Montessori-Inspired Alligator Unit with Free Printables and Activities

Alligators are a high-interest theme in general, but I especially love greater than, less than alligator activities. They’re not only high interest, but they’ve helped many children understand the greater than and less than symbols. I’ve shared some fun, free printables and greater than/less than alligator activities before. Today, I’m sharing more free alligator printables and activities in a number of curriculum areas along with my new Montessori-inspired alligator pack (subscriber freebie)! This makes a fun and educational unit study.

In addition to our new Montessori-inspired alligator pack, I have a special instant download from The Montessori Company with a hand-painted alligator culture card!

Free Printables Used in the Pictured Alligator Activities for Preschoolers-First Graders

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Alligator-Themed Activities

My shelves with alligator-themed activities include a free alligator culture card designed by The Montessori Company. You’ll also find Montessori-inspired alligator numbers, letters, spinners, and greater than/less than alligator symbols (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber).

I have a number of alligator books, both non-fiction and fiction, for our alligator unit. We always enjoy the National Geographic Readers, such as this month’s Alligators and Crocodiles. I love the variety of visual facts about alligators in Who Lives in an Alligator Hole? by Anne Rockwell and Alligators and Crocodiles by Gail Gibbons.

Free Printable: Stomping Grounds of the American Alligator from Tim Van De Vall. I added this printable to our shelf along with our Hugg-a-Planet Earth to reinforce the books’ information about where alligators live.

You could mix your alligator-themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special alligator area something like the one pictured. My shelves this month have a mixture of skill levels. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, just rotate them.

Alligator Culture Card (on Shelf with Alligator Books)

I’m happy to share with you this awesome hand-painted alligator culture card from The Montessori Company. You can use it on your shelves to introduce an alligator unit. I’m hosting the free printable as an instant download at Living Montessori Now. You can always access the free alligator culture card here.

The description says: “Alligators are reptiles that live in the marshes of North America and China. They silently stalk prey in the water or bask in the sun during the day.”

Lady with the Alligator Purse Book and Literature-Based Activity

Free Printable: Lady with the Alligator Purse Song-Themed Printable and Activity from Mumma Diaries This isn’t on my shelves yet. First, I’m featuring the non-fiction alligator books. This is one of the activities I’ll be rotating onto my shelves during the month.

The Lady with the Alligator Purse is just a silly and fun book! I’m planning to use the cards as a sequencing activity while my 3½-year-old granddaughter, Zoey, and I sing the song.

A is for Alligator Basket and Salt Writing Tray

Free Printables: Alligator Letters for A is for Alligator Basket and Salt Writing Tray (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

Free Printable: Alligator Clothespin Puppet/Fine-Motor Activity from Delia Creates

Free Printable: A is for Alligator by The Educators Spin On It at Teacher’s Notebook (The printable is no longer available, but you could just say the poem.)

Isn’t the clothespin alligator adorable?!! With the printable, it was easy to prepare, too! I got the basket from Montessori Services. I used small objects that begin with the /ă/ sound and go with the chant on the card. I didn’t want to use “airplane,” so I changed the word to “ambulance” and used a Micro Machine ambulance.

If you’d like ideas for teaching phonics, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics post.

For the salt writing tray, I used the wooden tray from the Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Shapes. You can use whatever tray or container work best for you, though. I simply colored salt by putting some Wilton gel food coloring in a plastic bag with the salt and shaking it until it was mixed thoroughly. I wanted it to be blue for water.

Reptiles Singular and Plural

Free Printable: Reptiles and Amphibians Singular and Plural Cards from Every Star Is Different

For this activity, I used a Montessori Services basket and Safari Ltd. reptiles (from a variety of TOOBs).

This is a fun, hands-on way to introduce reptiles to young children.

I used a Montessori Services rug on the floor for the layout.  This is just one way you can use the cards. For younger preschoolers, you can place the Safari Ltd. figures on the rug and then have the child find the matching card for each figure. After that, you could say, “Can you find more alligators?” and so on.

With children who read, you can use this as a reading lesson in singular and plural. Of course, you can cut the cards apart to make Montessori 3-part cards.

Montessori-Inspired Alligator Booklet

Free Printable: All About Alligators Printables from Welcome to Mommyhood

This was so easy to prepare! I just printed and laminated the pages, punched a hole in each page, and added a binder ring. There are a number of free alligator printables at Welcome to Mommyhood.

I chose to make a homemade booklet because Zoey loves those.This one has lots of information along with interesting alligator photos.

Counting Alligators Game

Free Printable: Alligator Numbers and Alligator Spinner (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

For this activity, I used a  Multicraft tray and a Bambu condiment cup to hold 10 Safari Ltd. Good Luck Mini alligators. (Yes, the are only 9 in the cup, but that’s because one had wandered off before I took the photo. I didn’t realize it until after my photo shoot was finished. There are now 10 in the cup ready for the activity!)

Note: You can get the Good Luck Mini alligators on Amazon, although you’ll find the best price at Alison’s Montessori.

Alligator Addition Game

For this activity, I used a  Multicraft tray and a Bambu condiment cup to hold 10 Safari Ltd. Good Luck Mini alligators. The alligator arrow is simply taped onto the paper brad/paper-clip spinner.

Again, you can get the Good Luck Mini alligators on Amazon, although you’ll find the best price at Alison’s Montessori.

This is a simple way to introduce addition. With hands-on objects, it’s a great way to add interest to counting activities for preschoolers who are comfortable with other counting activities.

Greater Than, Less Than Alligator Math with Alligator Photo Symbols and Greater Than Gator Chant

Check out my post and video with hands-on, greater than, less than alligator math using part of our subscriber freebie pack and another free printable!

Alligator Writing or Dictation Tray

Free Printables: Alligator Writing or Dictation Pages (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

This is always so easy to prepare! I used a Multicraft tray, the printables, a pencil, and a pencil sharpener for an added practical life activity. Advanced preschoolers on up can write their own story, while younger preschoolers can dictate a story for you to write. They could use either printable: “What do you know about alligators?” or “Tell about your about your experiences with alligators, or tell an alligator story.”

The Best Alligator and Crocodile Books for Kids

Free Alligator Printables for Preschoolers-First Graders

Free Alligator Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)

Free Alligator Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)

Free Alligator Printables and Montessori-Inspired Alligator Activities

Greater Than, Less Than Alligator Math Printables and Activities

Montessori-Inspired Alligator Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Greater Than/Less Than Work, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox for the current password if you’re already a subscriber)

The links are for free bee printables for preschoolers through 1st graders. To keep my list manageable, I don’t share coloring pages unless a page has a specific educational purpose related to alligators.

• Reptile 3-Part Cards from Montessori Materials
• Alligator Work Station from The Littlest Scholars (used in my previous “Montessori-Inspired Greater Than Less Than Alligator Math” post at PreK + K Sharing)
• Alligator/Crocodile Printables from Making Learning Fun
• Alligator Silhouette from Printable Paradise
• Aa Alligator Printables from 1+1+1=1
• Alligator Printables from Pre-K Fun
• Alligator Life Cycle from ABC Teach
• Alligator vs. Crocodile Printable from Education.com
• Aa Alligator Pattern Blocks from Jessica’s Corner of Cyberspace
• Alligator Pattern Block Mat from PreKinders
• A is for Alligator Pack from Only Passionate Curiosity
• A is for Alligator Printables from English for Kids
• How to Make a Felt Alligator Printables from Wildflower Ramblings
• ABC Do-a-Dot Pages (A is for Alligator) from Homeschool Creations
• Greater Than Less Than Alligator Symbols with Words from First Grade Fanatic
• Greater-Than, Less-Than Alligators (subscriber freebie) from The Stem Laboratory
• Greater Than, Less Than Game from Crazy for First Grade
• Alligator Math Game (subscriber freebie) from Artsy Craftsy Mom
• Hungry Alligator Printable from Paging Supermom
• Preschool Math: Greater-Than, Less-Than Printables from One Beautiful Home
• Greater Than, Less Than, Equal to Alligators from The Measured Mom
• See You Later Alligator from ISL Collective
• Alligator Tracing Pages from We Love Being Moms
• Letter A – Alligator Printables from Lawteedah
• Alligator Printables and Activities from First School
• Alligator Paper Bag Puppet from Imagination Express Preschool
• A is for Alligator Craft by Anna from The Measured Mom at Crystal & Co.
• Stand-Up Alligator from Crayola
• Box Tops Eating Alligator Craft from B-Inspired Mama
• Heart Alligator Printable from Housing a Forest
• Alligator Valentine from Our Blessed Adventures
• Printable Alligator Mask from Maskspot
• Printable Alligator Craft from Learn Create Love
• Alligator Paper Craft from DLTK’s Crafts for Kids
• Printable Monkeys for “Teasing Mr. Alligator” Rhyme from Preschool Alphabet
• Preschool Alligator Songs from We Love Being Moms
• Printable Alligator Valentine from Skip to My Lou
• Clothespin Alligator Crunch Valentine from
• Alligator Printables from Teachers Pay Teachers

Helpful Animal Classification Posts

• Living and Non-Living
• Plant and Animal Sorting
• Montessori Animal Classification
• Living Montessori Now
• Montessori-Inspired Animal Units