Dog Memory Matching Game
If you are looking for printable animal games to do with preschoolers, this dog memory matching game is sure to be a hit!
My daughter is obsessed with animals and has been since a very early age. Her favorite place to go is the pet store where she can see all the fish, lizards, and birds.
She loves to hold the hamsters and guinea pigs. And, if she can get into the puppy playroom, she’s in heaven!
If you have a dog-lover in your midst, you will love this dog-themed printable game that’s perfect for little ones.
Download and print these free preschool printables. Cut apart the matching cards, and you’re all set for a fun afternoon game.
Dog Memory Matching Game
This printable matching game makes a great addition to your pet, dog, or general animal themed preschool activities.
Printable Memory Game
Memory games are important for preschoolers. Little ones should have plenty of opportunities to play memory games in order to build important skills.
Playing memory games helps preschoolers learn to pay attention to details. As kids flip over cards, they’ll look to see whether they have found two identical objects.
Memory games help preschoolers strengthen their ability to focus. In the memory matching game, kids turn over two cards looking for a match. If, however, the cards don’t match they turn them back over.
Other players are tasked with the goal of focusing on all of the cards as they’re being flipped in order to try to remember where cards are on the playing grid.
What is Included?
This dog-themed memory matching game includes two pages of dog cards. Each card includes an image of a dog and a 1-sentence fun fact about dogs.
This set also includes two pages of colored squares designed to be printed on the backside of the fun-fact cards so that the cards can’t be read from the backside.
There is also a page with step-by-step instructions on how to set up the game and how to play it.
Fun ways to use this game
There are quite a few ways to use this game.
Cutting practice
Kids can strengthen scissor skills by cutting the cards apart themselves. Or, they can strengthen a whole different set of muscles by using a paper cutter. Sliding the knob back and forth works on muscles in their wrists and arms.
Counting Skills
Have children count the cards after they’ve been cut apart. They can count one set (16) or both sets (32).
Sorting Skills
There are quite a few ways that these cards can be used in sorting activities. First, you can have them sorted according to whether the dogs’ heads are tilted to the left or right.
A few more sorts could include ears up/down, color (solid/multi-colored, has black/brown/grey/white), or tongue out/not out.
PET BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Below, I’ve featured just a handful of pet-themed picture books that will help your preschoolers celebrate their pets – or the ones their dreaming of!
You should be able to find them at your local library or bookstore. If you can’t find them locally, you can click each image cover to purchase them on Amazon.
The Perfect Pet– Elizabeth really wants a pet. But her parents do not want a pet. Instead they give her a cactus. Even though Elizabeth’s new plant proves to be a good listener, Elizabeth still really wants a pet…
Strictly No Elephants – When the local Pet Club won’t admit a boy’s tiny pet elephant, he finds a solution—one that involves all kinds of unusual animals in this sweet and adorable picture book.
Can I Be Your Dog? – This picture book shares the tale of Arfy, a homeless mutt who lives in a box in an alley. Arfy writes to every person on Butternut Street about what a great pet he’d make. Readers will be happily surprised to learn just who steps up to adopt Arfy.
Round Out Your Unit with These Activities
Children will love acting out their favorite puppy stories with these puppy finger puppets.
This adorable set of wooden kittens stacking game are sure to be your child’s new favorite toy. When children learn to stack toys on top of each other they are developing fine motor skills which later will help them hold a pencil or crayon properly.
Teach children how dogs grow and change with this life cycle of a dog worksheet. They’ll love learning how their favorite animals change over their lifetime.