Explore life on a farm with this small world activity. The fun and learning start with a simple shoe box. Provide opportunities for kids to imagine and create in a farmyard you can make together. 

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Kids can have fun creating characters, and role playing life on the farm, with this small world play activity. This creative play supports language and fine motor skills, as kids build a farmyard and tell stories about the characters.

The barn is made with a shoe box, while the figures and accessories are made with household items and basic craft supplies.

Farmyard small world play

What is happening on the farm today?

The horses are munching fresh oats in their stalls, the pigs are exploring the barnyard, and Farmer Ben is showing off his new straw hat. 

How can you make a farmyard? It begins with a shoe box barn.

Instructions for the barn:

                                                 Front view                                               Back view

Front view:

Set a shoe box on its side.

Cut a piece of cardboard equal to the depth of the box and longer than the length of the box to make a roof/hayloft. Bend the cardboard in three places as shown: 1) on each side 2) in the middle to form a peak.

Secure the roof/hayloft to the barn on either side with tape. 

Back view:

Cut a piece of cardboard to fit the opening created by the roof. Glue in place and secure with tape.                        

Building a barn is the first step in creating your farmyard small world.  Now it's time to add animals, a farmer, and more!

Supplies for the farmyard

This is a list of materials we used, You can substitute whatever you have on hand. This will make your play area unique, and allow you proceed without making a lot of purchases.

• craft sticks
• green and brown felt
• burlap fabric
• foam packing
• clothes peg
• bottle cork
• chenille stem
• modeling clay

Instructions for the farmyard

Straw: 

Pull threads from burlap fabric to make straw for the stalls and hayloft.

Horse: 

Here is our recent post with a tutorial for making cardboard animals.

Tree: 

Cut a trunk from brown felt and a tree top from green felt.  Glue the trunk and tree top to a piece of cardboard. Support the tree in a base made with modeling clay.

Modeling clay and solid foam packing provide supports for the farmer, the animals, and the other props, so kids can move the pieces around the farmyard.

Place a piece of felt or cardboard next to the barn to define the farmyard space.

Pig: 

Paint a cork stopper pink for the body of the pig.

Attach two pieces of pink chenille stem to the underside of the cork with a stapler or glue gun. Bend the chenille stems to form legs.

Cut the face and ears together (in one piece) from craft foam. Glue a smaller piece of foam on top of the face for the nose. Make eyes and nostrils with a fine point marker.

Curl a small piece of pink chenille stem for a tail. Attach with a glue gun.

Farmer Ben: 

Glue denim fabric on the wooden clothes peg to make a farmer dressed in overalls. 

Glue a small piece of burlap fabric to the top of the clothes peg for a straw hat. Fray the edges of the burlap to make a brim for the hat.

Support the farmer in a piece of modeling clay.

Fence: 

Glue wooden craft sticks together to form two posts with two or three rails attached. We used natural fence around the enclosure and painted gates at the stalls.

Support the fence in pieces of solid foam packing.

There are lots of farmyard stories just waiting to be told!

Start with a shoe box, add a mixture of recyclables, craft supplies, and imagination, and have fun with the small world farmyard you and the kids create together. 

Preschool Lesson Plans
Farm Unit 

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