Playing with "Cow" our classroom hamster

 "Cow" our classroom hamster pet, got some exercise after the students build a structure for him to explore. Some of our friends where worried that "Cow" needed a change of scenery from his cage and get more physical activity. We reviewed the rules when playing with "Cow" and came up with new ones to keep him safe.Here are some of the brainstorming ideas that came up throughout;

"Stepping on him, that would make him nervous"
"Pet him with one finger."
"Don't laugh too loud."
"That's for him to play with. Go up and down the stairs."
"I made a little obstacle for him"
"Do you think he likes my stairs?"
"He says these are really cool vehicles!"
"Let's pretend those are service trucks!"


In this activity students empathized with "Cow" and reviewed how important it is for us to have calm bodies with all of our friends, including our classroom pets. They also worked together as a team to build a safe structure for the hamster to be in,  and provided wonderful ideas to keep "Cow" safe while we all had fun with him!

Some of the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines that were worked on throughout this activity include:

4. Fine Motor Skills : The control of small muscles for such purposes as using utensils, self-care, building, and exploring.
1. Social Relationships : The healthy relationships and interactions with adults and peers.
3. Self-Regulation : The ability to recognize and regulate emotions, attention, impulses, and behavior.