Baby Farm Animals
Visiting Lambs, Calves, Piglets, Colts, and Other Babies in Spring
A trip to the farm will allow children to see baby animals up close. The zoo trip or a ride in the country might do. Children will long remember seeing a colt or calf.
What holds more wonder in spring than a visit to a farm? Children love to see baby animals and spring finds lambs, calves, piglets, kids, colts, kittens, puppies, bunnies, chicks, and ducklings on farms everywhere. A trip to see baby animals can be a guided tour arranged with a congenial farmer who likes children to visit, or be as simple as a slow drive through the countryside.
Preparing Children for a Farm Visit
Children can begin by studying books about baby animals at home or in school or the public library. Help them learn the special names for each type of animal baby and some facts about the life of these little animals. Have children draw pictures of their favorites and copy simple poems about farm animals. A reading of a special book like Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White, [Harpercollins, 2006], can arouse some interest too. How about reading Is Your Mama a Llama? By Deborah Guarino, [Scholastic, 1997].
Prepare for the trip by loading up your camera with fresh film and/or batteries to be certain of some wonderful photo shots. Encourage photographing animals or even sketching animals. Sketching may be better if students try to sketch from photos or artwork after the outing.
Safety Rules for Visiting a Farm
In order for a trip to a farm to be safe and happy, safety rules must be stressed beforehand. Here are a few. Have the children brainstorm for one or two more good rules for farm visits.
- Never leave a gate open.
- Do not approach an animal without permission.
- Never walk between a mother animal and its baby.
- Never walk behind a horse.
- Keep your voice low.
- Only pet an animal if an adult says you may.
- Move slowly.
- Never chase an animal.
- Don’t frighten an animal.
- Watch where you are stepping.
- Be polite.
- Don’t litter.
If children are well supervised, they will enjoy their first experiences with animals and the sight of a tiny calk or colt can inspire them to a lifetime of love of farm animals.
Look for opportunities to watch the farmer feed his animals and the chance to help feed them.
Asking Questions
When the chance arises have the children ask questions of the animals owners.
- How old is the animal when it can walk?
- Is it born with eyes open or closed?
- How many are born at a time?
- How does the parent animal care for the babies?
- Are the babies dangerous?
- Are they helpless?
- Can they be handled?
- What is the baby called?
Visiting the Zoo
If a farm visit isn’t possible, try a trip to a zoo. Many babies may be seen there and children can study some of these babies as well. What is a baby giraffe called? A baby baboon? A baby elephant?
A Ride in the Country
Another option is to ride in the countryside and look for pastured animals with babies—horses with colts, cows with their calves following behind, a herd of goats with kids or sheep with romping lambs. Of course there will be no chance to ask questions and petting these animals is not safe or recommended, but the driver could pull off the road so children can observe the animals from their car windows.
Don’t let spring pass by without a glimpse of animal babies.
