Love of Homeschooling! I have them on the tray right now, but I plan to make a booklet of their life cycle posters with categories for the different plans and animals. If you put posters on your wall, they’re great for that, of course!

The other printables aren’t free, but they’re so helpful!

The Sorting Animals by Continents activities are from Every Star Is Different’s Mammals Printable Pack. They have amazing printables for both vertebrates and invertebrates that are designed for preschool through elementary. You can see their vertebrate printables (including the mammals printable pack) in my review post. We’ll be using a number of their other bird printables later in our unit.

I’ve had a variety of Schleich animals since my grandkids were babies. (They still use them! For example, they might build a zoo or pet store with Magna Tiles for the appropriate animals.) I used some of the bear figures with the DK Animal Atlas here.

Free Montessori-Inspired Mammal Pack

Montessori-Inspired Mammal Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More (Non-Human) Mammal Resources and Activities

Mammal Toys on Amazon

All-About Me-Related Posts About Humans (Since We’re Mammals, too)

Helpful Animal Classification Posts

If you’d like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout August and September, see my August Themed Activities for Kids and September Themed Activities for Kids.

I hope you enjoy studying mammals!

Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!

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