Tips For Teaching Our Kids Love Of Animals

This is a question that should be part of the lives of the little ones as soon as possible: that they should not only love their pets, but also all wild species on the planet.

As parents we must teach our children to respect and value all species around us. Starting with pets, we can teach our children to love animals.  I would like how? In this article, we’ll tell.

Teach our children love of animals

There are things that seem obvious to us when we are adults, but at some point someone took it upon themselves to teach us. In the case of love for animals, it is a habit that has to be cultivated from an early age. So if you have children, pay attention to the following advice:

1. teach by example

It’s critical that your little ones see you doing whatever you want them to do.

Because you can’t tell them to love animals if they later see their own parent mistreating a stray dog. Being congruent with our actions applies to whatever habits we want to teach our descendants.

When it comes to love for animals,  your children should see that you treat pets well at home – or in other homes – and in situations that are out of the ordinary:  if we go to a farm, the beach or the countryside, keep it the same posture.

1. let go of fears

We are not only referring to the mistreatment or respect for a living being, but also the sensations or emotions that produce us. For example, if we are afraid of a spider and in front of our child we scream when we see one, it is likely that the child is also afraid of an  arachnid.

1. allow them to explore

Another way to teach our children love of animals is to let them have contact with them, as long as we take the necessary precautions. If a dog or  cat  is too skittish, the little one should just bond with them when they want to get close.

How to do it then?  You can take them to the park more often to enjoy the insects or birds. Let your children pet the pets of a family member or friend; go to the countryside or the beach so that the children can get to know the fauna of these places, etc.

But be careful, because  exploring is not taking them to the zoo to see the animals incarcerated and outside their natural habitat.  Some parents think this teaches, but in fact it fosters suffering for many species.

1. teach them to care

If we have pets at home,  our children can actively participate in care and maintenance activities.  Obviously, depending on your age and abilities. Things as simple as filling the feeder or drinking fountain, cleaning up waste, or putting on a leash to go to the park can kick-start a child’s love of animals.

As they grow, it is possible to increase these tasks or obligations: take them for a walk, accompany them to the vet, bathe, clean their beds, vacuum the floor to remove hair, etc.

1. Watch movies

Cartoons have many ‘hidden’ teachings that can be turned into the trigger for teaching our children to love animals. After the movie ends, you can talk about the topic and the children can give their opinions about it.

Some animal movie choices for kids are:  Finding Nemo, The Ice Age, Brother Bear, Madagascar, The  Forestless,  and  The Secret Life of Animals.

The internet videos can also be of great help for the little ones to have contact with animals other  than the ones they see every day. And, of course, there are always books that include photographs or images for children to learn about different species of remote ecosystems, such as the North Pole, the jungle or the  desert.