There are numerous ways that you can enhance lessons, such as after-school clubs or other youth clubs. One option is to have animal visits to your setting. There are several advantages of these sessions which offer education, engagement, and excitement. They’re also useful ways to encourage learning of curriculum essentials and soft skills.
In this article, we’ll look at why hosting an animal visit is a great idea and can enhance a lesson, entertainment session, or an evening club.
Hands-On Learning
Animal visits provide a chance for those at your sessions to see and touch reptiles, learn about their real-life behaviours, and find out more in an interactive session. Our handlers allow participants to handle the animals they bring so they can use their senses in the setting, rather than relying on a textbook.
Animal visits offer practical engagement which reinforces classroom learning and is highly memorable. You can therefore offer a new way to teach curriculums.
Entertainment Enhances Learning
Research has demonstrated that entertainment can improve assessment scores. Children love the opportunity to see, handle, and explore the natural world in an entertaining way that they will remember for a long time.
During handling sessions, we tell stories about the individuals who we bring and some of the other animals in our care. We relate these stories to many aspects of learning, such as the food chain or habitats.
Supports the Curriculum
DJL Exotics can offer tailored experiences where we can focus on specific learning objectives of your class or group. Therefore, we can be an interactive part of lesson plans that enhance classroom learning.
If there is a specific part of your curriculum that you would like us to cover, please contact us beforehand for us to know.
Improve Confidence and Wellbeing
Interacting with animals can help to build confidence as children can learn new skills such as patience, empathy, and other social skills. These soft skills can be applied to many areas of life.
In addition, mental health experts claim that reptiles can have significant mental health benefits.
In fact, there is some suggestion that reptiles might be better for some individuals than mammals or birds because of their general calm nature and predictability. Reptiles are also seen as being less needy than some smaller mammals or dogs, which can help those who get overwhelmed easily.
Helps Wildlife and Conservation Efforts
Education doesn’t just apply to classroom lessons, animal encounters can help children learn about the importance of biodiversity and improve conservation efforts on a local, national, and international level. Many of the reptiles and inverts we bring to encounters are misunderstood in the world, but education can change that.
With a greater appreciation, children can become active in their local community, helping to support keystone species to help improve natural balance.
A Flexible Learning Tool for Multiple Year Groups
One advantage of an animal visit is that it can be versatile. Schools can arrange for multiple classes or year groups to experience a visit in a single day. Each session can be tailored for that specific year group and the learning objectives/curriculum. At the same time, multiple sessions are cheaper to run on a per-student basis.
Final Word: Why School or Club Animal Visits Are a Fantastic Idea
Animal experiences create lasting memories, something that can help with learning but also positivity within the school environment. It is something positive that children will talk about for weeks, months, and even years afterward. It can also be one of those foundational memories that improve how a school is perceived.
If you’re looking for a way to engage students or club members in your setting, then speak to DJL Exotics. We can help you plan your perfect session.
