Sometimes it’s the little outings that are perfect for your baby. Taking your baby not to a big amusement park, but to a petting zoo, because your baby is learning at the petting zoo.
Starting with the “categories” leap, your baby will now learn to identify things. What is a pig? And what is a cow? Your baby sorts the world into boxes, in a manner of speaking. Your baby learns how to create categories. And on top of all the hard work, a visit to the petting zoo is pure fun, of course!
A trip to the petting zoo is all about “back to nature” in a child-friendly way: putting on boots, standing in the mud, smelling animals, hearing strange noises… Your baby simply loves it! How children enjoy a petting zoo depends on their age. A young baby will especially enjoy the different impressions. An already older baby will enjoy seeing the different types of animals and will stand breathlessly fixed to a spot watching the chickens milling about. Pre-toddlers love to pet guinea pigs and toddle along from one pen to the next. Toddlers will gladly lend a helping hand to the farmer – collecting eggs and frolicking with the lambs. In short: there is something for everyone at the petting zoo.
You’ve probably read countless stories featuring a pig or a cow to your little one. Your child is already quite aware what the animals look like on paper. But seeing them for real is another matter! By seeing animals in real life and being able to look at them for a while (and not merely casting them a glance in passing from a car), children can make the connections between the cow on paper and a real cow. By hearing a cow moo, they can make the connection between the way you imitate a cow and the real mooing sound. You are helping your child to understand exactly what a cow is; to know which animal belongs to the “cow” category, and which one doesn’t. This seems like an easy exercise, but it’s actually not. Because a spotted pig, why isn’t that a cow? The only way your little one can learn to assign animals to the correct category is by seeing, feeling, hearing and interacting with them. So, off to the petting zoo with your little treasure!
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