Pets
Children of all ages are interested in pets because they can have real-life, up-close contact with exciting animals. Many pets offer a sensory experience and children can touch feathers, fur or scales. Pets often display fun behaviour and go through dramatic life changes (e.g. laying eggs and transforming into butterflies).
Popular childcare pets include fish, chickens and other birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, worms, and insects. At home, children may also have dogs, cats or horses. Keeping pets can be rewarding and challenging. Some early childhood centres keep many pets while others choose to have none at all.
The educational benefits of pets include social awareness.
EYLF learning outcomes
Pets aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework as it:
- involves connecting with groups of people (2.1)
- promotes social wellbeing (3.1)
- encourages children to connect with people (4.4).
Learning experiences
Design a life for a stuffed animal
Pretend a stuffed animal is your classroom pet. Design an identity for it. This project works with all age groups and can be simple or complex.
Where does it live — can we build a home for it? What is its name?
What does it eat? Make pretend food and ask children to feed it regularly.
What sort of shelter does it need? Design and make a house for your animal.
Learn about life cycles. Surprise the children one day with a baby soft toy!