Animals & Childern
The connection between children and animals is incredibly beneficial and enriching for young minds. Animals can evoke strong emotional responses in children, helping them to express joy, excitement, and even manage feelings of anxiety or sadness. Interacting with animals provides children with opportunities to develop social skills; they learn about care-giving, nurturing, and empathy. Animals light up children’s curiosity. Children, especially, have a natural affinity for animals.
Encounters with animals can stimulate questions and exploration. What seems to be universally true is that just about any child you ask will be able to tell you something they love about animals. Ask a
shy child what her favourite animal is, and they’ll open up right away.
Animals can provide comfort and support for children. They can be great listeners, offering a non-judgmental presence that can be comforting for a child.
Through interactions with animals, children can learn about personalities, assertiveness, vulnerability,
and the importance of treating all living beings with respect.
Children not only need spaces to run and play in nature, they also need opportunities to connect with
living animals. Animals offer a unique window into another world.
