Welcome to Crawl, Hop, Flutter, a site dedicated to considering the place of animals in Early Childhood Education in New Zealand.
Animals:
"...disappearing, threatened, endangered, suffering, confined, pampered, trained, savage, wild, exploited, loved, hunted, cared for, diseased, controlled, tamed, protected" (Bone, 2013, p.10).
You walk down the street and a dog barks at you from behind a fence. A cat wanders across the road. A blackbird sings in a tree. Look closely and you might notice the ant trail from a crack in the concrete, and the cicada shell clutching the bark of a tree. Animals are all around us. They share the same air, live in the same space, and cohabit earth with us. Yet how often do we notice them? And how often are our interactions deliberate, full of wonder and interest and learning? Young children everywhere are interested in animals. And it's no wonder for young children are naturally inquisitive and animals naturally interesting. But can animals provide concrete learning advantages in an early childhood setting?
The early childhood context in New Zealand neither prohibits nor requires interaction with animals as part of our curriculum. In fact, very little research has been undertaken to indicate decisively what benefits animal interaction can provide and how best to achieve this, despite animals featuring clearly in the lives of many young children (Tipper, 2011, cited in Bone, 2013). In her research, Alach (2003) points out that pets can be "both a cause of trauma and the means of overcoming" it (p.27).
Researchers do suggest that positive interactions with a dog can help with the healing process after major surgery (Hope, 2009). It can also lower stress and depression levels, and reduce asthma and allergy response in children if pet contact starts in the first year of life (Hope, 2009).
In fact, Beck says that it's "something that's hard-wired into humans so that the presence of animals can help us stay well and even recover from illnesses (cited in Weaver, found here).
Stroking calms us. Retirement homes now sometimes have a resident dog or cat for residents to stroke and talk to.
The early childhood context in New Zealand neither prohibits nor requires interaction with animals as part of our curriculum. In fact, very little research has been undertaken to indicate decisively what benefits animal interaction can provide and how best to achieve this, despite animals featuring clearly in the lives of many young children (Tipper, 2011, cited in Bone, 2013). In her research, Alach (2003) points out that pets can be "both a cause of trauma and the means of overcoming" it (p.27).
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| Michael enjoys feeling calm Lola's soft fur. |
Researchers do suggest that positive interactions with a dog can help with the healing process after major surgery (Hope, 2009). It can also lower stress and depression levels, and reduce asthma and allergy response in children if pet contact starts in the first year of life (Hope, 2009).
In fact, Beck says that it's "something that's hard-wired into humans so that the presence of animals can help us stay well and even recover from illnesses (cited in Weaver, found here).
Stroking calms us. Retirement homes now sometimes have a resident dog or cat for residents to stroke and talk to.
But what about early childhood? What place should animals have in it?
Interacting with pets and wild animals has the incredible
potential to develop learning in many areas. But it can also bring fear, anxiety and other
drawbacks if not handled well.
We are not islands, we live in a living, breathing, feeling world. Children grow up in this world and are connected to it. But while part of it, we cannot assume that they will naturally develop the ability to relate to or care for it properly. Therefore, teaching children HOW to be global citizens who take their responsibility to care for our world seriously is crucial if we want them equipped to handle themselves well in our beautiful world (Davis, 2009, found here).
Bone (2013) argues that in recognising the importance of animals in the "social worlds of children" they should be considered as the "fourth educator in early childhood settings" (p.1). Animals could therefore be considered as called upon to actively teach children to find their place within our diverse world, rather than just passive components of an early childhood setting (Bone, 2013).
We are not islands, we live in a living, breathing, feeling world. Children grow up in this world and are connected to it. But while part of it, we cannot assume that they will naturally develop the ability to relate to or care for it properly. Therefore, teaching children HOW to be global citizens who take their responsibility to care for our world seriously is crucial if we want them equipped to handle themselves well in our beautiful world (Davis, 2009, found here).
Bone (2013) argues that in recognising the importance of animals in the "social worlds of children" they should be considered as the "fourth educator in early childhood settings" (p.1). Animals could therefore be considered as called upon to actively teach children to find their place within our diverse world, rather than just passive components of an early childhood setting (Bone, 2013).
Early Childhood Educators and Parents, if you’re interested in
finding out about the potential for animal interaction in young children’s
lives, you have come to the right place! Check out the top tabs for more information.
