From teddy bears to favourite TV and cartoon characters, animals are a key part of a young child's development. Children's educational specialist and ex-deputy head Stephanie Cooper has identified five key areas where animals play an important role

Finding out things

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 also 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 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', 'quack' or '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, involves non-verbal communication and emotional responses 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 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.

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