Mandarin for Preschoolers: Animal Sounds Coloring Book (Woof, Moo and Quack in Chinese)

By the end you can

• Make twelve animal sounds in Chinese. From 汪汪 for the puppy to 吱吱 for the mouse. Each big page has the animal's name and its sound to colour, say and act out.
  小狗汪汪 · xiǎogǒu wāngwāng · The puppy says woof woof
• Answer the question on every page. You ask how the animal goes with 怎么叫, and your child answers with the sound, then you colour the page together.
  小狗怎么叫？ · Xiǎogǒu zěnme jiào? · What does the puppy say?
• Act out each animal. Wag a tail, stretch like a kitten, walk slowly like a cow, waddle like a duck, buzz like a bee and jump like a frog.
  摇摇摆摆 · yáoyáo bǎibǎi · Waddle, waddle
• Play a game with every pair of animals. Puppy or kitten, cow and lamb, duck or hen: you make one sound, and your child does that animal's action.
  汪汪！喵喵！ · Wāngwāng! Miāomiāo! · Woof woof! Meow meow!
• Point to the animal when they hear its sound. On page 15 the audio plays the sounds alone. Your child points to the animal, then you play peekaboo and guess who is hiding.
  谁在叫？ · Shéi zài jiào? · Who is making that sound?
• Go on an animal parade. Cut out the picture cards, then walk a finger past the farm and the zoo and make each animal's sound as you pass.
  小猫喵喵，小狗汪汪！ · Xiǎomāo miāomiāo, xiǎogǒu wāngwāng! · The kitten says meow, the puppy says woof!

What’s inside

• Dog and Cat: Color the Puppy: Woof Woof · Color the Kitten: Meow Meow
• Cow and Sheep: Color the Cow: Moo Moo · Color the Lamb: Baa Baa
• Duck and Chicken: Color the Duckling: Quack Quack · Color the Hen: Cluck Cluck
• Pig and Bee: Color the Piglet: Oink Oink · Color the Bee: Buzz Buzz
• Frog and Bird: Color the Frog: Ribbit Ribbit · Color the Little Bird: Tweet
• Lion and Mouse: Color the Lion: Roar · Color the Mouse: Squeak Squeak
• Who Says That?: Who Says That? Listen and Peek
• Animal cards: Animal Sound Picture Cards
• All together: A Walk Past the Farm and the Zoo

How to use this book

Twelve animals in six pairs. One animal or one pair a day, 5 to 10 minutes. You read aloud; your child colours, listens, points and makes the sounds.

1. 1 minute: Hear the sound. Play the page's line on the free audio and say it back together in the pause.
2. 6 minutes: Colour. Colour the animal while you both make its sound.
3. 2 minutes: Act it out. Do the page's action together: wag, waddle, roll, buzz, jump or roar.
4. 1 minute: Ask the question. Ask how the animal goes, such as 小狗怎么叫？, and let your child answer with the sound.
5. After the twelve animals: Games and parade. Play the listening game on page 15, cut out the cards on page 16 and take the walk past the farm and the zoo on page 17.

Who it’s for

Children aged 2 to 4 with a parent, carer or nursery teacher reading aloud. Your child doesn't need to read anything.

Before you start: Nothing. You don't need to speak Chinese: every line has pinyin and English and is on the free audio, with a pause to say it back. You'll need crayons.

Frequently asked questions

Which animals are in the book?

Twelve, in six pairs: puppy and kitten, cow and lamb, duckling and hen, piglet and little bee, frog and little bird, lion and mouse. Each has its own big page to colour.

Do Chinese animals really make different sounds?

The animals don't, but the words do. A frog says ribbit in English and 呱呱 in Chinese, a bee says buzz and 嗡嗡, and a lion roars 吼. Children love hearing that animals talk differently in each language.

Does my child need to read?

No. You read the page aloud; your child colours, listens, points and makes the sounds. There is nothing to correct at this age: praise every try and say the sound back.

How do we use the audio?

Scan the QR code on page 2 or play it from this page. Every line is recorded with a pause after it, so play a line, then say it back together. For the game on page 15 the audio plays the sounds on their own.

What else is there for this age?

Mandarin Circle Time for Preschoolers has eight short daily routines for ages 2 to 4, and Mandarin for Toddlers: Rhymes, Action Games and Coloring (Ages 2–4) has ten short rhymes to say and act out.

Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 21-page PDF is free, and you can look through its pages here before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay.

Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

Can I print copies for my class or my children?

Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy.

Keep going

Mandarin for Toddlers: Rhymes, Action Games and Coloring (Ages 2–4) · Mandarin Circle Time for Preschoolers: Immersion-Style Routines to Do at Home · Mandarin for Kids: Animals & Fruit · Colors and Numbers in Chinese for Kids: Printable Worksheets (Ages 4–6) · Browse all 294 workbooks