What are the Best Pets for Children to Look After

Best Pets for Children

At some point most children want a pet.

Most of them get a pet at some point as well, but from the time your child starts expressing a desire to have a pet of their own to the time they actually have one you need to consider what pets are best for children.

If your living situation allows, getting a pet for your child is a wonderful idea.

Studies have shown that pets produced many benefits for their child owners, including socialize/curing of loneliness, lowered anxiety and a sense of responsibility.

While you’re undoubtedly want your child to reap these benefits, you also want to ensure that they are kept safe and that they realize what having a pet of their own entails.

You can help them come to the realization of the responsibility of a pet, as well as the benefits of a pet, by starting them out with an age appropriate pet like the ones shared here!

Guinea Pigs Guinea pigs are one of the most highly recommended first pets. 

Why? For a number of reasons: they’re affordable, they’re fairly low maintenance, they can be kept in or outdoors and take up little space, they are just the right size for little hands to handle and they aren’t very temperamental.
Guinea pig care sounds easy enough doesn’t it?

Hamsters have also been called the perfect pet, 

But because they are much smaller than the guinea pig they are more likely to get injured by younger children or run off if they get lose!

Additionally, as long as you help your child provide the proper guinea pig care guinea pigs have a considerably longer life span than hamsters do and the farther away your talk about the death of a pet is the better!

Cats Cute and cuddly, who doesn’t love those features? 

Cats are certainly cute and most are cuddly as well. They are also very independent, making the care of them fairly minimal.

This would prove very beneficial for a child, but one over the age of 5. Most cats don’t like being treated like a plaything and sometimes the claws come out, literally.

Rabbits Rabbits are beloved animals. 

They fill childhood stories and what child wouldn’t want a happy hopping bunny around?

Rabbits may bite, so your child would need to be careful when handling theirs, but they are easy to handle and the care of them is similar to guinea pig care.

Fish Fish may sound like a boring pet, but not for a child. 

They are very low maintenance and very affordable (your child could even win one at a fair); but they also come in assorted colors and their living environment offers endless opportunities for creativity.

If you plan to make a fish your child’s first pet, be sure to get at least a couple, as they thrive on the company of one another.

Ants For years Ant farms have provided both entertainment and an educational experiment for young children. 

It’s about as long maintenance as you can get without settling for a pet rock.

Children who find insects fascinating will surely love having them in their home and watching them interacting within their own little homes.

Be sure to assist your child in the care of their pet to help them take charge of their responsibility and develop a respect for animals.