Camouflage: Songs & Books
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information please read our Earnings Disclaimer.
‘Where in the Wild?’ is a nonfiction text for all ages! Young children will enjoy looking for the animals camouflaged on the pages and lifting the gate fold pages to see where the animal was really hiding. Older children will also enjoy searching for the hidden animals, as well as, reading the insightful text that accompanies the gorgeous photographs.
After reading this book, go outside and search for animals camouflaged into their surroundings. Take pictures of the animals and make your very own book! Depending on your child’s age, add text to the book and/or add a STEM challenge of how to create a system within the book to show the answers (ex. flip up, flaps, pop ups).
David L. Harrison uses creative cut-paper illustrations to portray a variety of animals that camouflage- like sea life, reptiles and amphibians, mammals, insects and spiders, and birds. Each animal’s picture is accompanied by short informative and rhythmic poems. Children can easily learn the poems and recite them by themselves!
After reading this book, challenge your child to make their own paper-cut illustration of an animal blending in with their surroundings! This activity encompasses art and cognitive skills.
This is a wordless book perfect for young children to enjoy. Each animals is a different color and each page is a different color to help children practice color recognition. When an animal is the same color as the page it disappears into the background! Have your child try to guess what animal is missing as you turn each page to a new color. This book is certainly a giggle maker for young children.
After reading activity, if you have older children have them help you create animals of the same colors from the book, and let your child ‘hide’ the colored animal on the page with the matching color. (If you don’t have older children- cut out some colored animals for your youngster to use!)
Napoleon, the invisible lizard, really wants friends. Unfortunately, he is having trouble making friends because no one can see him. Follow along on Napoleon’s journey of trying to get noticed and see which plan works best for him! As you’re reading the story, stop and discuss each plan with the children and see if they have any ideas on how to help Napoleon get noticed.
After reading this story, ask the children, “Have you ever seen someone blending into the background at the playground or park? Do you think they were looking for friends? What could you do when you see a Napoleon-like child wanting to make friends at the park?” This can lead to meaningful social-emotional discussion about how to be kind.
Kyle, the Sloth, has to go to the bathroom. Once a week sloths slowly move their way from the top of the canopy to the ground to go to the bathroom. Kyle usually goes with his mom to the ground, but she isn’t there. He realizes he must go alone and is very sacred. As Kyle descends, he realizes he isn’t alone as he discovers many animals camouflaged into the canopy. Children will learn about sloths, camouflage and independence while also giggling about the slight bathroom humor.
After reading this book, discuss with your children something they are proud that they can do by themselves. After the discussion, make a goal of something they would like to do on their own in the near future. Help your children slowly gain their independence like Kyle!
The Cat in the Hat helps teach about animal adaptations from size and shape to color and texture through fantastical rhyming. Children enjoy characters and series they’re familiar with, so this could a perfect introduction to the world of animal camouflage.
After reading this book, look for real photographs of the animals discussed in the book.
This is a downright fascinating historical text about how real British and American ships were extravagantly painted during WWI to avoid German torpedo attacks. Children will love the mesmerizing ship designs and will be amazed how paint was one of the greatest defenses in the war.
After reading this book, research the dazzle ships on your own and then color your own ship design to baffle others.
Dazzled and Deceived is for older children and adults to learn how mimicry and camouflage went from nature to human society through art, literature, military tactics, and medical cures. It is an fascinating read filled with noteworthy people like Roosevelt, Picasso, Nabokov, Churchill, and Darwin.
After reading this story, further research points of interest from the book. Brainstorm ways we can use camouflage and mimicry in the world today! Or recommend the book to a friend and discuss it together.
Search and Find Activity Books are fun ways for children to understand camouflage!
Songs about Camouflage
PBS Camouflage Music Video- catchy song with a video to engage children or don’t show the video and allow children to use their imagination and dance along!
Camouflage! Camouflage! by Lauren Mayer
We're on the lookout and looking for clues
Animals hiding and trying to confuse
It's hard to find them whenever they use
The trick of Camouflage
Match their surroundings so they can't be seen
Or change their color from yellow to green
Then hide in grasses that work like a screen
They're quick at Camouflage
Chorus:
Let's learn the features of under cover creatures
Who make themselves hard to see
Nature's protection So they evade detection
By hiding their identity - But we know it's Camouflage!
Stripes on a zebra aren't just black and white
They make his body much harder to sight
To help escape a big predator's bite
That's right, it's Camouflage
Some clever creatures have got a cool trick
Resemble something no enemy would pick
A walking stick's a bug that looks just like a stick!
That is its Camouflage
Chorus
Chameleons; Spider crabs; Are hard to see
Tree frogs,Walking sticks, Where can they be?
Leopards; Butterflies Hiding from me, - Sneaky Camouflage!
We're on the lookout and looking for clues
Animals hiding and trying to confuse
It's hard to find them whenever they use
The trick of Camouflage
CHORUS
No doubt, it's Camouflage
Look out for Camouflage!
Camouflage by Jennifer Fixman
Camouflage, camouflage,
Don’t let your colors show.
Are you green like a tree
Or are you white like the snow?
Lizards may be colored green
To match grass on the ground.
Chameleons change colors
To match all that’s around.
Camouflage, camouflage,
Don’t let your colors show.
Are you green like a tree
Or are you white like the snow?
While hiding in your habitat,
You look just like your home
That predator may search and search
While you remain unknown.
Camouflage, camouflage,
Don’t let your colors show.
Are you green like a tree
Or are you white like the snow?
That predator is hoping
To turn you into prey.
He’s hungry for some yummy food,
And wants to gobble you away.
Camouflage, camouflage,
Don’t let your colors show.
Are you green like a tree
Or are you white like the snow?
