Fun at Home! The piece, Carnival of the Animals was written by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns in 1887. Saint-Saëns uses a variety of instruments and techniques in this exciting piece to portray these animals, which have become a well-loved way to introduce instruments and classical music to kids. For this activity, use the links below to listen to this piece. After each movement, take a minute to pause the video and answer the questions for each animal. What instruments did you hear? What can you picture the animals doing? There are no wrong answers when it comes to the imagination, so have fun with it!

Introduction and Royal March of the Lion (0:00-2:25)

• How can you tell when the Lion comes in? What does the Lion sound like?
• Can you stomp your feet to the beat?
  

Hens and Roosters (2:25-3:15)

• What instruments do you hear?
• What can you imagine the chickens doing?
  

Wild Donkeys (3:15-3:53)

• What you hear in this movement are scales going up and down. What do you think the donkeys are doing based on this sound?
  

Tortoises (3:53-6:02)

• Does this music sound familiar to you (Hint: Can-Can). What is different about Tortoises compared to the Can-Can?
• What are the tortoises doing in this movement?
  

The Elephant (6:02-7:38)

• How do the instruments represent a big elephant?
  

Kangaroos (7:38-8:37)

• Can you hear the kangaroos hopping in this movement? Can you hop around every time the piano plays their notes and stop when the piano stops? Let’s see!
  

Aquarium (8:37-11:07)

• What animals can you picture in the aquarium and why?
  

Personages with Long Ears (11:07-12:01)

• What animals do you think this movement is portraying? (Hint: They have already appeared in this piece and “bray”)
  

The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods (12:01-14:10)

• What instrument in this movement represents the Cuckoo?
• a) Clarinet
• b) Piano
• c) Trumpet
  

Aviary (14:10-15:30)

• What animal does the music make you think of?
• What instrument represents the bird and what is it doing?
  

Pianists (15:30-16:58)

• This movement is mimicking something that musicians are supposed to practice. Do you know what it is? (Hint: the movement of the Wild Donkeys features this)
  

Fossils (16:58-18:18)

• In this movement, we hear a repeated phrase by the xylophone. What does this instrument sound like to you?
• What can you picture the fossils doing?
  

The Swan (18:18-21:17)

• When you listen to this movement, what are you imagining in your head and what about the music makes you imagine that?
  

Finale (21:17-23:18)

• The Carnival is in town! What animals do you hear taking a bow?
  

Integration alert! Draw a picture of your favorite animal from the piece and share it with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bellinghamsymphony/.

Need a copy of the book and music? Here is our favorite version by Jack Prelutsky with illustrations by Mary GrandPré. You can order it from Village Books to support a local business and have it shipped straight to your home.