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Nocturnal Animals Worksheets

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A picture list of nocturnal animals, a day or night sort, a cut and paste sort, a read-aloud page and a night animal drawing page.

Download the nocturnal animals worksheets

List of nocturnal animals

Six night animals with pictures and a simple fact for each.

Day or night sorts

Circle day or night, or cut and paste the animals.

Read aloud and draw

A short story with picture questions, then a night animal to draw.

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

About these nocturnal animals worksheets

Nocturnal animals sleep during the day and wake up at night. Owls, bats, raccoons, foxes, moths and fireflies all do their hunting, eating and exploring in the dark.

These nocturnal animals worksheets start with a list of six nocturnal animals with detailed line drawings and a simple fact for each. Children then circle day or night under a dozen animals, cut and paste animals under day or night, listen to a short story and circle answers, and draw a night animal under the moon.

Animals that are awake in the day are called diurnal, like bees, butterflies, chipmunks and people. Day and night patterns are studied in grade 1 (1-ESS1-1); here children connect them to what animals need, like finding food safely.

Standards

  • NGSS K-LS1-1Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
  • NGSS 1-ESS1-1Grade 1 standard, used here for context: use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
  • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.B.3Classify objects into given categories; count the numbers of objects in each category and sort the categories by count.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5.ASort common objects into categories (e.g., shapes, foods) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K.1With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.2Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

How to use them

  1. Read the nocturnal animals list aloud. Ask your child which ones they have seen or heard.
  2. Use the day or night page and the cut and paste page to sort. Answer keys are on page 2.
  3. Read the story aloud and talk about how big eyes and big ears help in the dark.
  4. Finish with the night animal drawing page.

Teaching tips

  • Turn off the lights and use a flashlight to look at the pictures, like a night walk.
  • Many nocturnal animals have big eyes or big ears. Look for them in the pictures.
  • Some animals, like deer and cats, are busiest at dawn and dusk. The sorts use animals that are clearly day or night.
  • Look for fireflies on a summer evening: they flash their lights to talk to each other.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What does nocturnal mean?

Nocturnal means awake and active at night. Nocturnal animals sleep during the day.

What are some nocturnal animals?

Owls, bats, raccoons, foxes, moths, fireflies, hedgehogs, skunks, mice and crickets.

Why are some animals nocturnal?

Night is cooler and quieter, and there are fewer animals around that might eat them. Many find their food at night, too.

What is the opposite of nocturnal?

Diurnal. Diurnal animals, like people, bees and butterflies, are awake during the day.