Ask a toddler what a cow says and you'll get a proud "Moo!" Farm animals are often the first animals kids learn, because each one looks and sounds so different. Here are twelve of them with their sound, food, baby name and one fact kids love to repeat – plus games for home or class.
Mom, Dad and Baby: Who's Who?
Many farm animals have special names for mom, dad and baby. Kids treat it like a word puzzle: what's a baby horse called?
| Animal | Mom | Dad | Baby | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cow | cow | bull | calf | moo |
| Pig | sow | boar | piglet | oink |
| Chicken | hen | rooster | chick | cluck, cock-a-doodle-doo |
| Sheep | ewe | ram | lamb | baa |
| Goat | nanny (doe) | billy (buck) | kid | maa |
| Horse | mare | stallion | foal | neigh |
| Donkey | jenny | jack | foal | hee-haw |
| Duck | duck | drake | duckling | quack |
| Goose | goose | gander | gosling | honk |
| Dog | female dog | male dog | puppy | woof |
| Cat | queen | tomcat | kitten | meow |
| Rabbit | doe | buck | kit | mostly silent |
To practice, try Mom and Baby: kids draw a line from each baby to its mom.
Getting to Know Each Animal
Cow
Cows eat grass, hay and herbs and drink lots of water. They chew their food twice – bringing it back up to chew again is called chewing the cud. A cow makes milk because she has had a calf. The full story is in Where Does Milk Come From?.
Pig
Pigs eat grain, vegetables, potatoes and roots and dig with their snouts. They can't sweat, so they roll in mud to cool off and avoid sunburn. You can see it in Pig in the Mud.
Chicken
Chickens peck at grain, greens, worms and bugs. Instead of a bath in water, they take a bath in dust, which keeps their feathers clean. How an egg turns into a chick is explained in From Egg to Chicken.
Sheep
Sheep eat grass, herbs and hay and stay close together in a flock. Their wool keeps on growing, so most sheep get sheared once a year. It doesn't hurt – it's like a haircut.
Goat
Goats prefer leaves, twigs and herbs to plain grass, and they're amazing climbers. They're also picky eaters that check out anything unfamiliar with their lips first. And yes, female goats can have beards too.
Horse
Horses eat grass, hay and oats in many small meals. A foal can stand and walk about an hour after birth. Ears pointed forward mean a horse is paying attention; pinned flat back means "Leave me alone!"
Donkey
Donkeys need simple, high-fiber food like straw, hay, sparse grass and twigs. A donkey's hee-haw can often be heard from far away. Donkeys aren't stubborn, they're careful: they stop and think before doing anything that seems dangerous.
Duck
Ducks eat grain, grass, water plants, snails and worms. The loud "Quack!" comes almost only from females; drakes sound quieter. Ducklings follow the first thing they see after hatching, which is usually their mom – just like in Mother Duck.
Goose
Geese eat grass, herbs and grain. When a stranger shows up, they honk and hiss loudly. Many geese stay with the same partner for life.
Dog
The farm dog eats dog food and guards the farm. Herding dogs keep sheep or cows together using only looks, running and whistle signals. Dogs can smell thousands of times better than people.
Cat
Barn cats eat cat food and sleep or doze 12 to 16 hours a day, ideally in warm hay. Their whiskers tell them if they fit through a gap.
Rabbit
Rabbits eat hay, grass, herbs and veggies. Their teeth never stop growing, so they chew lots of hay. When danger is near, they thump their back legs. When they're happy, they leap into the air with a twist – a "binky."
Animal Sound Games
- Who's calling? One child makes an animal sound, the others guess. Little ones point to the picture; older kids name the baby too.
- The quiet animal: Everyone softly drums on the table like a thumping rabbit. Who guesses it?
- Find your mom: Half the group are moms, half are babies. Eyes closed, everyone makes their sound until the pairs find each other – like a lamb that knows its mother's voice.
- Sounds on paper: Print Animal Sounds on US Letter paper; kids connect matching animals and make each sound.
To wrap up, each child colors their favorite animal on All the Farm Animals and makes its sound.
FAQ
At what age do kids get interested in farm animals?
Toddlers love copying animal sounds. Between two and four, kids learn animal and baby names; school-age kids ask why cows chew twice or why pigs lie in mud.
Which farm animals are easiest for little kids?
Start with the cow, pig, chicken, sheep and duck – clear sounds, easy to recognize. Then add the donkey, goose and goat.
Can kids pet the animals on a farm visit?
Only if the farmer says it's okay. Approach calmly from the front or side, never from behind a horse or donkey. Afterward and before eating, wash hands with soap and water.