Buy a Baby Beaver This Weekend!
Wouldn't your children love this rather unusual but really cute little pet?
ADDED May 21, 2010
Some people like dogs for pets. Others prefer cats. Some people enjoy having lizards, turtles, birds, and goldfish -- the list goes on and on. But why doesn't anyone want a baby beaver for a pet? Of course, the wood in your house would be in danger of getting gnawed, but still, doesn't the cuteness more than make up for a little minor damage?
Well, this weekend we're encouraging you to purchase a baby beaver for your children.
So for today's activity, say to your kids, "We're going to get a new pet: a baby beaver. What types of things will we need to buy for the baby beaver? And will we need to change our house at all for him?"
My kids -- six and four years old -- decided we'd keep the baby beaver on the patio. We'd need to build a long stream and a wide pond for him. (And we might need to use some of the neighbor's yard, too.) We'd have to get a lot of sticks and branches, both for gnawing and beaver home-building.
The kids didn't know what beavers eat, so we had to look in a book. Turns out they eat a lot of tree bark (go figure), as well as berries and water plants. So we'll have to stock up on those items, too.
Maybe a beaver isn't just right for your family. How about a cheetah, then? Again ask your kids, "What types of things will we need to buy for a pet cheetah? And will we need to change our house at all for her?"
Would your kids rather have a rhinoceros? Fine by us. How about a humpback whale? Or a family of baboons? Anyone want to buy their kids a great white shark?
The trick here is to keep talking and thinking about various animals -- what the animals are like and what they need to survive. My kids absolutely love discussing all sorts of animals -- and they loved this activity.
Truth be told, we're not going to be buying a pet of any sort. Beavers, cheetahs, rhinos -- and all sorts of animals that intrigue and excite my children -- are best left free and in their natural habitats.
But thinking, creativity, and fun are essential parts of a child's natural habitat. And that's what we're really doing here, of course.
Have a great, fun family weekend. And give a hug to your new baby beaver for us!
Well, this weekend we're encouraging you to purchase a baby beaver for your children.
So for today's activity, say to your kids, "We're going to get a new pet: a baby beaver. What types of things will we need to buy for the baby beaver? And will we need to change our house at all for him?"
My kids -- six and four years old -- decided we'd keep the baby beaver on the patio. We'd need to build a long stream and a wide pond for him. (And we might need to use some of the neighbor's yard, too.) We'd have to get a lot of sticks and branches, both for gnawing and beaver home-building.
The kids didn't know what beavers eat, so we had to look in a book. Turns out they eat a lot of tree bark (go figure), as well as berries and water plants. So we'll have to stock up on those items, too.
Maybe a beaver isn't just right for your family. How about a cheetah, then? Again ask your kids, "What types of things will we need to buy for a pet cheetah? And will we need to change our house at all for her?"
Would your kids rather have a rhinoceros? Fine by us. How about a humpback whale? Or a family of baboons? Anyone want to buy their kids a great white shark?
The trick here is to keep talking and thinking about various animals -- what the animals are like and what they need to survive. My kids absolutely love discussing all sorts of animals -- and they loved this activity.
Truth be told, we're not going to be buying a pet of any sort. Beavers, cheetahs, rhinos -- and all sorts of animals that intrigue and excite my children -- are best left free and in their natural habitats.
But thinking, creativity, and fun are essential parts of a child's natural habitat. And that's what we're really doing here, of course.
Have a great, fun family weekend. And give a hug to your new baby beaver for us!
(And thank you, stevedhc, for the beautiful baby beaver photo above!)
| ages 4-12, good any time, verbal activity, |
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