What Is a Giraffe?
A giraffe is a mammal. It has fur, breathes air and has four hooves.
Giraffes eat leaves and flowers. They live in grassy places and open woodlands.
Giraffe
A giraffe is a very tall animal. It has a long neck, long legs and a spotty coat. Giraffes live in Africa.
Fun Facts About Giraffes
- A baby giraffe is called a calf.
- A giraffe uses its long neck to reach leaves.
- Every giraffe has its own patch pattern.
- A giraffe can sleep while standing up.
Easy learning for little ones
Talk and Move
Try one short prompt at a time. Children can point, speak or copy the movement.
- 1
Point to the giraffe's long neck.
- 2
Say “giraffe” and reach up high.
- 3
Pretend to nibble a leaf from a tall tree.
Home, Food and Movement
- Home: grasslands and open woodlands
- Food: leaves and flowers
- Movement: walks and runs
- Sound: snorts, grunts and hums
Easy Practice Sentences
Easy: I see a giraffe.
Medium: The giraffe has a long neck.
Challenge: The giraffe reaches up to eat leaves.
Say each sentence aloud and point to the picture.
Activity Idea
Make a tall giraffe picture.
- Draw a giraffe beside a tall tree.
- Add a long neck and four long legs.
- Draw brown patches on its coat.
- Tell a grown-up what your giraffe eats.
This activity helps children draw, speak and notice shapes.
Giraffe Body Parts
- Neck: helps the giraffe reach high leaves
- Tongue: helps it pull leaves from trees
- Ears: help it hear
- Legs: help it walk and run
- Hooves: are the hard ends of its feet
Look and Think
- Can you point to the long neck?
- What colours can you see?
- How many legs does the giraffe have?
- Can you find its tail?
Learning Safely About Giraffes
- Giraffes are wild animals. Never go near one.
- Never touch or feed a giraffe.
- Stay with a grown-up at the zoo.
- Always stay behind the safety fence.
Compare and Think
- Giraffe and zebra: both eat plants, but a giraffe has a long neck.
- Giraffe and elephant: both are big. An elephant has a long trunk.
- Giraffe and lion: a giraffe eats plants. A lion eats meat.
Giraffe Social Life
Giraffes may walk, eat and rest together. A group of giraffes is called a tower.
A mother giraffe looks after her calf. The calf stays close while it grows.
Why Giraffes Need Protection
Giraffes need safe places to live. They also need trees, food and clean water.
People can protect the land where giraffes live.
Giraffe Words to Learn
- Calf: a young giraffe
- Patch: a coloured shape on a giraffe's fur
- Hoof: the hard end of a giraffe's foot
- Tower: a group of giraffes
- Habitat: an animal's home
Check understanding
Quick Questions
Say each answer aloud. Then check it with a grown-up.
Q1
What does a giraffe eat?
Answer
A giraffe eats leaves and flowers.
Q2
Why does a giraffe have a long neck?
Answer
Its neck helps it reach high leaves.
Q3
What is a baby giraffe called?
Answer
A baby giraffe is called a calf.
Q4
Where do wild giraffes live?
Answer
Wild giraffes live in Africa.