Family Pets....

​Children love learning about animals.  The topic of pets can be especially  engaging and relatable for children as they may have personal experience with a pet already.  Since pets are animals that can typically be seen in a child's own environment, children may have existing knowledge that they are excited to share and expand on.  While learning about pets, children can explore the concepts of respecting living things and begin to understand what their basic needs are.  Just like people, pets need food, water shelter and love.  We also discussed just like people need to visit the doctor pets go to the vet.  
There are hundreds of different breeds of dogs in many colors and sizes.  Dogs are a common pet to have in a household and make excellent companions.  Some dogs can learn tricks.  Dogs can make many different sounds when they bark.  The younger children made dog shakers, we filled a tube with beans and the older children made dog puppets.  
Cats are popular pets.  They are known to sleep for most of the day but can be very playful as well.  Cats' whiskers help them sense their surroundings and their long tail helps them balance.  We created our own cat headbands. 
Goldfish are a common type of pet fish.  They are able to live many years if cared for properly, and prefer to live with at least one other goldfish in their tank.  Many people are surprised to discover that goldfish are quite smart and can display unique personalties.  We created a fishbowl using markers, pipe cleaners, paper and tissue paper.