Did you know first week in May is Be Kind to Animals Week? Here are a few ideas to help you get that message across to your children...no matter what month it is.1. Here is a poem to read, taken from May Days, Macmillan Seasonal Activity Packs, 1985.
Little children, never give Pain to things that feel or live. Let gentle robin find All crumbs you leave behind. Feed your dog and let him run Bounce and play and bark in fun. Pet kitten soft and small; She'll come to you when you call. Let bunny hop and play On lawn at close of day. Watch chipmunk or mouse Peep out of her little house. Let these creatures run along And do not do them any wrong.
2. Have children tell how they can be kind to animals in poem, as well as to others they name. Write down their suggestions.
3. Older children will be able to illustrate poem above, write down how they will be kind to animals, and put pages into a booklet.
4. Make a copy of poem and have children frame or underline words you dictate, words that begin with a certain letter or sound, adjectives, nouns, verbs, plurals, 2-syllable words, contraction, or rhyming words. Do a few categories and have children use different colored crayons or pencils.
5. Give oral or visual (written) clues so that children can guess animal you have in mind. Play it like a game and see who can guess mystery animal in least amount of clues!