With our Savanna Animal guide, we want your children to have the chance to learn about amazing animals in English. This is our fourth wild animal guide that aims to help your child learn about animal names in English while developing their English skills. If you are interested, you can take a look at our posts on farm animals, sea animals, and rainforest animals as well.
Animals that call the savanna home are some of the most interesting in the world. Everything from lions to elephants can capture the imagination of your child. You can use your child’s interest in wild animals of the world to help teach them English grammar and vocabulary.
To help you teach your child animal names in English, we have left you some helpful tools. We have flashcards, animal coloring pages, and target sentence ideas. Take a look further down this article, and we can go into more detail about how these tools can help you teach your child.
If you have any more questions, please don’t be shy. You can leave a comment on this article or click the link below, and we can try our best to help you out.
What is a Savanna?
A savanna is a warm grassland with few trees or water. When we think of savannas, we usually think of African savannas. However, savannas can be found all over the world. Many animals in the savanna survive by eating the grass that grows there.
There are many famous savanna animals that your child will need to know about, so our list below can help you focus on the important ones.
Savanna or Savannah?
Savanna is spelled either “savanna” or “savannah.” Both are correct. However, we typically use “savanna” in the US. “Savannah” is typically seen in other English-speaking countries. For this article, “savanna” will be used throughout.
Animal Names in English
Here is our list of savanna animal names in English. Each animal name will include the plural form of the noun beside it. As well, it will come with a picture and three sample sentences. These sentences can tell your child, in simple English, about these animals.
In the case of rhinos and hippos, we have included both their short names and long names. Most often in English, we refer to these animals by their shortened names (hippo and rhino) instead of their more technical longer names (hippopotamus and rhinoceros).
We have also included audio files below these sentences. Feel free to click on these to hear us say the names of these animals in English.
Elephant(s)
Elephants are the biggest land animal.
Elephants have a trunk.
Elephants are faster than armadillos.
Giraffe(s)
Giraffes have long necks.
Giraffes eat leaves.
Giraffes are the tallest mammals.
Cheetah(s)
Cheetahs are the fastest land mammal.
Cheetahs have spots.
Cheetahs can’t climb trees.
Anteater(s)
Anteaters eat ants.
Anteaters have long tongues.
Anteaters don’t have teeth.
Tortoise(s)
Tortoises are very slow.
A tortoise has a shell.
Tortoises don’t have ears or teeth.
Armadillo(s/es)
Armadillos can dig.
Armadillos sleep 16 hours a day.
Armadillos have shells.
Antelope(s)
Antelopes live in a herd.
Antelopes eat grass.
An antelope can run fast.
Lion(s)
Lions live in a pride.
Lions eat other animals.
A lion can roar.
Ostrich(es)
Ostriches are the biggest birds.
Ostriches cannot fly.
Ostriches have three stomachs.
Rhinoceros (-/es) /Rhino(s)
Rhinos have a horn.
Rhinos are very big.
Rhinos like mud.
Hippo(s)/Hippopotamus(es)
Hippos are bigger than lions.
Hippos are fat.
Hippos like to swim.
Hyena(s)
Hyenas can laugh.
Hyenas are very smart.
Hyenas have spots.
Warthog(s)
Warthogs eat plants.
Warthogs have tusks.
A warthog is bigger than an armadillo.
Meerkat(s)
Meerkats live in large families.
Meerkats can dig.
Meerkats eat bugs and plants.
Zebra(s)
Zebras have black and white stripes.
Zebras can run.
Zebras live in Africa.
Savanna Animal Flashcards
If you click here or on the picture below, you can download our set of free savanna animal flashcards. These flashcards include animal names in English, example sentences, and a picture to draw.
While using these flashcards, we would encourage you to use them in a fun and creative way. If you make English time boring or “work” for your child, there is a smaller chance that they will want to continue.
If you would like ideas on how to use flashcards creatively, take a look at our post on ESL games.
Savanna Animal Target Sentences
Target sentences are a great way to structure your child’s learning by focusing on a single new grammar point or set of vocabulary nestled in a single sentence type.
What target sentences will be useful for your child or student will be determined by how far along they are. I have included some examples and suggestions below of sample sentences that you could use.
If you would like to learn more about lesson planning, take a look at our post on target sentences and scaffolding.
What is the ______ doing?
The _____ is ______ing.
What is the elephant doing?
The elephant is running.
Is a(n) faster than a(n) _________?
Yes, a(n) _____ is faster than a(n) ______.
No, a(n) _____ is not faster than a(n) ______.
Yes, it is.
No, it isn’t.
Is a tortoise faster than an antelope?
No, a tortoise is not faster than an antelope.
What does a(n) _____ have?
A(n) ______ has ______.
What does an elephant have?
An elephant has a trunk.
Animal Vocabulary Games
Vocabulary games are always a great way to practice savanna 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 savanna animal flashcards in fun and useful ways to teach your child about animals in English.
Animal Coloring Pages
Coloring is a fun activity that most children love to do. Coloring and drawing can also help children learn new vocabulary. This makes drawing and coloring a great activity to do after learning the new animals in English.
We have included a coloring page for younger students. As well, we have a more blank page if your child would like to draw their own animals. The more your child thinks about and interacts with this vocabulary, the better chance they have of remembering it.
You can also use these coloring pages as a chance to ask them questions in English about what they chose to draw.
Savanna Animals Videos and Songs
Some children prefer an activity that is more loud and active. Free songs and videos on YouTube can help children learn about savanna animals.
If your child is really interested in one of these animals, we highly recommend that you encourage them to explore that as much as possible. Especially if they can learn about all of that in English. Every little bit helps, so if they want to learn about giraffes or anteaters, then don’t be afraid to find some videos on YouTube that help them learn about them.
English Animal Learning Videos
Animals of the Savanna
Top 10 African Wild Animals
Rollin’ Safari
English Animal Songs
Hakuna Matata
This is the Savanna
Savannah Song
Final Thoughts on Savanna Animals
Savanna animals are amazing creatures that capture the imaginations of children. Through games, books, videos, and drawing we can encourage their curiosity and teach them some English along the way. It is always important to teach in a variety of ways. So, you can use our flashcards, coloring pages, or our section on YouTube videos to help your child learn.
We hope that we have given you everything you might need to get your child interested in savanna animals. However, if you have any questions, send us a message, and we can help you as best we can.