Over the weekend, we took our sons to a local festival. There were all sorts of rides, food vendors and craft booths, but what my kids really enjoyed was the petting zoo. Having grown up on a hobby farm, it was a lot of fun for me to walk them around and tell them about all of the different animals.
Petting zoos are wonderful learning tools for children. Instead of reading about the animals in books and magazines, or seeing and hearing them on TV, they actually get to interact with them. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but getting the opportunity to observe, touch and hear the animals in person is an awesome experience for little ones.
Animals which are chosen for petting zoos are very carefully selected based on their personalities and friendliness, and naturally aggressive animals generally don’t make the cut. That being said, there are still precautions that families should take when entering any petting zoo.
When visiting a petting zoo, it’s important to follow these guidelines so that everybody has a good time and both children and animals are safe and happy.
1. Read the sign. Owners usually post a sign of rules and tips at the entrance of a petting zoo. Make sure you read all their guidelines and instructions before walking in. They’re there to keep everyone safe and secure.
2. Don’t sit down. If you’re approaching a free-roaming animal, don’t allow your children to sit down on their fannies. If something or someone spooks the animals and they’re heading toward your little one, it’s harder to move out of the way and get to safety.
3. Stay off the rails. I’ve seen many parents allow their children to step up onto the bars of a gate for a closer look at penned animals. This could lead to falls (into or outside of the pen) and injuries. I tell my kids, there is a reason why the animal is inside the pen, and we should respect its space.
4. Don’t feed the animals (unless feed is provided). It’s tempting to feed the animals a nibble of popcorn or grass picked from nearby; this can be really bad for the animals, because they’re on specific diets. Giving them foods that they’re not used to eating or that isn’t meant for animals to eat, can hurt them. If your children would like to try feeding them, many petting zoo owners sell small cups of grain or feed for children to give to the animals.
5. Use a flat hand to pet animals. Show your kids how to pet the animals with a gentle, slow-moving flat hand. This movement is less threatening to the animals and will prevent pulling their fur.
6. Don’t force interaction. All children react to animals in different ways. If your child is fearful, don’t press them to touch the animals. Being around farm animals for the first time can be a little scary. Pushing your son or daughter to touch or even move closer toward something that’s frightening to him or her is more likely to be a traumatic experience than a happy one. The fear will grow larger and his or her trust in you will shrink smaller.
7. Wash your hands. After leaving the petting zoo, it’s important to immediately wash and sanitize your family’s hands. Remember…most animals really were born in a barn. (Yeah, bad joke.)
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