World’s Smartest Animals | Fun Pages, Worksheets & Videos
Published:
September 21, 2020
Contributor:
Jeannette Tuionetoa
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The intelligence of some animals amazes the human. If your kids love animals then they will enjoy learning about them with these free printables about the world’s smartest animals.
God has created animals in a manner that they are adapted to their environment. Their capacity to think, create, build, and react to situations is astonishing.
God didn’t just make the animals and leave them to fend for themselves in ignorance. God made animals with intelligence and some gave a little more intelligence than others.
Here’s nine of the world’s smartest animals we recommend learning more about in your lessons:
1. Apes
The family of apes includes chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, and bonobos. After humans, apes are the most intelligent animals in the world.
Like humans, apes have a notable social life and can express different types of emotions evident to those observing the community. They learn from their surroundings, use tools to make their own food and home even.
Apes can understand individuality, can learn words, human language, and can defend themselves. They are pretty amazing.
Apes – Larger and Intelligent Animals (Video and FREE Worksheets) | Easy Science for Kids
Chimpanzee
- FREE Chimpanzee Coloring Printable | KidsActivities.com
- Common Chimpanzee FREE Coloring Page | Super Coloring
- Into the Forest with Jane Goodall! Video | SciShow Kids
- All About Jane Goodall Worksheets & Activities + Rainforest Crafts | Surviving on a Teacher’s Salary
Orangutan
- Orangutan FREE Printable Craft | Learn, Create, Love
- Adopt An Orangutan ($15/Month) | Red Apes
- The Orangutan Who Speaks Like A Human | BBCEarth
Free Chimpanzee & Orangutan Worksheets
If you are planning to study chimps or orangutans in your lessons, be sure to grab these free options:
Compare Chimpanzees and Orangutans
The family of apes is full of fascinating creatures, from chimpanzees to orangutans. With this free printable Venn diagram, kids can explore how these apes are similar, discover unique traits, and identify one big difference after completing the activity. It’s a fun, hands-on way to see just how intelligent and remarkable apes really are.
Celebrate World Orangutan Day with a Fun Coloring Page
World Orangutan Day is August 19, and it’s the perfect time for families to explore the clever world of orangutans. This printable orangutan coloring page shows an orangutan sitting on the jungle floor looking at a fig, and comes with a fun fact: “Orangutans are super smart. They use sticks as tools, solve puzzles, and can remember where food is hidden!” It’s a hands-on way to learn about these amazing apes together.
2. Dolphins
If you have ever come in contact with dolphins, you will know how intelligent they are. They are also some of the most beautiful creatures on earth – totally my opinion, but I am sure others may agree.
Dolphins are the third smartest animals after humans and apes. They can express emotions and their brain only shuts down halfway when sleeping to stay aware of their surroundings. Dolphins are also the only marine animal that has passed the mirror test.
Dolphin Coloring Pages and Worksheets
If you are planning to study dolphins in your lessons, then theses coloring pages and worksheets may be a great addition:
Dolphins are super smart and this coloring page gives examples to show us how intelligent they are. Even your youngest students will learn more about them as they color and trace this page.
Celebrate National Dolphin Day on April 14th with these two adorable puzzles. The first one allows preschool and kindergarten kiddos to practice their numbers 1-5 as they put the pieces in order, while the second option replaces the numbers with sand and gives them the option to put the puzzle together by the image.
Fin Facts – Compare and Contrast Dolphins Worksheet
Did you know that there are approximately 40 species of dolphins who swim in the world’s oceans and rivers? Introduce your homeschoolers to the Amazon River dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin with this compare and contrast worksheet.
Another way to compare and contrast different types of dolphins is to use a Venn diagram. Once those students have recorded the similarities and differences of the Amazon River and bottlenose dolphins, they can also learn how to display the information graphically with this worksheet. Available in color as well as black and white.
More Dolphin Resources
Here are a few more printables from other websites that you may want to add to your dolphins studies:
- Science Dolphin Talk FREE Mini Unit | The Frugal Navy Wife
- FREE Dolphin Science for K-1st | Mrs Thompson’s Treasures
- Dolphin Facts for Kids and FREE Printables | Itsy Bitsy Fun
- FREE Dolphin Unit Study and Lapbook | Homeschool Share
3. Elephants
Elephants are huge and majestic. Yet, that isn’t the only thing they are interesting in. They are super smart and are also very social animals. Elephants are even known to be one of the most faithful human companions.
Although we may only see elephants in herds or in zoos, there is a slew of things we don’t know about elephants that may surprise us. They can show a range of emotions like joy, playfulness, and sadness. They can mimic a range of sounds and can use tools for finding food.
Elephant Coloring Pages and Worksheets
Do you want to learn more about these massive mammals? Be sure to grab theses coloring pages and worksheets to add to any unit study or to celebrate Save the Elephant Day on April 16th:
African Elephant Coloring Page
Elephants have amazing memories! Learn a fun facts about how amazing their memories are with this color and trace page about African elephants.
Not only do elephants have amazing memories, they also can use tools to help them. This color and tracing page about Asian elephants will share that interesting fact with your kiddos.
Trunk Talk – Compare and Contrast Elephant Worksheet
Asian and African elephants have a lot in common but there are also some differences. If you are planning an elephant study then this worksheet will give your students a place to record what they learn about about these majestic mammals.
Venn diagrams are a wonderful way to display information in an easy to read way. Have your students record the facts they discovered using our Trunk Talk worksheet above to summarize for any report or presentation they want to give. Available in both color and black & white.
More Elephant Resources
Here are a few more elephant printables from other websites to check out:
- Easy DIY Cut and Paste Elephant Craft for Kids | Simple Mom Project
- FREE Printable Elephant Coloring Page | First Palette
- Elephants Worksheet – FREE Science Downloadable Worksheets for Kids | Easy Science for Kids
- FREE Elephants: Activities | KidZone
- Elephant FREE Coloring Pages | Cool2BKids
4. Crow
Yes, the crow is intelligent. We usually only see them around scarecrows or scavenging, yet they are smarter than we think. They are one of the most densely populated birds in the world.
Aside from a few parrot species, the crow has the largest “bird” brain. Crows have been known to use tricks to find food and to build their nests.
For example, they drop nuts in traffic lines to break the husks to access food. They also figured out that dropping nuts on rough surfaces can break them up to eat as food. Crows also use stones or pebbles to attack their predators.
- FREE Crow Coloring Page | Animals Town
- Crow FREE Printable Craft | Learn Create Love
- FREE The Crow and the Pitcher Activities (Digital Version Included) | A Teachable Year
- Sitting Crow Paper or Foam Craft FREE Template | Danielle’s Place
5. Octopus (cephalopods)
These invertebrates are exceptionally clever. Did you know that three-fifths of an octopus’ neurons are on its arms? Their brain is also the largest of all invertebrates. They can use tools.
There was once an octopus named Otto who was able to throw rocks and spray water at the bright overhead lights of his aquarium in order to make them short out. Now THAT is smart!
- Adorable Octopus Ocean Animal FREE Craft for Kids | Simple Mom Project
- Octopus FREE Printables (Wordsearch, Vocabulary, Activities, and more) | ThoughtCo.
- FREE Octopus Do-A-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download) | Living Montessori Now
6. Pig
We hear about how smart animals, like pigs, are but many times we don’t get to experience it. Well, I have!
We have pigs. Lots of them. So, we have firsthand knowledge of just how smart they are. When our pigs are pregnant, we let them out of their pens to roam and have the babies. They come to our gate to eat every day at the same time.
They know my husband’s voice. He calls out the word “ma” a few times and they come quickly. (“Ma” means bread where I live.) My son does it now as well and they listen.
The pigs here aren’t the adorable ones that can keep as pets, but they are pretty awesome.
- Easy DiY Pig Craft Activity for Preschool Kids | Simple Mom Project
- Awesome Muddy Pig Sensory Art for Toddlers (FREE Printable) | Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds
- FREE Pig Unit Study and Lapbook Printables | HomeschoolShare
- Worksheets and Printables All About Pigs
7. Pigeon
I grew up in New York, where pigeons are known as rats with wings… not joking. While may of New Yorkers see pigeons as a nuisance, others pay astronomic sums to race their pigeons as a sport.
Scientists have conducted countless studies on their cognitive abilities which show they are actually pretty smart birds.
In 1995, pigeons were taught – successfully – to discriminate between Picasso paintings and Monet paintings. They can detect cancer in radiological images making their visual capabilities extraordinary.
Research has shown that pigeons have amazing visual, numerical, and memory abilities on par with some of the smartest species. Read more about pigeons here.
- Pigeon Activities For Preschoolers | Pre-KPages
- Mo Willems Inspired Handprint Pigeon FREE Craft For Kids | Simple Everyday Mom
- Pigeon Book Lesson Plans (FREE FILE) | Mrs Wills Kindergarten
- FREE Pigeon Coloring Page | Kid Coloring Pages
8. Rat
Yes, I have experience with a rat’s intelligence, although I don’t care to admit it. However, like a farm has rats, so does where I live. We left our house open a lot to get a breeze, but the closed screens weren’t enough to keep the rats out.
We learned quickly that we have to close all of the doors or else rats will just bulldoze through the flimsy screens and run through our house at night. Please don’t judge me, I live on an island and I am trying to cope. Anyway, moving on.
We used so many different traps, but they usually caught on quickly. We found that they were getting in the house via a dryer vent that led outside. They are relentless!
Many science experiences and hypotheses have used rats as lab animals to prove theories right or wrong. Apparently, rats can be taught tricks just like dogs. They can find their way through mazes and can solve problems.
- Paper Rat Craft FREE Template | Kids Craft Room
- Step-by-Step Tutorial How to draw a rat | Super Coloring
- Fun with Poetry – Rats for Lunch | Paula’s Preschool and Kindergarten
9. Squirrel
Squirrels are fast and catch on really quickly. They are known for burying their food in preparation for the winter, but that’s not just it.
These little animals also sometimes “pretend” to hide their food to trick other animals, so they won’t steal from their “real” food location.
- FREE Printable Squirrel Hat Craft | Kids Craft Room
- Squirrel Activities For Tots & Preschoolers w/ FREE Printables | Every Star is Different
- FREE Squirrel Unit Study Resources | Lasting Thumb Prints
- Fun Facts About Squirrels | AweFilled Homemaker
World’s Smartest Animals Videos
While you are learning more about these intelligent creatures, don’t forget to watch a fun movie or educational video. Here are a few to check out:
- Top 20 Most Intelligent Animals | WatchMojo
- Top 5 Most Intelligent Animals | BBC Earth
- 10 Smartest Animals in the World | Trend Max
- 5 Smartest Animals on Earth – besides Humans | Wildlife X Team International
Final Thoughts
There are also other smart animals out there. Many of us probably own one – dogs. Man’s best friend is also one of the smartest animals out there. They show love, they miss us, they listen, they are able to learn tricks.
Many people say that parrots are smart as a young child, and of course, can mimic sounds and voices.
Learning animals is such a wonderful subject for our families. We can celebrate God’s creation and magnificent handiwork as we do it. Grab these free printables about the world’s smartest animals alongside your lessons to help.
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