Looking for animal activities to bring your learning to life?

We’ve got a flock of educational resources to help. Grouped by Key Stage as well as being National Curriculum linked, you’re sure to find something to assist you before, during or after a visit to London Zoo – or even simply to support your learning in the classroom. 

If you're a home educator, all of our 'At School' resources are perfectly designed to be used for your home learning too!

Get those brains whirring, fascination flourishing, and young conservationists exploring even more about what makes the animal kingdom so totally, utterly WILD. 

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Animal Artists

Calling all mini Pablo Pig-cassos and Andy Warthogs! Grab a pencil and let’s draw some furry friends!

Download drawing activity 

Rhyme Time - Local Wildlife 

Match the picture of the local wildife to it's rhyme and then colour them in.

Download activity 

Rhyme Time - Zoo Animals

Match the picture of the zoo animal to it's rhyme and then colour them in.

Download activity 

Rhyme Time - Zoo Animals
Key Stage 1

Scroll down to look for your curriculum topic and find related resources for use at the zoo or at home/school. 

Key stage 1 Habitats and Adaptations

At School  School Bug Hunt Run a bug hunt at school using this animal spotters sheet Activity Download
Design a Bug Choose a habitat and design a bug to live there. Worksheet Download
Habitats Draw the animals that you might see in four different habitats. Worksheet Download
At the Zoo Behaviour study booklet Use this template to carry out your very own animal behaviour study. Activity

Download

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identify and Classify Animals 

At School  Animal Groups Match the animal to it's group - bird, mammal or reptile? Worksheet Download
School Bug Hunt Run a bug hunt at school using this animal spotters sheet Activity  Download
At the Zoo Animal Lifecycles Explore the lifecycles of different groups of animals around London Zoo Worksheet Download

 

 

 

 

 

Lifecycles 

At the Zoo Animal Lifecycles Explore the lifecycles of different groups of animals around London Zoo Worksheet Download

 

 

Maths: number graphs and measurements

At School Zookeeper Maths Use maths to help our zoo keepers count their animals. Worksheet

Worksheet

Answers

School Bug hunt Run a bug hunt at school using this animal spotters sheet. Activity Download
Animal Survey Survey your family and friends and display the results. Worksheet Download

 

Working Scientifically

At School School Bug Hunt Run a bug hunt at school using this animal spotters sheet Activity Download
At The Zoo Animal Behaviour Study Booklet Use this template to carry out your very own animal behaviour study. Activity  Download

 

 

 

 

Butterfly on a leaf
Key stage 2

Scroll down to look for your curriculum topic and find related resources for use at the zoo or at home/school. 

Key stage 2 Science

Working Scientifically: gathering, recording and presenting real world data

At School School Bug Hunt Run a bug hunt at school using this animal spotters sheet Activity Download
At The Zoo Behaviour study booklet Use this template to carry out your very own animal behaviour study. Activity  Download

Endangered Species and Conservation

At School Angels of Wales Discover the amazing Angel shark and explore its conservation with this interactive Ebook Interactive Ebook E-Book
Instant Wild: Exploring Endangered Species  Help ZSL’s scientists protect animals all around the world and learn about endangered species with this worksheet and our Instant Wild app Worksheet Download

Habitats and Adaptations

At School Animal art - design an enclosure     Try your hand at designing an animal enclosure, taking into account the animals needs. Activity Download
Design a Zoo Project Try your skills at designing your own zoo to a budget!  Activity Download
School Bug Hunt Run a bug hunt at school using this animal spotters sheet Activity Download
Happy Hippos     Learn all about pygmy hippos using these lesson plans.     Lesson Plans Download
At The Zoo Behaviour study booklet Use this template to carry out your very own animal behaviour study. Activity Download
Rainforest Survival Skills Explore different animal adaptations around the zoo using this worksheet. Worksheet Download
Instant Wild: Exploring Habitats, Adaptations and Food Chains Help ZSL’s scientists protect animals all around the world with the Instant WildApp, and explore the habitats and adaptation of the animals living there.  Worksheet Download

Food Chains

At School Animal Diets Explore the diets of different animals and investigate food chains. Make a poster with your findings! Worksheet Download
Instant Wild: Exploring Habitats, Adaptations and Food Chains Help ZSL’s scientists protect animals all around the world with the Instant WildApp, and explore the habitats and adaptation of the animals living there.  Worksheet Download

Identification and Classification of Animals

At School Classification of Invertebrates Explore classification and introduce your class to different invertebrate groups using these activities. A perfect introduction to the School Bug Hunt Activity Download
School Bug Hunt Run a bug hunt at school using this animal spotters sheet Activity Download
Instant Wild: Exploring Endangered Species  Help ZSL’s scientists protect animals all around the world and learn about endangered species with this worksheet and our Instant Wild app Worksheet Download
Instant Wild: Exploring Habitats, Adaptations and Food Chains Help ZSL’s scientists protect animals all around the world with the Instant Wild App, and explore the habitats and adaptation of the animals living there.  Worksheet Download
At the Zoo Animal Lifecycles Explore the lifecycles of different groups of animals around London Zoo Worksheet Download
Classifying Animals Explore different animal groups around the zoo using this worksheet. Worksheet Download
Butterfly metamorphosis, monarch butterfly emerging from pupa.

Maths

At School Feeding Time at the Zoo Use your maths skills to work out how much food the ZSL education team need in order to feed their animals. Worksheet Download
Design a Zoo Project Try your skills at designing your own zoo to a budget!  Activity Download
School Bug Hunt Run a bug hunt at school using this animal spotters sheet Activity Download

English

At School Design a Zoo Project Try your skills at designing your own zoo to a budget!  Activity Download
Happy Hippos  Learn all about pygmy hippos using these lesson plans.     Collection of Lesson Plans Download
Pygmy hippo at London zoo

Art and Design

At School Design a Zoo Project Try your skills at designing your own zoo to a budget!  Activity Download
Animal art - design an enclosure   Try your hand at designing an animal enclosure, taking into account the animals needs. Activity Download
Happy Hippos  Learn all about pygmy hippos using these lesson plans.     Collection of Lesson Plans

Download

Key stage 3

Scroll down to look for your curriculum topic and find related resources for use at the zoo or at home/school. 

Key stage 3 science

Working Scientifically: scientific enquiry using real world data

At School and at the Zoo Design and run a behaviour study Design and run an animal behaviour study using this guide. Activity Download
At School Climate Change and Animals Use this workbook to explore the truth about climate change and the impact it's having on species around the world. Independent Workbook Download

Endangered Species and Conservation

At School Instant Wild: Exploring Endangered Animals and Conservation With ZSL’s Instant Wild app you can take part in real life conservation work. Use the app alongside this worksheet to explore the treats animals are facing around the world, their IUCN status and how conservationists are helping. Consider what actions in your own life could positively impact nature, and draft a letter to your MP. Worksheet Download
Climate Change and Animals Use this workbook to explore the truth about climate change and the impact it's having on species around the world. Independent Workbook Download
Modern Zoo Challenge Use this challenge to explore the topic of conservation at ZSL and it's two zoos. Worksheet Download
At the Zoo Save a Species Booklet  Investigate the a chosen species and put forward an argument for why it should be conserved. Worksheet Download

Climate Change

At School  Climate Change and Animals Use this workbook to explore the truth about climate change and the impact it's having on species around the world Independent Workbook Download
Climate Change - Real Life Examples Use this powerpoint to illustrate some of the real life effects of climate change on animals Lesson Materials

Slides

Notes

Ecosystems and change Explore the impacts of environmental changes on an ecosystem. Worksheet Download

Ecosystems and food webs

At School Ecosystems and Food webs Use this workbook to explore the interdependent nature of ecosystems. Including questions on food chains, trophic levels, pyramids of biomass and food webs, this resource covers the real life impact of change on an ecosystem, using a ZSL conservation story as a focus.  Independent Workbook Download
Instant Wild: Exploring Ecosystems and Biodiversity With ZSL’s Instant Wild app you can take part in real life conservation work. Use the app alongside this worksheet to explore ecosystems around the world. Worksheet Download
Ecosystems and change Explore the impacts of environmental changes on an ecosystem. Worksheet Download
Explore the arctic ecosystem Discover how species in the arctic interact with this worksheet, perfect for revision or lesson recap.  Worksheet

Download

Tricky Trawling Created by scientists at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology, our Tricky Trawling game explores the impacts of unsustainable fishing practices such as seabed trawling on the unique ecosystem of Greenland's deep sea floor. Use the game with these activities to explore sustainability and ecosystems. Activities

The Game

Activities

 

Sustainability

At School Investigating Sustainability Explore the topic of sustainability using ZSL as a case study. Activity

Worksheet

Answers

Tricky Trawling Created by scientists at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology, our Tricky Trawling game explores the impacts of unsustainable fishing practices such as seabed trawling on the unique ecosystem of Greenland's deep sea floor. Use the game with these activities to explore sustainability and ecosystems. Activities

The Game

Activities

 

Art and Design

At the Zoo Enclosure Design Evaluate the pros and cons of an enclosure at London Zoo Worksheet Download

 

Maths - ratio, proportion and rates of change

At School Zookeeper Maths Discover how zookeepers use maths in their work at care for animals at London Zoo Worksheet

Worksheet

Answers

Tricky Trawling Homepage
Key stage 4

Scroll down to look for your curriculum topic and find related resources for use at the zoo or at home/school. 

Sustainability

At School Investigating Sustainability Explore the topic of sustainability using ZSL as a case study. Activity

Worksheet

Answers

 

Working Scientifically: scientific enquiry using real world data

 

At School and at the Zoo Design and run a behaviour study Design and run an animal behaviour study using this guide. Activity Download
At School Climate Change and Animals Use this workbook to explore the truth about climate change and the impact it's having on species around the world. Independent Workbook

Download

 

Adaptations, Natural Selection and Evolution

At School and at the Zoo Design and run a behaviour study Design and run an animal behaviour study using this guide. Activity Download

 

Endangered Species and Conservation

At School Instant Wild: Exploring Endangered Animals and Conservation With ZSL’s Instant Wild app you can take part in real life conservation work. Use the app alongside this worksheet to explore the treats animals are facing around the world, their IUCN status and how conservationists are helping. Consider what actions in your own life could positively impact nature, and draft a letter to your MP. Worksheet Download
Ethical Animal Debate Topics Use these debate topics to explore the tricky decisions that must be made in zoos and consider things from multiple perspectives. Activity Download
Climate Change and Animals Use this workbook to explore the truth about climate change and the impact it's having on species around the world. Independent Workbook Download
Modern Zoo Challenge Use this challenge to explore the topic of conservation at ZSL and it's two zoos. Worksheet Download
At the Zoo Save a Species Booklet  Investigate the a chosen species and put forward an argument for why it should be conserved. Worksheet Download

 

Ethics and Debate

At School Ethical Animal Debate Topics Use these debate topics to explore the tricky decisions that must be made in zoos and consider things from multiple perspectives. Activity Download
  Modern Zoo Challenge Use this challenge to explore the topic of conservation at ZSL and it's two zoos. Worksheet Download

 

Ecosystems and Foodwebs

At School Ecosystems and Foodwebs Use this workbook to explore the interdependent nature of ecosystems. Including questions on food chains, trophic levels, pyramids of biomass and food webs, this resource covers the real life impact of change on an ecosystem, using a ZSL conservation story as a focus.  Independent Workbook Download
Instant Wild: Exploring Ecosystems and Biodiversity With ZSL’s Instant Wild app you can take part in real life conservation work. Use the app alongside this worksheet to explore ecosystems around the world. Worksheet Download
Tricky Trawling Created by scientists at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology, our Tricky Trawling game explores the impacts of unsustainable fishing practices such as seabed trawling on the unique ecosystem of Greenland's deep sea floor. Use the game with these activities to explore sustainability and ecosystems. Activities

The Game

Activities

Tricky Trawling Homepage
16+

Exploring In-Situ and Ex-Situ conservation

Critically compare the benefits and limitations of these different conservation methods

Download

Measuring Population Size Using the Mark and Recapture Method

Use the mark-recapture method to investigate the size of a woodlouse population using this guide.

Download

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Visual and Sensory Stories

These stories can be used to help autistic and neurodivergent people feel prepared for their visit:

London Zoo's visual story    London Zoo's sensory story

London Zoo Sensory Story

Ready to book your visit?

Two primary school students at London Zoo on a school trip
Take your learning out of the classroom and into the wild

Educational trips to London Zoo

Everything you need to book an educational visit to London Zoo, and how to get the most from your trip.

Audiomoves at the Zoo

Audiomoves logo with animals

A podcast for little ones to move to, created in partnership with Peut-Être Theatre 

Throughout the series you'll meet lots of animals and hear interviews between children and zookeepers as they find out all about how animals move, eat, sleep and play. 

In each episode you'll learn about a different animal, from lions to meerkats to giraffes. You can listen along and waddle like a penguin, strut like a flamingo, charge like an elephant, and flutter like a butterfly.

Audiomoves at the Zoo is like a radio show for kids, with short episodes that they can follow the actions to, or simply chill out and listen along. Suitable for children aged 4+ of all abilities.

Listen via Spotify, Google, Apple or our website - wherever you get your podcasts!

Never miss an episode - subscribe now!

Audiomoves at the Zoo is funded by Arts Council England, with support from Phoenix Court, the Unicorn Theatre, The Place, Full House Theatre and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Peut-Être Theatre is supported by Arts Council England, Backstage Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Foyle Foundation and Phoenix Court