Fun activities to do with kids and pets

In the right home, having a pet can be really great for kids especially when it comes to teaching them about responsibility (and of course, being a perfect pet owner!).

If you have a pet, your kids are likely to want to be involved in their care. Sometimes, this isn’t always practical, but there are lots of activities they can do to be involved in the care of family pets.

Check out our top tips and activities to get your kids involved with caring for your pet in a fun way.

Learn their language

First things first, learning how your pets communicate and teaching your children some common signs their pet is happy or sad will really help.

It’s important that you always supervise your kids with your pet – sometimes a lot of excitement can be too much for our four-legged friends so you may need to step in when your pet has had enough attention.

Our vets have written a handy blog with lots of top tips on your pet’s body language and how to keep the peace between pets and kids at home.

Remember if it does look like things are getting too much for your pet and making them unhappy or getting them over excited, give them time to cool off and chill out somewhere quiet. You can resume any playtime or activities once everyone is ready again.

Things to do with dogs and children

There are lots of ways kids can get involved with caring for dogs. Some simple activities include:

• Exercise. Our dogs need to get out for a walk every day. Get the kids involved by bringing them along, getting them to help plan a route and packing a walking bag to take out (can’t forget the poo bags!).
• Playtime. A game of fetch or running around the garden is great exercise for your dog and something kids can easily get involved in. Remember not to use sticks though, as these can easily hurt your dog. Teach your kids to wait for your dog to drop their toy – you should never take a toy from your dog’s mouth.
• Treasure hunts. Hide treats and favourite toys around the garden or house with your kids and get your dog to find them. You could also use a big sheet or blanket to hide dog safe treats and toys under – if your dog finds this too easy, tie knots in the sheet or blanket.
• Puzzles. You can get your kids to help you fill toys and food dispensing puzzles with peanut butter and freeze to make these a cool challenging treat for your dog on a warm day! (Make sure you don’t use peanut butter that contains the artificial sweetener xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.)
• Agility course. Set up an agility course in the garden using small boxes and sticks. Teach your dog to do the course by luring them around using toys or a treat. Don’t force them to take part though as some dogs may initially be apprehensive, and take care as some dogs may get over-excited!
• New tricks. Teach your dog to sit, lie down and stay with the kids. If your dog is already a master at sitting and lying down, teach them to do this using a hand signal or build up the time they can stay sitting or lying for. Always remember to use rewards when they do what you want and not to tell them off if they get it wrong.
• Homemade toys. Your kids can even make homemade toys for dogs. You could make a destruction box using items from around your home, or this fun ball toy.

Things to do with cats and children

Cats can be very particular about when they do and don’t want attention, so make sure you brush up on their body language first! Kids can get involved in the following cat-related activities:

• Playtime. If your cat is in the mood to play then make sure you are giving them the attention that they want. They enjoy hunting, chasing and pouncing and love to chase after their toys which is really fun to watch and great to join in with. Fishing rod toys are great to play with – they ensure your kids’ hands can be kept at a safe distance from pouncing paws and claws but still allow the cat to perform hunting behaviours, which is essential for good welfare.
• Homemade toys. You can get the kids involved in making some fun toys for your cat to play with. This could be as simple as popping a few treats in a toilet roll and pushing a bit of scrunched up paper in each end, or making something like this mouse toy.
• Catch. Like dogs, cats may also love a game of catch. Throw one of their small toys for them to chase. Cats like movement so if they don’t chase after it the first time, throw it a few times to try and engage them. They are unlikely to play with the toy when it is not moving.
• Boxes. If you have a cat, you may have noticed they love a cardboard box! You could make a box fort with the kids for your cat to explore – just remember to make sure your cat is never shut in any boxes and always has an escape route.

Things to do with rabbits or small pets and children

A lot of smaller pets are nocturnal and sleep during the day, so it’s important that they’re left to sleep when they need to. That doesn’t mean you can’t do fun activities with the kids for them, though!

• Fun run. For small pets, you might be able to put together a little obstacle course using items from around the home. Pop some tasty treats along it to encourage your pet to explore.
• Homemade toys. You can make toys for your rabbits or guinea pigs at home with the kids. Stuff empty toilet rolls with veggies or feeding hay, then stuff paper either side. Poke some holes in and show your pets how to pull the food through.
• Forage trays. Rabbits love to dig and forage – it’s something they’d naturally do in the wild. Forage trays are fun and easy to make with kids. Get a shallow tray or planter and fill it with a bit of hay or shredded paper, some healthy rabbit treats like fresh herbs (mint, sage or parsley are good bets) or a couple of small slices of apple or carrot and a bit of fresh pulled grass (not cut as this can cause serious tummy issues!). Remember to refresh the veg daily.

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