Why are children so fond of animals? From teddy bears to favourite TV
and cartoon characters, animals are a key part of a young child’s development.
Children’s educational specialist Stephanie Cooper has identified 5 key areas
where animals play an important role:
Finding out
Children love to discover more about animals, where and how they live and the
things they need.
The incredible richness and diversity of the animal kingdom makes it
fascinating for young minds to explore. Creatures of all shapes, colours and
sizes are all around us and provoke questions and thought – why do some animals
fly and others swim? Who eats who? Where do they live? Do fish sleep? Animals
inspire a natural desire to learn and acquire knowledge, and to have that
knowledge tested. They hold a fascination that begins in childhood and stays
with us throughout our lives – in some ways they are so much like us, and in
others they are so totally different.
Communication
Finding out more about animals encourages children to have fun with words and
pictures, by describing and questioning.
Children love seeing how animals behave and this includes hearing the sounds
they make. The simplicity of a ‘moo’ a ‘quack’ or a ‘woof’ makes them easy for
children to mimic. This in turn represents an early opportunity for imaginative
role play games.
The simple act of stroking a rabbit, or watching the penguins being fed at
the zoo, involve non-verbal communication and emotional responses such as
purring or smiling that strike a chord with children and help them to learn
about different ways of interacting.
Feeling good
Understanding and caring about other living things helps children to find out
more about themselves.
Children quickly learn that animals are living beings and as such share many
of our own characteristics. Children especially relate to small animals that,
like them, need to be looked after and cared for. By imagining animals to have
human feelings of happiness and sadness, children may learn to be kind and to
treat others with care and respect, which helps them to build their confidence
and self-esteem. Making connections between their own lives and actions and
those of the animals that surround them is both fascinating and reassuring for
children as they make sense of their world.
Maths
Looking at patterns, colours, shapes, numbers and measures in the animal
world helps children to develop mathematical skills.
The animal world contains many natural shapes and colours, which helps to make
learning fun and interesting – counting hairy spiders legs or cute little
piglets is infinitely more appealing than fingers or beads! And because the
numbers, colours and shapes appear in the ‘real’ world of animals, the content
is more relevant and more memorable – the white milk that they drink comes from
the brown cow that lives on the farm, the oval egg comes from the chicken that
says ‘cluck’ and the yummy honey comes from the buzzy bees in the garden!
Physical development
Looking at the way animals move helps children to learn little movements like
writing and drawing
Which is more fun? ‘Jump!’ or ‘Bounce like a kangaroo!’? ‘Run’ or ‘Run as fast
as a cheetah!’? Mimicking animal movements is imaginative and fun, providing an
ideal stimulus for varied physical exercise and development. Children can also
learn how to be gentle with insects and small animals, to move slowly so as not
to scare timid creatures, as well as stroking, patting, holding, cupping hands
for feeding, and tickling.
CBeebies Animals Magazine has developed an Animal Picture Maker game to mark
the launch of the magazine:
Benefits of the game
• Encourages spending fun time together with your child
• Enables learning about animals and where they live, including some noises
• Encourages your child to be creative by making a picture
• Helps child to develop their hand eye coordination and computer skills by
using the mouse
About Stephanie Cooper
Stephanie worked for 8 years in education specialising in the early years. She
was a teacher in two London boroughs before becoming deputy head teacher of a
large primary school in South London. After two years as an advisory teacher for
literacy, she spent two further years writing books for parents as well as
writing for magazines and newspapers.
Stephanie is now Group Editor of BBC Pre-school magazines at BBC Worldwide.
Inside The Minds Of
School-age Kids
How do we help our kids through tough times in school? I think the
biggest road block is finding out what is going on at school. Oh sure,
they will tell us about the comings and goings of kids and who got in
trouble during casual conversations in the car or at the dinner table.
But how often do they share the things that are worrying them most?
Aren't They All Our Children?
There may be no greater question for our generation. And how we answer that
question will determine the shape of our world for years to come...
Advantages Of Raising A Bilingual
Child
There is no doubt that raising a bilingual child takes a great deal of effort
and commitment from the parents. Is it worth it?
Motivating Your Children To Get Things
Done
If you have children, you know how hard it can be to get them to do the
things they should, and how frustrating. When the kids are distracted, convincing
them to take care of their household chores and other
responsibilities can be a real challenge.
Delightful Musical Activities and
Imaginative Play You Can Enjoy With Your Child
Today's parents are learning more about their child's unique developmental
process, and the shared learning experience that creates a unique bond as the
child associates learning with fun, musical play. Here are some delightful
activities you can do with your child.
How Old is Too Old to
Become a Mother? Britain's Oldest Mum-To-Be is 66.
The papers are full of the news about Elizabeth Munro, due to become the oldest
Mum in Britain at 66. As you might expect, there are opinions left, right and
sideways about whether this is "right." But on what grounds should this woman
and her pregnancy be judged, if at all?
Think You Know How to Handle These 10
Parenting Emergencies? Think Again!
There have been times over the years when I've seriously thought the words
"parenting" and "emergency" were one and the same. You probably have, too, as
kids tend to get into things when you turn your head for just a second. So,
let's look at some common emergency situations and see the wrong and right way
to handle them... Editor's note: I thought I was well-up on emergency
procedures and first aid, but this article has made me think again. Well worth
reading!
