May 19, 2021 by Nicole Canún Spanish for Kids 0 comments

Animal Parts and Anatomy (Free Spanish Lessons for Kids)

Animals inspire empathy and fascination in kids, so I created this guide to animal parts in Spanish just for you!

The best way to interest your little one in learning a new language is to find an interesting topic that captures their attention.

In this lesson, you get downloadable and printable pictures of animals and their body parts in both Spanish and English. They’re categorized by animal and by function, including the animal digestive system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and skeletal system.

Find the fill in the blanks worksheet and after that, a matching game. They will strengthen your child skills on animal body parts.

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Elephant – El Elefante

Elephants are Earth’s largest animales terrestres (land animals). They have the heaviest cerebro (brain) and are known for their amazing capacidad de memoria (memory capacity).

Their most unique physical characteristic is a trompa (trunk). With it they drink water and reach for food. Elephants have the world’s best sense of smell. But when it comes to animal parts, that’s not the only interesting one. Read ahead to find out more!

Did you know not all of the elephants’ dedos de los pies (toes) have uñas (nails)? The elefante africano (African elephant) has 4 nails on its front toes and only 3 on its back toes. In contrast, the elefante asiático (Asian elephant) has 5 and 4 respectively.

This list of animal parts includes skin since it is important to elephants. Its thickness and wrinkles enable them to endure heat and sunlight.

Two eyes – Los dos ojos
One trunk – Una trompa
Two tusks – Los dos colmillos
Four legs – Las cuatro patas
Twenty toes – Los veinte dedos de los pies
Two ears – Las dos orejas
Tail – La cola
Skin – La piel
Head – La cabeza
Mouth and lips – La boca y los labios
Toenails – Las uñas de los pies

Elephant Respiratory System – Sistema respiratorio del elefante

These majestic animals can breathe both through their trunks and their mouths. See the rest of their animal respiratory organs on this chart:

Lungs – Los pulmones
Nares – Las fosas nasales
Mouth – El hocico
Trunk – La trompa

Elephant Digestive System – Sistema digestivo del elefante

Elephants are herbívoros (herbivores). They spend around 16 hours a day feeding, consuming approximately 300 to 600 pounds of food along with 25 to 50 gallons of water every day!

Mouth – El hocico
Molar teeth – Las muelas
Tongue – La lengua
Salivary glands – Las glándulas salivales
Liver – El hígado
Pancreas – El páncreas
Pharynx – La faringe
Oesophagus – El esófago
Stomach – El estómago
Small intestine – El intestino delgado
Large intestine – El intestino grueso

Elephant Cardiovascular System – Sistema cardiovascular del elefante

Elephant hearts laten (beat) at a much slower rate (28 per minute) than humans (70 per minute). They also pumps sangre (blood) much harder.

Heart – El corazón
Veins – Las venas
Arteries – Las arterias
Ventricle – El ventrículo

Elephant Skeletal System – Sistema esquelético del elefante

Bones are the most important animal parts for an elephant. To support their large body, elephant bones are big and heavy. They have at least 326 and up to 351. The skeletal systems of all mammals are similar.

Vertebrae – Las vértebras
Spine – La espina dorsal
Cranium / skull – El cráneo
Mandible – La mandíbula
Tusks – Los colmillos
Molars – Las muelas
Ribs – Las costillas
Thorax – El tórax
Hip – La cadera
Tail vertebrae – Las vértebras de la cola

Bird – El Pájaro

When someone says pájaros (birds), we automatically think of animals that can volar (fly), but not all of them do. Some have evolved their wings for swimming like penguins and ratites. Find below how else we are different from them and learn their animal body parts.

Birds are not mamíferos (mammals). Although they are also warm-blooded vertebrates, they have toothless beaks, colored feathers and wings. They also share some organs and their functions with other creatures.

Beak – El pico
Legs – Las patas
Feathers – Las plumas
Tail – La cola
Wings – Las alas
Eyes – Los ojos
Head – La cabeza

Bird Respiratory System – Sistema Respiratorio de las Aves

No living being has a more complex animal respiratory system than birds. While 25% of the air goes to the lungs, the rest is housed in cavities in the bones. Bird animal body parts and their functions can really surprise us.

Trachea – La tráquea
Cervical air sacs – Las bolsas de aire cervicales
Humerus air sacs – Los sacos de aire del húmero
Primary bronchi – Los bronquios primarios
Thoracic air sacs – Las bolsas de aire torácicas
Lungs – Los pulmones
Abdominal air sacs – Los sacos de aire abdominales

Bird Digestive System – Sistema Digestivo de las Aves

Birds’ diets include plantas (plants), frutas (fruits), semillas (seeds) and even other little birds. Their animal digestive system is unique since they can store food and grind it with swallowed stones inside the gizzard. They are toothless, remember?

Esophagus – El esófago
Gizzard – La molleja
Liver – El hígado
Pancreas – El páncreas
Caeca – El ciego
Small and large intestine – Los intestinos delgado y grueso

Bird Cardiovascular System – Sistema cardiovascular de las aves

Birds have an efficient circulatory system to fulfill the constant demands of flying. When the blood is pumped around the body, it also carries and transports the following:

Nutrientes (nutrients)
Oxígeno (oxigen)
Dióxido de carbono (carbon dioxide)
Hormonas (hormones)
Calor (heat)
Desechos (waste products)

Heart – El corazón
Common carotid – La carótida común
Systemic arch – El arco sistémico
Coeliac – La celiaca
First renal – La primera renal
Iliac – La iliaca

Bird Skeletal System – Sistema esquelético de las aves

Birds’ skeletons are light so they can fly. Their bones are hollow and thin.

Caudal vertebra – La vértebra caudal
Ribs – Las costillas
Sternum – El esternón
Cranium – El cráneo
Mandible – La mandíbula
Phalanges – Las falanges

Explore more FREE SPANISH LESSONS FOR KIDS! ➡️
Enjoy over 70 unique lessons + free activity packets to download.

Octopus – El Pulpo

Octopus bodies are incredibly flexible. They alter their shape to fit into small hiding places.Their vision is excellent. Octopi are some of the most intelligent creatures on the planet!

If I say octopus, you immediately think of tentacles. They’re the most iconic animal body part of these extraordinary animals. Their whole bodies are rare and fascinating. This list is proof:

Poison gland – La glándula venenosa
Cephalic vein – La vena cefálica
Ink sac – El saco de tinta
Tentacles – Los tentáculos
Eyes – Los ojos
Suckers – Las ventosas

Octopus Respiratory System – Sistema respiratorio del pulpo

An octopus draws water through a cavity and expels it through a siphon. That’s how they propel their bodies. This means that their movement is related to their breathing. It’s as complex and fascinating as it sounds.

Mantle – El manto
Mantle cavity – La cavidad del manto
Branchial canal – El canal branquial
Gills – Las branquias
Siphon – El sifón

Octopus Digestive System – Sistema digestivo del pulpo

Just like birds, octopuses store food only to later divide it into fluids and solids. Afterwards different membranas (membranes) absorb nutrients and waste is discarded.

Buccal mass – La masa bucal
Esophagus – El esófago
Salivary glands – Las glándulas salivales
Digestive gland – La glándula digestiva
Digestive gland duct – El ducto de la glándula digestiva
Stomach – El estómago
Caecum – El ciego
Intestine – El intestino
Appendages – Los apéndices

Octopus Cardiovascular System – Sistema cardiovascular del pulpo

Did you know octopi have 3 hearts? One of them remains inactive while swimming. Of these 3 animal parts, one has the function of pumping blood throughout the body while the other two supply blood only for the two gills.

Circulatory system – El sistema circulatorio
Systemic heart – El corazón sistémico
Branchial hearts – Los corazones branquiales

Dog – El Perro

The dog is the most variable species of the world in terms of size, colors, ears, tails, and hair. The smallest known dog was less than 4 inches long and weighed 4 ounces. The tallest one was 42 inches long and weighed 314 pounds!

For dogs, the most characteristic thing is how they use their cola (tail) to communicate emociones (emotions). It’s easy for humans to decipher what they mean with a few body movements including moviendo la cola (wagging their tails).

Two ears – Las dos orejas
Two eyes – Los dos ojos
Two eyebrows – Las dos cejas
Nose – La nariz
Head – La cabeza
Neck – El cuello
Body – El cuerpo
Chest – El pecho
Back – La espalda
Tail – La cola
Fur – El pelo
Four paws – Las cuatro patas

Dog Respiratory System – Sistema respiratorio del perro

Dogs breathe by bringing air through their noses and mouths through their tracheas and bronchi into the lungs. This system is shared by many mammals.

Nasal cavity – La cavidad nasal
Sinuses – Los senos nasales
Lungs – Los pulmones
Larynx – La laringe
Trachea – La tráquea
Diaphragm – El diafragma

Dog Digestive System – Sistema digestivo del perro

Dogs can’t chew from side to side due to their diet. While humans need to chew a lot to grind grains and vegetables, dogs only need to rip and swallow meat.

Esophagus – El esófago
Duodenum – El duodeno
Teeth – Los dientes
Tongue – La lengua
Liver – El hígado
Pancreas – El páncreas
Intestines – Los intestinos
Gallbladder – La vesícula biliar
Stomach – El estómago

Dog Cardiovascular System – Sistema cardiovascular del perro

Dogs get heartburn. They produce more acid than humans do, so their diet is crucial. Their animal digestive system is 3 times faster and more efficient than humans’.

Jugular – La yugular
Carotid artery – La arteria carotida
Aorta – La aorta
Femoral artery – La arteria femoral
Heart – El corazón
Spleen – El bazo

Dog Skeletal System – Sistema esquelético del perro

Dogs have around 320 bones (humans only have 206). Some of the extra ones have to do with the extra teeth and tail vertebrae.

Skull – El cráneo
Orbit – La órbita
Maxillary – El maxilar
Scapula – La escápula
Phalanges – Las falanges
Rib cage – La caja torácica
Caudal vertebrae – Las vértebras caudales

Turtle – La Tortuga

Giant tortoises have been objects of study for centuries for a reason. This fascinating creature can be up to 7 feet long and weigh more than 660 lbs. But you can also hold a little one on the palm of your hand.

Turtles are known for their shell made of cartílago (cartilage) that works as a shield. They can retract their neck. Their heritage goes back to Jurassic times!

Shell – La concha
Tail – La cola
Front legs – Las patas delanteras
Hind legs – Las patas traseras
Claws – Las garras
Marginal shield – El escudo marginal
Eyes – Los ojos
Nose – La nariz
Mouth – La boca
Mandible – La mandíbula
Neck – El cuello
Head – La cabeza

Turtle Respiratory System – Sistema respiratorio de la tortuga

Cloacal respiration is a unique system that turtles have where they breathe… through their butts. They get oxygen by moving water against their bodies, which are covered with blood vessels. And what part of the turtle’s bodies have the most blood vessels? You guessed it: their butts.

Mouth – La boca
Trachea – La tráquea
Larynx – La laringe
Lungs – Los pulmones
Bronchus – Los bronquios
Glottis – La glotis

Turtle Digestive System – Sistema digestivo de la tortuga

Land turtles eat gusanos (worms), caracoles (snails), cienpies (caterpillars), escarabajos (beetles), fruta (fruit), hongos (mushrooms), flores (flowers), and carroña (carrion). Talk about a balanced diet!

Colon – El colon
Kidney – El riñon
Stomach – El estómago
Bladder – La vejiga
Small intestine – El intestino delgado
Esophagus – El esófago
Liver – El hígado
Large intestine – El intestino grueso
Spleen – El bazo
Gallbladder – La vesícula biliar

Turtle Cardiovascular System – Sistema cardiovascular de la tortuga

Pulmonary vein – La vena pulmonar
Left atrium – La aurícula izquierda
Right atrium – La aurícula derecha
Systemic capillaries – Los capilares sistémicos
Heart chambers – Las cámaras del corazón

Turtle Skeletal System – Sistema esquelético de la tortuga

Turtles have no muscles between their ribs, which makes it easier for them to have a hard exoskeleton where some of their bones are fused together.

Mandible – La mandíbula
Pelvic girdle – La cintura pélvica
Back bone – La columna vertebral
Ulna – El cúbito
Radius – El radio

Butterfly – La Mariposa

Butterflies are the poster child of transformation. Their animal body parts change when they morph from a caterpillar into a completely different animal?

Most butterflies have colorful wings. Other parts of a butterfly include

Antenna – Las antenas
Thorax – El tórax
Compound eye – El ojo compuesto
Head – La cabeza
Legs – Las patas
Abdomen – El abdomen
Forewing – El ala delantera
Hind wing – El ala trasera
Wing veins – Las venas de las alas

Butterfly Respiratory System – Sistema respiratorio de la mariposa

Butterflies don’t have lungs, they breathe through little side holes called spiracles that carry oxygen throughout their bodies.

Butterfly Digestive System – Sistema digestivo de la mariposa

These beautiful insects feed almost exclusively on fluids. They drink nectar with their tongue in the form of a straw, which coils and uncoils.

Proboscis – La probóscide
Digestive tract – El tracto digestivo
Malpighian tubules – Túbulos de Malpigui

Butterfly Cardiovascular System – Sistema cardiovascular de la mariposa

Butterflies don’t need blood movement to obtain oxygen, so their circulatory system is simple. Blood goes from heart to abdomen, head, and back to the heart.

Heart – El corazón
Dorsal vessel – El vaso dorsal
Conducting vessel – El vaso conductor

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Nicole Canún

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Blogger, content creator, and marketer. Proudly Mexican. Been to 30 countries. I love learning from different cultures and trying their cuisines. Obsessed with Asia. Fluent in Spanish and English, not so much in French.