| This
Issue’s Theme:
Pets and Other Animals
The desire to nurture is instinctual
in all people, even during the preschool years.
Developing nurturing skills in children teaches
them kindness, empathy and love. Animals provide
little ones with a wonderful outlet for those nurturing
tendencies, whether it’s an animal at the
zoo, the bird that nests in your tree or the beloved
family pet. Try the Learning Triangle on this page
to encourage caring for and understanding animals. |
Watch
Fetch With Ruff Ruffman
Weekdays at 10 a.m.
This exciting new show focuses
on real-world science, featuring children who pursue
questions, conduct experiments and actively investigate
the world around them. |
Activity 1: Visit a Pet Shop
1. Prepare for the trip. Ask the
children what kinds of animals they think they will
see at the pet shop. Remind them of safety rules.
2. Visit the pet shop and discuss
the different kinds of pets. Talk about how to care
for a pet. If you feel the children can be gentle,
and if the animal is well-behaved, ask the clerk
to allow each child to hold the animal for a few
minutes.
3. When you return, reflect on
what the children saw at the pet shop. They can
draw pictures that can then be turned into a book
about the trip. Be sure to write down their descriptions
of the pictures.
From Barney’s Watch, Play
& Learn, 1998, Lyrick Studios. |
Activity 2: If I Had a Pet
Materials:
• Paper
• Crayons or markers
1. Ask the children if they have
pets and ask them to describe their pets. If they
do not have a pet, ask what kind of pet they would
like to have. Ask: How many legs does it have? Does
it have fur? Is it big or little? Where does it
sleep? What does it eat?
2. Have the children draw their
pets. See if they can come up with names for their
pets.
3. Write the name of the pet at
the bottom of the picture.
From Mister Rogers’ Plan
& Play Book, 1998, Family Communications,
Inc. |
Dear Zoo: A Lift the Flap
Book
By Rod Campbell
James Herriot’s Treasury
for Children: Warm and Joyful Tales
By James Herriot
Good Dog, Carl
By Alexandra Day |
The Mixed-Up Chameleon
By Eric Carle
I’ll Always Love You
By Hans Wilhelm
My Animals/Mis Animales
By Rebecca Emberley |
