July 10, 2023
By Tammy Barrows
More and more, we are seeing pet therapy popping up in our communities. Often times it’s hard to put into words just what animals help us achieve, but our minds and bodies can feel the effects. The benefits of animals assisting in the learning process for both teachers and children go far beyond what we could possibly imagine. When we think about building and supporting resilience and social-emotional learning in young children, incorporating animals into our classrooms/spaces is an innovative way to accomplish this. Animals help teach and reinforce necessary skills that help children become resilient.
We all need resilience to get through life’s challenges. It is critical to start building children’s resilience and to implement social-emotional learning during the early years of their life, so that they can use these skills as they grow and develop into adulthood. Bringing animals safely into the mix can be an added strategy to help us get there.
Here are some benefits of bringing animals into the learning environment:
- Supports development of compassion and empathy
- Reduces anxiety and creates calmness
- Helps to develop self-worth and boost self-esteem
- Provides non-judgmental support and increases effective communication
- Offers unconditional love, support and companionship
- Petting an animal can be a distraction during a stressful situation and can help co-regulation
Our team acknowledges that animals being in the classroom can be harmful to children who have allergies and/or asthma. The American Lung Association says that “Pet dander and other pet allergens may linger in the air for a longer time than other allergens. This is because they are microscopic and jagged. Typically, pet dander stays in an environment for 4 to 6 months after a fur-bearing animal leaves.” We encourage any programs considering bringing animals into the classroom to keep this in mind and to plan accordingly.
Tammy has been in the early childhood field for over 30 years, serving first as a preschool teacher and then as a preschool education director. She serves as an independent contractor for the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. When she’s not traveling and training for our team, she spends most of her time with her canine comfort service organization, Josie’s Journey.
