Resources
Connecting Animals and Children In Early Childhood
Animals are a central part of every child's landscape. Author Patty Born Selly uses this reality to delve into the positive effects interaction with animals has on children. This resource examines the basic qualities that make animals so appealing to children, explains how animals impact children's cognitive, social-emotional, and intrapersonal development and growth, introduces authentic experiences with animals that are supportive of children's understanding and learning, and respectful to both animals and people, and discusses how to bring animals into your classroom with suggestions for planning, ideas for finding the right pet, and resources for making the experiences meaningful.