[Lisa]

I think animals are a great tool! They help children with responsibility and caring for another living thing. Children also enjoy taking care of the pets when they know what needs to be done, they just need to be taught the proper way to provide for the pet. We have a few at my center and we love them all so much!

[pam]

yes animals are a great teaching tool in the classroom. They can learn things like math and science and responsibility for caring for the animal.

[michelle]

I think animals are a very effective teaching tool in the classroom. I would consider an animal that is entertaining for students to watch but is generally unaffected by sound, such as a fish, because the chaos of the classroom can be difficult on the animal.

[Rose Rzeppa]

Yes. animals are an effective teaching tool. Kids will learn responsibility. Learn about different animals and their behaviors.

[Jordan]

Animals are an amazing addition to a classroom environment. As a mom and owner of a small farm, I can honestly say that having animals teaches so much to children. Life cycles, fundamental needs of different animals, regularly checking in on and tending to animals in many different ways, compassion, the list truly can go on!A fun way that I have incorporated them into my classroom is doing unit studies on the life cycles and parts of various animals that I own and bringing those animals in for the kids to visit with. We have hatched chicks and brooded them as a class and had a rabbit for a school year. It is all about what works for you and your classroom flow!

[Kristin]

The educator has an opportunity to foster further learning, compassion, and classroom unity.

[Mike Becklund]

I think pets can be a very valuable teaching tool. It does require finding the right animal.

[Tony Thede]

Pets can be a great addition to the classroom provided you have an animal that is age appropriate for the kids. If you don’t, kids can still learn about animals by using some of the following strategies. They can have a show and tell about pets they have at home. You can go on a field trip to a shelter or zoo. Another strategy is to set up a bird feeder or something to attract small animals that the children can observe in the classroom or outside of the classroom.

[Elizabeth Palmer]

I feel animals are a great tool for kids and learning. We have had hamsters in the past and the children learned how to handle the animal safely, responsibility for helping to feed the hamster and give it water. Currently we have a fish that the children enjoy watching swim around its tank.

[Gillian Reese]

Animals can be really effective in teaching children empathy and kindness. The kids can learn about how animals are like them. Animals can also be calming and great for managing behavior. One piece of guidance is to talk to the children about how to treat the animal before bringing the animal into the room.

[Kaitlin Hudspeth]

Animals in the classroom are a good teaching method because they are able to engage students in learning, teach them about personal responsibility, and encourage them to care for their environment.

[stephanie trader]

agree

[Colette Holmes]

Animals in a classroom are an effective teaching tool. You can teach empathy, responsibility and can also learn

[Karen Korol]

Animals are an amazingly effective teaching “tool” in an early learning classroom. The ability to care for, to promote linguistic/academic skills, to demonstrate compassion and engage students of all backgrounds is incredible. This is an opportunity that many of my students do not currently have with their home, and I would love to provide an additional hands on opportunity. One tip I would share is to strongly consider the needs of current and future students both for the benefit of the classroom environment and the animal as well.

[Trainer]

Great insights, Karen! Your focus on compassion and inclusivity highlights the transformative power of animals in education.

[Erik]

Yes, I do think animals can be an effective teaching tool because they naturally spark curiosity and help children build empathy and responsibility. One tip I’d share with teachers is to start small—choose an animal that is easy to care for and introduce it through guided observation so children learn how to be gentle and respectful from the very beginning.

[Trainer]

Great insights, Erik! Starting small and fostering empathy are key. Your tips on guided observation are especially valuable for teachers.