Discover the playful world of bunnies with this simple, nature-inspired play plan. Perfect for building early language skills, fine motor coordination, and animal recognition while sparking curiosity about the natural world.
Let’s bring the bunny world to life: Use Lovevery’s Bunnies in a Felt Burrow and a bunny-themed book to introduce your little one to the playful, hopping world of rabbits.
About This Play Plan:
Use this as a guide to introduce your toddler to the playful world of bunnies, encouraging early language development and fine motor skills through hands-on exploration. This plan follows the 5E instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate).
How to Use This Plan:
- Gather Your Materials: Check the list below for everything you’ll need.
- Follow the 5E Tabs: Each tab provides step-by-step guidance, creative ideas, and reflection prompts to make the experience more meaningful.
- Let Your Child Lead: Observe how your child interacts with the materials and adjust based on their interests and developmental stage.
Spark your child’s curiosity:
Start by inviting your child to listen or sing along to a song like Hop Little Bunnies.
As the song reaches the part that says “hop,” use the bunny stuffie to demonstrate the hopping motion.
Move the bunny up and down to match the beat of the song, showing your child how bunnies use their back legs to hop. This helps them connect the word “hop” with the movement, building their understanding of both language and motion.
Encourage hands-on exploration:
Let your child try moving the bunnies in the felt burrow, practicing the hopping motion at their own pace.
Use descriptive language to guide them as they experiment.
For example, instead of saying, “Good job!” you can say, “I see you’re making the bunny hop, hop, hop!”
This approach helps build language skills and reinforces the connection between their actions and the real-world behavior of bunnies.
Provide simple, age-appropriate explanations:
Continue to use the bunny toys to talk about how bunnies move.
You can say, “Bunnies hop to move around. They push off with their back end and land on their front.”
Use the toys to demonstrate the hopping motion, gently bouncing them up and down to match your words.
Expand on the activity:
Screen-Okay: Share a short, age-appropriate video of real bunnies hopping to help your child connect the play to real-world animals. Look for clips that focus on natural movements and sounds, like bunnies hopping through a field or exploring their burrows.
Screen-Free: Use a bunny-themed picture book or nature guide to introduce different bunny breeds, pointing out their fluffy tails, long ears, and unique features.
If your child seems especially interested in this activity, consider taking them on a walk to look for wild rabbits (if they live in your area) or visiting a petting zoo where they can see real bunnies up close.
Reflect on how your child responded to the play:
- Did they show interest in the bunny toys and the hopping motion?
- Did they try moving the bunnies on their own or come up with their own way to play?
- Did they respond to or repeat words like “bunny” or “hop” during the activity?
- Were they curious or excited when watching the bunny video or looking at bunny pictures?
- Did they engage for a few minutes at a time, or did their attention shift quickly to something else?
Every wiggle, bounce, or giggle as they explore the bunnies is a meaningful step in their learning journey. Celebrate these moments as the building blocks of their curiosity and understanding.
Materials List:
- A song about bunnies hopping (We love this one)
- Device for playing the song Hop Little Bunnies (or you can sing it yourself)
- Lovevery Babbler Play Kit Bunnies in a Felt Burrow or any small bunny toys
- Optional: The carrots from the same play kit to “feed” the bunnies
- Real bunny photos or a toddler-friendly book showing real bunny photos
- Optional: A kid-friendly video showing real bunny rabbits (here’s a suggestion)
Tips for the Grown-Ups:
Follow the Child’s Lead:
Observe how your child interacts with the playthings. Let them guide the session by following their interests. If they show a preference for exploring textures, sounds, or colors, embrace it. Be a silent observer, ready to expand their learning with gentle, supportive language.
Create a Calm, Inviting Space:
Set up a clutter-free area that encourages focused exploration. Use natural light and simple setups to inspire curiosity. If the weather permits, take the play outside for a richer sensory experience, connecting with the natural world.
Encourage Open-Ended Play:
Embrace imaginative twists and unexpected uses for the toys. If the activity takes a surprising turn, celebrate this as a sign of growing cognitive flexibility and problem-solving.
Our Own Play Experience
We’ve been playing the Hop Little Bunnies song by Toddler Fun Learning on Spotify since our daughter was born. It’s been part of her little world from the start, and when we got the Babbler Play Kit around her first birthday, we started using the bunnies to make our sing-alongs even more fun. At first, when I bounced the bunnies along to the song, she just watched, curious but still figuring it out.
Then, one day, my husband found her making the hopping motion on her own, bouncing the bunny up and down like she’d seen me do. He was amazed and wondered how she picked it up, and I told him I’d just shown her a few times. Now, every time we play the song, she grabs for the bunnies and starts bouncing them without a second thought.
Recently, I showed her a video of real bunnies hopping and a few bunny-themed books, and her little face lit up with excitement. She squealed and reached for the screen, clearly recognizing the connection.
We can’t wait to take her to see real bunnies someday soon, and watch her make that magical, wide-eyed connection between her little felt bunnies and the real thing.
Please Note: I am a proud Lovevery subscriber and fan, and many of the play plans shared here feature Lovevery playthings. However, this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Lovevery. All ideas and recommendations are my own, based on my experiences as a mom who values meaningful, play-based learning.
Share this play plan:
