Lets Learn Some Moo Facts To Help Your Kids Learn About Cows And Understand Where Milk Products Come From.
During the drawing process engage your kids in learning about cows by sharing some fun cow facts and asking your child questions about cows.
What you will need for this fun activity
Drawing Paper Scissors Crayons & Markers Picture of a dairy cow
It’s time to draw some silly cows.
- On a piece of paper ask your kids to draw black, orange, purple and red cows. You can have a picture of a cow close by for inspiration or even trace cow shapes onto their paper to help develop their colorful herd.
- Cut out the the silly cows. Make sure to use child safety scissors and supervise your kids during this process. If your child is not yet ready to learn how to use scissors help them by either pre-cutting-out the cow shapes or by cutting them out for them.
- Now its time to learn about dairy cows.
- A young female cow is called a heifer.
- Cows have 32 teeth: 8 incisors, 6 molars * Ask your kids, How many teeth do you have, incisors & molars?
- Did you know that cows can drink about a bathtub full of water each day and eat about 40 pounds of food? Ask your kids how much water should they drink in a day? Dairy cows are fed a mixture of grain and alfalfa hay and forage which is grazing in a open field.
- Woo, the cow looks like its chewing gum! Actually its called cud which is regurgitated from one of their 4 digestive compartments called rumen where partially digested food or cud comes from. Cows can chew their cud for up to 8 hours a day.
- The most common type of milk cow in the US is the Holstein cow. They are black and white in color with each cow being unique in their pattern. (just like you are unique and special )
- A cow can give over 25 gallons of milk each day that is over 400 glasses of milk each day!
- cheese
- yogurt
- ice cream
- pudding
- cakes, pastries, muffins and cream pies
- butter
- sour cream
- cream cheese
- some gravy and sauces
- smoothies
- mac & cheese
- fudge
- encourage your kids to explore the ingredient labels of some of the foods in your pantry to see if they may contain dairy.
Ask your kids about the health benefits of milk.
- milk contains nutrients like A & B , calcium.
- calcium in milk helps to build strong bones & teeth
- helps to hydrate your body
- can help to calm a sour stomach and warm milk to help you sleep
Next, you can introduce silly cow coolers.
How to make Silly Black ,Orange, Purple and Red Cow Coolers
Cow Cooler (option 1) :
Place a scoop of ice cream in a glass, add soda flavor of choice and have your child match their colorful cow to their tasty treat, spoon and straw. Enjoy.
Cow Cooler (option 2 no soda and lower fat option):
Use sparkling fruit juice (apple, grape, pomegranate) instead of soda & use frozen vanilla yogurt instead of ice cream to make your silly cow coolers.
note for the dairy intolerant child:
They don’t have to be left out there are many dairy free options to ice cream such as coconut milk, soy and almond milk based ice creams available at the store.
We hope you will enjoy this fun activity project at home with your child. At La Costa Valley Preschool and Kindergarten we feel that learning through play is a great way to help your child to explore and understand the world around them.
The Silly Cow Cooler activity will help your preschool and kindergartener to learn about dairy cows and milk products as well as stimulate their creative side through art.
