When teaching your child about fun animal vocabulary, a list of rainforest animals can be a huge help. We want to make teaching your child as easy as possible by giving you everything you need, be it pictures, facts, coloring pages, or activity ideas.
If you would like to see more fun animal content, head on over to our Animal Names in English page for more flashcards, games, and coloring pages.
Take special note of our suggested target sentences that can be found after the list of rainforest animals. Practicing specific target sentences can help your child become familiar with useful English sentence structures. Target sentences focus on one particular grammar point that you want your child to learn. By combining our list of rainforest animals with these target sentences, you can help your child become a fluent English speaker.
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What is a Rainforest?
A rainforest is a jungle dominated by tall trees and dense vegetation. To be a rainforest, it also has to have a lot of rain. This rain helps the trees and plants grow, and makes these special places what they are. Rainforests usually have few humans, but there are often lots of animals living here.
Rainforests exist all across our world from the Amazon in South America to Borneo in Southeast Asia. Rainforests are usually hot and humid places that are found near the equator of our planet. Although they don’t make up much land area, rainforests account for 80% of the kinds of plants and animals you can find on Earth.
Rainforests can be split into temperate and tropical varieties. Today we are going to be talking about the warm, tropical rainforests. These are what most people think of when they hear the word rainforest.
What is the Difference Between a Jungle and a Rainforest?
In most people’s minds, these are the same things. However, there is a difference between jungles and rainforests. Rainforests get more rainfall, and their thick canopy of trees makes it so very little light can make it down to the rainforest floor.
A jungle, on the other hand, has less tree cover and more sunlight. This sunlight allows the dense undergrowth to grow and makes it difficult to get through jungles.
List of Rainforest Animals
Animals in rainforests can live on the forest floor or spend their time up in the soaring crowns of the trees above. Rainforests are homes to all kinds of animals, from small birds to giant snakes.
This list should give you a brief introduction to some of the animals that call rainforests home. We will include a picture, a small bio, and an audio file to help you teach your child. If you want a copy of some animal flashcards for this lesson, you can find those after our list.
The animals of the rainforest are all amazing, unique creatures that should capture the imagination of your child. We hope you can use this list of rainforest animals to help you engage your child in their English studies.
Sloth(s)
Sloths live in Central and South America.
Sloths are very slow. They move only 41 yards a day.
Sloths sleep for 15 hours every day.
Sloths eat leaves and plants.
Jaguar(s)
Jaguars live in North, Central, and South America.
Jaguars look like Leopards.
Jaguars eat animals like turtles and deer.
Jaguars have spots.
Piranha(s)
Piranhas live in freshwater in South America.
Piranhas have sharp teeth.
Piranhas like to eat meat and plants.
Leopard(s)
Leopards live in Africa and Asia.
Leopards look like jaguars.
Leopards sleep during the day.
Leopards like to eat smaller animals.
Python(s)
Pythons live in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Pythons are very long.
Small pythons eat insects and mice.
Big pythons eat monkeys and pigs.
Tiger(s)
Tigers are the largest cats.
Tigers have black stripes.
Tigers like to eat a lot of meat.
Tigers like to swim.
Lemur(s)
Lemurs live in Madagascar.
Lemurs can climb trees.
Lemurs are bigger than geckos.
Lemurs like to eat fruit, plants, and bugs.
Toucan(s)
Toucans live in Central and South America.
Toucans have big, colorful bills.
Toucans like to eat fruit and berries.
Parrot(s)
Parrots live all over the world.
Parrots are very smart.
Parrots like to eat fruit, seeds, and nuts.
Parrots can fly.
Gorillas(s)
Gorillas live in Africa.
Gorillas are bigger than humans.
Gorillas are very smart and strong.
Gorillas eat bamboo, fruit, and plants.
Chimp(s)
Chimps are smaller than people.
Chimps live in communities.
Chimps eat anything.
Chimps can walk and climb.
Monkey(s)
Lots of monkeys live in the rainforests.
Monkeys like to eat bugs, fruit, and leaves.
Monkeys have a long tail.
Tree Frog(s)
Tree frogs live in central and Southern America.
Tree frogs are small.
Tree frogs can jump and climb.
Chameleon(s)
Chameleons are reptiles.
Chameleons can change their colors.
Chameleons live in trees.
Gecko(s)
Geckos can drop their tails.
Geckos can climb walls.
Geckos are smaller than monkeys.
Orangutan(s)
Orangutans live in Borneo and Sumatra.
Orangutans can eat with their feet.
Orangutans sleep in nests.
Animal Flashcards
Use our animal flashcards to help your child learn about rainforest animals. these flashcards can be colored and played with. We recommend that you use our animal flashcards to have fun and not to use them as a memory drilling tool.
Rainforest Animal Target Sentences
When teaching your child, it is always important to know what grammar and vocabulary you want them to learn. After they learn the animal vocabulary from the list above, start them on some useful target sentences to improve their English.
We have given you some sample target sentences that you could use below. But feel free to sub in any sentences that you want them to learn.
If you want to learn more, read our post on target sentences and scaffolding.
What does a ____ like to eat?
A ______ likes to eat _______.
What does a tiger like to eat?
A tiger likes to eat meat.
Is a ______ big or small?
A _____ is _____.
Is a tree frog big or small?
A tree frog is small.
Is a _____ bigger than a _____?
Yes, it is.
No, it isn’t.
Is a lemur bigger than a leopard?
No, it isn’t.
Vocabulary Games
Vocabulary games are always a great way to practice rainforest animal vocabulary. To help you out, we have made a whole post on different vocabulary games you can use to develop your child’s vocabulary skills.
This post includes two games that you can download and play with your child. As well, we give you ideas on how to use your new rainforest animal flashcards in fun and useful ways to teach your child about animals in English.
Rainforest Animal Coloring Pages
Kids love to draw and color. Unfortunately, not all children can draw as well as they would like. For this reason, we have made up some rainforest coloring pages for your children. One gives your child plenty of blank space so that they can draw their favorite animals. The other has the animals pre-drawn so that your child can focus on coloring.
Kids love to draw and color. Unfortunately, not all children can draw as well as they would like. For this reason, we have made up some rainforest coloring pages for your children. One gives your child plenty of blank space so that they can draw their favorite animals. The other has the animals pre-drawn so that your child can focus on coloring.
When they are done with these coloring pages, make sure to ask them about their work. Which animal is their favorite? Which animal is bigger? Make sure that they get a chance to sue one fo the target sentences that you have been working with them on.
Rainforest Animal Songs
The internet is full of great songs for kids on any imaginable subject. Here are some great ones from youTube to help your child learn about the rainforest.
Most of these songs not only teach rainforest animal vocabulary, but they also help teach your child a handy target sentence. Keep an eye out for thee and make sure to reinforce these when you have a chance.
Rainforest Song
Walking in the Jungle
It’s Raining It’s Pouring – Learn About the Rainforest
Rainforest Animal Learning Videos
These videos are not songs, but they can help teach your child about rainforests. From a list of rainforest animals to virtual field trips, these videos can introduce your child to all of the cool animals in the rainforest.
Explore the Rainforest
Virtual Field Trip – The Amazon Rainforest
Rainforest Animals for Children
Final Thoughts on Rainforest Animal Names in English
Rainforests are one of the most diverse and unique ecosystems on planet Earth. Their tall trees and deep jungles are the home to uncountable animals. Some haven’t even been found yet!
Kids love to learn about the big and small animals that live in rainforests. Use this list of rainforest animals to help them learn the vocabulary and grammar that they need to talk about their favorite animals.
As they learn about rainforests, don’t be afraid to let them branch out into any topics that they find interesting. If they think jaguars are really cool, maybe you can find a book or documentary about them. Any English practice is good English practice, so don’t worry if your child’s learning path is dictated by their interests.
If you need any help, just comment on this post or ask us a question at the link below.
Well done with the resources of the rainforest animals. A good post…
Thanks so much. Glad to hear that you liked it.
👍