Let’s play Critter Match!
This is a simple game to help you match a kid to an animal (a "critter") or to match clues to the right animal. Read the clues, pick the best animal, and have fun!
Step 1 — Pick three clues
- Size: small, medium, or big
- Home: house, farm, pond, ocean, tree
- Look: furry, feathers, scales, shell
Step 2 — Meet some critters (short clues)
- Dog — furry, lives in a house, likes to play and be petted.
- Cat — furry, lives in a house, likes to nap and climb.
- Rabbit — small and furry, likes carrots, lives in a hutch or yard.
- Hamster — very small and furry, lives in a cage, likes to run on a wheel.
- Goldfish — small, has scales, lives in a bowl or tank (water).
- Turtle — slow, has a shell, may live in water and on land.
- Frog — smooth skin (not furry), lives near ponds, likes to hop.
- Parrot — has feathers, can be very colorful, may talk and lives in a cage or trees.
- Horse — big, furry (hair), lives on a farm, likes to run.
- Butterfly — small, has colorful wings (not furry), lives in gardens and on flowers.
Step 3 — Match the clues
Example matches:
- Clues: small + furry + lives in a cage → Hamster
- Clues: big + farm + likes to run → Horse
- Clues: has scales + lives in water → Goldfish (or a pond fish)
- Clues: feathers + colorful + can talk → Parrot
- Clues: shell + slow + water and land → Turtle
Mini quiz — pick the best answer
- Clues: small, hops, likes carrots. Who is it? A) Dog B) Rabbit C) Turtle
- Clues: lives in a bowl, swims, has scales. Who is it? A) Goldfish B) Cat C) Hamster
- Clues: big, lives on a farm, you can ride it. Who is it? A) Parrot B) Horse C) Frog
- Clues: colorful wings, flies, visits flowers. Who is it? A) Butterfly B) Turtle C) Dog
- Clues: feathers, can mimic sounds, lives in trees or a cage. Who is it? A) Hamster B) Parrot C) Goldfish
Answers
- B) Rabbit — small, hops, likes carrots.
- A) Goldfish — lives in a bowl, swims, has scales.
- B) Horse — big, lives on a farm, you can ride it.
- A) Butterfly — colorful wings and visits flowers.
- B) Parrot — has feathers and can mimic sounds.
How to play with a friend
- One person picks three clues without telling the other.
- The other person guesses the critter using the clue list.
- Switch turns and see who can stump the other!
Fun fact: Some animals that look small when young grow much bigger when they’re grown-up. Always check an animal’s adult size before deciding to keep one as a pet.
Safety note: Never touch unknown animals. Ask an adult for help if you find a wild critter or if you want a pet.
Have fun matching critters! You can draw your favorite animal and write three clues for a friend to guess.