Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Celebrations · The activity desk
Zodiac monkey tree picture
Draw a monkey near a tree while learning about the Chinese zodiac.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
Paper and child-appropriate crayons
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: Lay paper and crayons on a table. An adult can draw a large circle to start the monkey's face.
Adult's role: Explain that the monkey is one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac and let the child guide the story.
Let's make it happen
- Draw a round face with two round ears, eyes and a smile.
- Add a body, arms and a long curling tail using large shapes.
- Draw a tree nearby and imagine what the monkey sees from a branch.
Make it simpler: Add two round ears to an adult's circle and color them together.
Clean up: Put crayons away and keep or recycle the picture.
Use child-appropriate crayons and let the child decide how to draw the animal.