Having a pet for your toddlers is beneficial to their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. In a post from She Knows, a study performed by Dr. Sheryl Dickstein (Director of Humane Education for the ASPCA) proved that having a pet can encourage a child's development in several aspects.
There are a lot of recommended pets for your toddlers and here, we will feature the best ones and the benefits for the children in taking care of them.
Fish
This is the most recommended and the safest pet that a toddler can have. I has been said in studies that taking care of a fish requires a lot of attention which gives a child an active role.
According to Mother Natured, keeping a fish is not only educational for children but also develops their sense of responsibility at the early age. Kids feed and take care of the fish to keep them alive.
Hamsters/Rodent pets
These animals are cute and appealing to children. Some breeds are suitable for toddlers which are purposely bred to become tame and safe. Hamsters are handy with soft fur that children will enjoy but the thing is, this pet doesn't have a long life-span. This is where the lesson comes in for toddlers raising a hamster. In Parents page, they pointed out that hamsters will die and give the children an exposure to a feeling of loss. This is not a bad thing though because they will learn this very big lesson in life that everything passes and they cope up with it.
Birds
Birds are not easy to keep but if you teach your child the basics, the bird gets to live a longer and happy life. Birds are social which keeps the children busy in watching over them. Keeping a bird requires the attention of the keeper daily so children will feed them and enjoy the view.
Cats
These soft-furred creatures are irresistible for children and even adults. Cats are easy to take care because they are independent. It's not hard to feed them and most of the cat breeds are safe and cuddly. No wonder a lot of kids are attached to cats. This develops a strong bond for children and their pets.
Dogs
Considered as the "Man's bestfriend." This is true since dogs can be trained and dogs are very social. Dogs can help a child develop physically. Set a time for your child to play or walk with the dog few times a week. This is a good exercise for them.
Now that we've covered the best pets that your child can have, it's time to decide on which one to choose.
