Teaching kids to behave properly is never an easy job, especially teaching them to love the people around them and live a responsible life. However, are there any simple ways to achieve these goals?

Professional childhood psychologists suggest that the concept of love and responsibility, etc. can be simply introduced during the time the children interact with their pets and play with those ‘little buddies.’

The multi-level of development project named ‘Our little Friends’ at Kindy City International Preschool aims at helping kids to develop their cognitive and socio-emotional skills towards the pets with a number of diverse activities in March.

Under the guidance of the teachers, students got to know the lives of ‘underwater friends’ using a pasting activity called ‘sending the fish to the tank’ and witnessing the fish swimming in enjoyment.

Gazing at the ‘flying buddies’ such as Scarlet Macaws, Australian Cockatoos, African Grey Parrots, Alexandrine Parakeets, Goulian Finch and Budgerigars…, students were taught how to distinguish the different characteristics of bird – parrots species and to name them correctly. When allowed to pet these birds, the students were pretty anxious at first. Their hands shook in anxiety yet the excitement in their eyes expressed that they were eager to make friends with these new playmates.

Later, they were more confident to let the birds stand on their arms.

Encouraging the birds to try the food.

The students were welcomed to school by the Russian cats, British cats and Persian cats, together with the energetic barks and the jumping motions of the puppies, namely little Pug, Mini Schnauzer, Corgi.

The students overcame their shyness to touch their cats’ fur and then yelled in joy ‘Wow, the cats are indeed really nice and their fur is so soft.’

Getting to know the puppies.

The kids also got a chance to play with the popular foreign white hedgehog with spiky hair.

With Chipmunk, Teddy Guinea Pig and African Pacman Frog.

Among these ‘new pals,’ some rabbits were scared to meet the students. Their nervous motions intrigued the kids and they could not stop looking at the rabbits.

Not only introduced about the typical food, travelling method and habits of each pet, the students also learned how to protect and take care of them by decorating the pet bags, at the same time, their fine motor skills were enhanced by sketching and folding paper to make the dog’s face.

Painting black and white patches on the cow’s back.

Pets are not just loyal friends to play with, they also teach the children some essential traits like loyalty, sense of responsibility and love for the animals around them.

Pets can create positive bonding between kids and their families. Therefore, it is crucial to choose the appropriate pet for the children, more importantly, the health and safety of the kids and their pets must be of top priority.