Help your child build their vocabulary and learn about the world at the same time with our ultimate list of animal names for kids! You’ll find both common favorites and exotic creatures on our animal name list, from cats and dogs to axolotls and capybaras.

Animals are a perfect way to practice reading, spelling, and even storytelling, as kids naturally love learning about them. Use these animal names for games, crafts, activities, and more, whether you’re at home or in the classroom. Find loads of other free animal activities below, from videos, songs, printables, games, and crafts!

List of Animal Names for Preschoolers

We’ve created easy-to-use printable summer word lists to help make learning both fun and engaging. The words are grouped by theme, s you choose which category you’d like to work on. Use these lists for reading practice, spelling games, or to add a seasonal twist to your favorite activities.

Wild Fact: Around a third of all households in the world have a pet dog!

List of Wild Animal Names

Wild animals live freely and on their own in nature without people taking care of them. They find their own food, water, and shelter.

Wild Fact: A male hippo can weigh as much as three small cars!

List of Reptile Names

Reptiles are cold-blooded animals with dry, scaly skin. They breathe air and usually lay eggs on land. Many like to warm themselves in the sun!

Wild Fact: Chameleons can move their eyes independently, with each eye facing two different directions at once.

List of Mammal Names

Mammals are warm-blooded animals that have hair or fur and breathe air through their lungs. Most mammals give birth to live babies and feed them milk from their mothers.

Wild Fact: Sloths are so sluggish and slow-moving that algae actually grows on their fur! Take a closer look at sloths with our free printable sloth coloring pages.

List of Bird Names

Birds are warm-blooded animals with feathers, beaks, and two legs. Most birds can fly, and they lay eggs in nests.

Wild Fact: Ruby-throated hummingbirds can feed on up to 1,000 flowers each day. Get creative with these unique birds with our hummingbird coloring pages!

List of Insect Names

Insects have six legs, three body parts (head, thorax, and abdomen), and most have wings. They hatch from eggs and come in many shapes and colors.

Wild Fact: Ladybugs spend the winter hibernating in huge colonies containing thousands of bugs!

List of Sea Animal Names

Sea animals live in the ocean or other salty waters. Some breathe through gills, like fish, while others, like whales and dolphins, breathe air through their lungs but spend their lives in the sea.

Wild Fact: The x-ray tetra’s spine is clearly visible beneath its translucent skin, giving it its name.

More Sea Creatures: Try our free printable ocean animal coloring pages for more underwater fun!

List of Farm Animal Names

Farm animals are animals that live on farms and help people by providing food, materials, or work. Some provide milk, eggs, or wool, and others help plow fields or guard the farm.

Wild Fact: Cow stomachs have four compartments, helping them get all the nutrients out of hard-to-digest foods like grass and hay.

List of Amphibian Names

Amphibians start their lives in water and later move to land. They have smooth, moist skin and can breathe through both their lungs and skin.

Wild Fact: Most wild axolotls are brown—only a few are born with the genetic mutation that makes them pinkish white.

What’s the difference between amphibians and reptiles? The biggest difference is their skin. Amphibians have moist, permeable skin for breathing, while reptiles have dry, scaly skin. Their reproductive habits are also different, with amphibians typically laying eggs in water, while reptiles lay their eggs on land.

List of Pet Names

Pets are animals that people care for at home. They give us companionship and can sometimes help or entertain us too.

Wild Fact: Guinea pigs are a domesticated animal and aren’t found in the wild. Their ancestors come from the Andes mountains, where they thrived at more than 14,000 feet high!

List of Jungle Animal Names

Jungle animals live in thick, tropical forests with lots of trees, plants, and rain. They are great climbers, jumpers, or hiders!

Wild Fact: Humans and chimps are so closely related that more than 98% of our DNA is the same!

List of Safari Animal Names

Safari animals are wild animals that live mostly in the grasslands and savannas of Africa. They’re often seen on safaris, where people go to watch animals in their natural homes.

Wild Fact: Cheetahs are the fastest land animal on the planet, able to reach nearly 70 miles per hour in just 3 seconds.

List of Forest Animal Names

Forest animals live in wooded areas with trees and bushes. Some live on the ground, others in burrows, and many make homes in the trees.

List of Desert Animal Names

Desert animals are adapted to live in hot, dry places with little water. They can survive with very little to drink and often come out at night when it’s cooler.

List of Australian Animal Names

Australian animals are native to the continent of Australia. Many are marsupials, which means mothers carry their babies in pouches.

Wild Fact: Wombats have square-shaped poo—they use it to mark their territory, and scientists believe the unique shape keeps it from rolling away!

A-Z Animal Names

Organizing animal names in alphabetical order helps young children connect letters and sounds with familiar animals, helping young children build early literacy and vocabulary skills while connecting with what they’re learning.

Letter A Animal Names

Letter B Animal Names

Letter C Animal Names

Wild Fact: Caecilians (pronounced say-SILL-ee-un) are legless amphibians that look like snakes or worms, but they aren’t!

Letter D Animal Names

Letter E Animal Names

Letter F Animal Names

Letter G Animal Names

Letter H Animal Names

Wild Fact: Hamsters have cheek pouches that can hold more food than their own body weight!

Letter I Animal Names

Letter J Animal Names

Wild Fact: Tiny mouse-sized jerboas can jump up to 10 feet high on their long, strong legs.

Letter K Animal Names

Letter L Animal Names

Letter M Animal Names

Letter N Animal Names

Wild Fact: A Narwhal’s long tusk is actually a tooth with up to 10 million nerve endings!

Letter O Animal Names

Do you give a hoot about owls? Then you’ll love our free printable owl coloring pages!

Letter P Animal Names

Letter Q Animal Names

Wild Fact: The adorable quokka climbs like a koala, hops like a kangaroo, and sleeps with its head upside-down like a bat!

Letter R Animal Names

Letter S Animal Names

Letter T Animal Names

Letter U Animal Names

Letter V Animal Names

Letter W Animal Names

Letter X Animal Names

Letter Y Animal Names

Letter Z Animal Names

Wild Fact: Zebra stripes are like human fingerprints: no two have exactly the same pattern.

Animal Group Names

Just like we assign special terms to groups of humans, like a team of players or a class of students, groups of animals have special names, too, like a school of fish or a litter of puppies.

These names are called collective nouns, and some of them come from how the animals behave, while others are based on old sayings or stories. Read through the following list of groups of animals, and pick the names that are your favorite!

What is a collective noun? A collective noun is a special word that refers to a group of animals, people, or objects as a single unit, such as a committee of people, a herd of animals, or a bunch of grapes. Learn more about different types of nouns with our free printable noun worksheets.

Animals Videos & Songs

Free Animal Activities & Games from ABCmouse

Animal Crafts & Printables

Zoo Animal Coloring Pages for Kids

Get dozens of free printable coloring pages filled with zoo animal favorites like lions, elephants, penguins, sloths, snakes, and more.

25+ Zoo Crafts, Games, and Activities for Kids

Learn fun facts, make creative crafts, and practice letters and numbers too. There’s so much for kids to love in this wild roundup!

Herbivore, Omnivore, & Carnivore Animal Words for Kids

Expand your animal vocabulary by learning which animals eat plants (herbivores), meat (carnivores), and some of each (omnivores) with these comprehensive lists.

Free-to-Play Animal Games from ABCmouse

Animal Name Game

Explore a virtual zoo and match each animal to its name! Listen carefully, then choose the first letter of the name to build vocabulary and animal recognition skills.

Shapes at the Zoo: Heart

The zoo animals are looking for hearts—can you help spot all of them? After finishing this game, try Letters and Numbers at the Zoo, too!

Farm Egg Counter

Practice counting to 10 with this cute farm animal-themed game for preschoolers.

Animal Fact Machine

Match the animals to their characteristics to get the animal fact machine working!

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