July 15 is Cow Appreciation Day.  Here are some fun activities to incorporate into your child care program that involve cows.

 

 

 

 

 

• “Milk” Cows – Fill latex gloves with milk and tie them shu.  Poke small holes in the fingers of the gloves.  Hang the gloves under a small folding table or chair with a bowl underneath.  Have children squeeze and pull the fingers to get the milk out, and they will see how it is to really milk a cow.

• Udder Painting – Fill latex gloves with black paint.  Poke a small hole in one of the fingers.  Place white paper on the table, and let children squeeze out the paint from the ‘udder.’

• Cow Spots Sponge Painting – Have children dip shower loofahs into black paint and dab on white paper.

• Favorite Milk Graph – Talk about how milk comes from cows and create a class graph of favorite flavors of milk: plain, chocolate, or strawberry.

• Make Ice Cream in a Bag – Use milk along with the other ingredients listed here, to make ice cream in a bag.  Since July is National Ice Cream Month, it is also a good tie-in during Cow Appreciation Day!

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Cow Facts (thanks to www.kidsplayandcreate.com/amazing-cow-facts-for-kids)

• Cows are also known as cattle.
• Cows are herbivores meaning they eat grasses, plants, corn. They do not eat meat.
• There are many types of cows.
• Cows are smart and intelligent animals.
• They are also social animals and interact with other cows.
• Cows say “moo” as a way to communicate.
• A male is called a bull.
• A female who has given birth is called a cow.
• A female who has not given birth is called a heifer.
• A baby cow is called a calf.
• There are over 1 billion cows that live in the world!
• Cows live on every continent except Antarctica.

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Cow Books and Resources: