The Summer holidays are now in full swing, the weather to date has been mostly brilliant. We enjoyed a lovely week away camping last week and spent lots of time relaxing on the beach. Being the UK though, the weather can’t always be guaranteed so it’s always good to have a couple of backup plans ready so on Sunday we took the children along to the FREE My Pet Pals summer workshop at Pets at Home in Peterborough.
My Pet Pals Workshops
The My Pet Pals free workshops teach children about how rewarding pets can be. The knowledgeable staff who lead the workshops explain how to care for them, making sure you and your children understand pet welfare and how to be a responsible pet owner.
Meeting Trevor
When we arrived at the Peterborough store we were directed to an area close to the small animals home where a few families were already gathered on small picnic benches. Edd checked our names and welcomed us to the workshop before opening a box containing this furry little fella. Edd asked the children if they knew what the animal was and the majority knew that it was a Guinea Pig. Rather than calling said ball of fur, ‘the Guinea Pig’ Edd invited the children to name him for the day and the name ‘Trevor’ was chosen.
Trevor is approximately 10-12 weeks old and extremely cute, the children were all instantly taken with him, particularly since he sat so nicely and just enjoyed being stroked and played with. Edd invited the children one or two at a time to gently say hello to Trevor so he didn’t get frightened before telling us more about Guinea Pigs. Trevor was very relaxed being passed around the children and accepted all their love quite willingly, this was just one of the reasons that Edd said that Guinea Pigs make the perfect first pet for children because they like to be touched and will interact with the children.
Hands on learning is fun!
Ordinarily I would tell you everything that the children (and me) learnt during the My Pet Pals workshop but then I figured you wouldn’t learn anything yourself when you take your children. What I will say is that the workshop is structured so that the children get to see, touch and hold (if they are confident) the small animals being used whilst they are being told some really interesting facts about them. I have always found that hands on learning is so much better because it helps the children to take in what they are being told. Albie couldn’t wait to get his hands on Trevor for a cuddle and thought that he was extremely cute, as did Ollie. Lillie was the one who surprised me the most as she chose not to hold Trevor at all yet she is the one who helps me the most in caring for our rabbits?
Certificates and Activity Bags
At the end of the workshop each child was presented with their own laminated certificate to show they had completed the workshop. They also received a balloon and an activity box filled with colouring sheets, posters and information sheets so they could continue their learning journey at home (perfect for the school holidays).
Family Friendly
The whole store at Pets at Home is extremely family friendly and the children really loved having a look around the Small Animals section to see the animals waiting for their forever homes. We all fell in love with a little brown guinea pig but I couldn’t get a photograph of him because he was being held by another little girl.
Book your workshop now!
Whilst it is possible to join in once a workshop starts if you happen to be in the store, you wouldn’t receive a Certificate or Activity Box afterwards. To ensure your place on a workshop and to get everything included then you need to book online to attend a Pets at Home store near you.
Roo completed something like this for one of her Cub Scout badges and loved the experience. It’s a wonderful way to get children up closer to the animals and learn more about how to look after them.
It’s a great idea isn’t it, I have had a few friends who have taken their children now too and they loved it.