Needs of Plants and Animals: Learning Resources for Kindergarten

Help young learners understand what living things need to survive. This page collects our best free resources for teaching the science topic “Needs of Plants and Animals” in kindergarten and preschool.

What Do Plants and Animals Need to Survive?

Living things need basic resources to grow and stay alive:

  • Plants need: sunlight, water, air, soil, space
  • Animals need: food, water, air, shelter, space

This topic is often taught after “Living vs Non-Living Things” and leads into units on habitats and life cycles.

Free Teaching Resources

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Preview of educational videos for kids: what do plants and animals need to survive? Fun science lessons for kindergarten and preschool.

Teaching Basic Needs of Plants and Animals

Needs of Plants and Animals Worksheets