Last month, I focused on Arctic animals. Today, I’m focusing on another great winter theme … this time from the Southern Hemisphere with free penguin printables and Montessori-inspired penguin activities. I’m also sharing our latest subscriber freebie and a special instant download from The Montessori Company!
Here, I’m also sharing the links to free penguin printables for preschoolers through 1st graders (and sometimes older). To keep my list manageable, I don’t share coloring pages unless a page has a specific educational purpose related to penguins. Note: Whenever an printable pack includes both Arctic animals and penguins, don’t use both unless you’re focusing on both the Arctic and Antarctic. A penguin is not an Arctic animal. All penguin species are from the Southern Hemisphere, although they don’t all live in Antarctica.
Free Printables Used in the Pictured Penguin Activities for Preschoolers-First Graders
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Shelves with Penguin-Themed Activities
My shelves with penguin-themed activities include a free printable penguin culture card (available with or without description) designed by The Montessori Company for Living Montessori Now. You’ll also find Montessori-inspired penguin numbers and letters (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)
You could mix your penguin themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special penguin area something like the one pictured. This one is more for 2½-4 year old preschoolers. I didn’t add my more advanced activities to the shelves, although you could have activities for mixed ages in a classroom or homeschool. 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, just rotate them.
I was lucky to have The Montessori Company create a lovely hand-painted penguin culture card for you to use on your shelves to introduce the penguin theme. I’m hosting the free printable as an instant download at Living Montessori Now. You can always access the free penguin culture card here. You can use the version of the card with the title only, although I like the description: “These flightless birds live in colonies and huddle together for warmth during the winter months.”
I like to buy at least one book specifically for a theme. I really like this National Geographic Kids Penguins reader.
Penguin Shape Matching
Free Printable: Penguin Shape Matching Game from Life Over C’s
For this activity, I used a multicraft tray, Montessori insets from Alison’s Montessori, a Montessori Services basket, and small tabletop easels to hold the penguin shape cards.
These cards are such a fun extension to work with geometric shapes!
For most preschoolers, you could have two sets of the shapes that match metal inset shapes.
I use a Montessori Services rug on the floor for the layout.
For children who can read, there are word cards included!
Five Penguin Puppets and Counting Activities
Free Printable: Five Little Penguins: Counting Songs from Let’s Play Music
Free Printable: Five Funny Penguins Book and Game by Sheila’s Leaps in Learning at Teachers Pay Teachers
For this activity, I used a multicraft tray, with the penguin printables attached to craft sticks to make puppets. You could sing the songs in the post at Let’s Play Music. I like the printable Five Funny Penguins book to go with the penguins as well. I printed out 4 pages per letter-size page, so it’s smaller than it would be normally.
Penguin Cards and Counters
Free Printable: Penguin Numbers (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)
I used a Montessori Services medium-size tray and 55 silver fish in a glass bowl. I LOVE these little fish beads! They’re reasonably priced yet feel like a high-quality material. They come in sets of 50, so I ordered two sets. I like that they’re all the same color and small enough to be used with many different activities.
I like to lay out my numbers and counters in the traditional Montessori way of rows of two counters with a left-over counter centered below the bottom row. This gives a visual impression of odd and even. For more about creating DIY numbers and counters and a link on how to present the lesson, check out my DIY Cards and Counters post.
I use a Montessori Services rug on the floor for the layout.
Penguin Adding to 100 with Hundreds Chart
Free Printable: Penguin Adding to 100 with Hundreds Chart from Life Over C’s
For this activity, I used a multicraft tray and brad and paper clip for the spinner. The game is designed for addition, although younger children could spin and then put that many fish on the hundreds chart until it’s full.
Penguin Word Family Sort
Free Printable: Penguin Word Family Sort by Squirmy Scholars at Teachers Pay Teachers. I printed out the fish words in sets of 4 to make them small enough to fit in the penguins’ stomachs. I used 4 nouns for each penguin, but you could use as many or few of the penguins and words as you wish.
3-D Penguin Paper Toy Craft
Free Printable: 3D Penguin Paper Toy from Easy Peasy and Fun
For this craft, I used a multicraft tray, Fiskar scissors, and glue. This cute activity would be best for kindergarteners and first graders who have good cutting and gluing skills.
Free Penguin Printables for Preschoolers-First Graders
Montessori-Inspired Penguin Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, and DIY Movable Alphabet (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox for the current password if you’re already a subscriber)
- Antarctica Unit with Free Printables from Every Star Is Different (Go to the Free Printables tab at the top of the Every Star Is Different blog, then to Thematic Activities and Free printables, then to Continent and Country Activities and Free Printables, and then to the related post.)
- Types of Penguins 3-Part Cards from Welcome to Mommyhood
- Penguin Salt Tray Cards from Welcome to Mommyhood
- Parts of a Penguin from MontessoriSoul
- Printable Penguin Alphabet Matching From ABCs to ACTs
- P is for Penguins from Teaching Mama
- Penguin Printables from KidSparkz
- Playful Penguins Preschool Pack by Our Little Monkeys
- Penguin Printables from Making Learning Fun
- Penguin Ice Cube Counting with LEGOs from Preschool Powol Packets
- Penguin Shadow Matching Cards from Preschool Powol Packets
- Penguin Number Line from Preschool Powol Packets
- Feed the Penguins Counting Mats from Modern Preschool
- Penguin Do-a-Dot Printables from Gift of Curiosity
- Penguin Writing Prompts from The Educators’ Spin On It
- How to Draw a Penguin (lots of printables and tutorials)
- Penguin Lacing Cards (subscriber freebie) from Living Life and Learning
- Polar Regions Printables from A Teaching Mommy
- Do You Want to Dress a Penguin (subscriber freebie) from Sight and Sound Reading
- Penguin Addition to 100 with Hundreds Chart (subscriber freebie) from Life Over Cs
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins Printable Pack (subscriber freebie) from Proverbial Homemaker
- Polar Animals from FirstPalette
- Arctic Animal Packs (includes penguins) from Royal Baloo
- Arctic and Polar Region Printables from Natural Beach Living (This printable is for polar regions, so it includes penguins.)
- The Arctic and Antarctic Calendar Connections from 1+1+1=1 (This printable explains that penguins don’t live in the Arctic.)
- Arctic Animals Printables from Encouraging Moms at Home (Includes penguins.)
- Arctic Animal Bingo from Lanternfish
- Arctic Animals Finger Puppets from Education.com
- Animals of the Arctic Tundra Wheel from Scholastic
- Polar Animal Resources from Primary Treasure Chest (This includes animals from both poles, so penguins are in the download.)
- Printable Arctic Animal Crafts from Learn Create Love (Includes a penguin.)
Penguin Printables from Teachers Pay Teachers
More Penguin Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Continent Activities – Penguins of Antarctica,
- Montessori-Inspired Multi-Level Penguin Activities
- Free Penguin Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Penguin Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Simple Arctic vs. Antarctic Cut-and-Paste Activity {Free Printables}
- Free Penguin Songs and Educational Videos
- Free Arctic vs. Antarctic Songs and Educational Videos
- Easy and Fun Antarctic Sensory Bin for Winter or Summer
- Montessori Winter Activities Printables for Preschool Through Elementary from Every Star Is Different
- Penguin Game, Puzzle, and Editable Tracing Pack in Print or Cursive
- Kids’ Winter Activities Pinterest Board
- Antarctica Educational Resources Pinterest Board
More Arctic and Antarctic Animal Ideas
Montessori-Inspired Arctic and Antarctic Unit {Hundreds of Resources}
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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Look at all the penguins! My favorite is the shape matching with the metal insets. Thank you for linking up at “A Little Bird Told Me” Link party! You have been featured on Mama’s Happy Hive blog. 🙂