Picks of the Litter
RSSGo on a virtual safari to view some of the best animal sites for kids
Gail Junion-Metz -- School Library Journal, 06/01/1999
Put simply, children love animals. Teachers love animals, too, and assign book reports on just about every critter on the planet. Some of the following Web sites are devoted to animal photos and games, while others help students bone up on animal facts and to teach them to care for pets. And some sites are just plain fun.
Tons of Critters
The Electronic Zoo, created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), contains hundreds of links to animal sites. Students of all ages can browse through E-Zoo categories or do a keyword search for a particular animal or breed. (Watch for the "pick of the litter" dog, which identifies the coolest sites.) It's a great place to begin Web searches for animal information. The Korea Research and Development Information Center hosts the Bioinfo Animal Pictures Archive. This photo archive, appropriate for kids ages 9 to18, offers an impressive number of high quality photographs -- more than 17,000. Best of all, the site lets you e-mail photos to a buddy. Kratt's Creatures contains lots of animal facts appropriate for kids ages 5 to 12. Be sure to visit "Creature World," an interactive map that shows where different animals live.
Caring for Pets
Woof! It's a Dog's Life is full of useful information for kids 7 to 14. Check out "Tips from Matty" each week for ideas that no dog owner should do without. Kids ages 7 to 10 will love the "Go Fetch!" quiz. Older kids will enjoy "Dog Stories," true pet stories submitted by real folks. In addition to the Electronic Zoo, the AVMA hosts Care for Pets, a site for kids 6 to 18. At "Kids Korner Petpourri," younger kids can enjoy various interactive activities and games. Older kids will find the sections "Animal Safety" and "Animal Health" useful for school assignments. The American Animal Hospital Association has a similar site, HealthyPet. It contains a useful "Pet Care Library" for kids 12 and up that includes pragmatic advice on topics like litter-box training and even offers help for "fat cats and pudgy pooches." All About Animals is part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's children's Web site. It includes easy-to-read advice for kids ages 7 to 12 about dogs, cats, reptiles, and pet safety. Elementary school teacher Janet Wall created How to Love Your Dog for kids age 7 to 14. Her three dogs, Cody, Kelly, and Trouper, teach kids how to take care of their family pet.
Animal Fun for Tots
Here are my favorite animal sites for preschoolers and new readers. In Teletubbies Animal Parade, toddlers identify which two animals are alike. When children select the correct animal, it joins the other animals in line for a parade. When all the animals are present, they begin to march, a simple and fun activity for ages 2 to 4. The folks at Sesame Street created two nifty interactive stories for new readers ages 4 to 6. The first, Elmo Minds the Farm, asks kids to help Elmo figure out why the animals talk strangely. In the second, Zoo Who with Betty Lou, kids help Betty Lou figure out what new type of animal Dr. Nobel Price has spotted. Both stories let kids create a unique story or animal each time they visit. Zoboomafoo is one of the most visually beautiful Web sites for kids 4 to 6. To view it, your computer will need a fast Net connection and a Shockwave plug-in. Kids visiting the "Snack Machine" can help match the animal with its food, or they can play "Finding Mommy," matching the baby animal to the sound its mother makes.
Web Addresses
For previous "Surf For"links, visit SLJ Online at www.slj.com/surf-for.articles
The Electronic Zoo
www.avma.org/netvet/e-zoo.htm
Bioinfo Animal Pictures Archive
bioinfo.kordic.re.kr/animal/
Kratt's Creatures
www.pbs.org/kratts/
Care for Pets
www.avma.org/care4pets/
All About Animals
www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/kids/html/pets.htm
How to Love Your Dog
www.geocities.com/~kidsanddogs/
Woof! It's a Dog's Life
www.pbs.org/wgbh/woof/home.html
Teletubbies Animal Parade
www.pbs.org/teletubbies/games/animalparade/
Elmo Minds the Farm
www.pbs.org/kids/sesame/html/emp-t001.htm
Zoo Who with Betty Lou
www.ctw.org/preschool/stories/readme/0,1162,2621,00.html
