Kids these days love the growing attachment they form with pets at home. Not only that, but the UAE has also created multiple opportunities for them to visit places where they can interact and connect with animals. Trips to Al Ain Zoo, Green Planet Dubai, and other locations call for exciting experiences. While children have plenty to share, teachers also have an input here. Here’s what we know:
Shylaja Menon, Home Room Teacher at Apple International Community School, Dubai, highlighted how kids get really excited to explore the fascinating animal culture but are still learning to understand the concept of being with animals: “To an extent, it is helping. But considering the rules, which are of course important, we are not exposed to touching animals like we used to be in the past. So, that emotional development – the ability to interact with animals and predict their feelings – is missing. Empathy and emotional intelligence are crucial here.”
However, she lauds the management and notes the increasing trend of having pets at home in the UAE. While she acknowledges the progress, she feels the connection is still taking time for kids to fully grasp when they’re observing animals behind glass enclosures at zoos or parks. She estimates that only about “20% of kids truly connect with animals, even if they love them.”
On the other hand, Bhavamanyu Pahwa, a 6-year-old from The Millennium School, Dubai, beamed with excitement as he shared his experience at Green Planet Dubai. He enthusiastically spoke about the management and the knowledge he brought back home. In his words, “So many animals were there, even snakes and cockroaches. I got the chance to touch the snake. We ate food, then got the chance to see birds.”
He also mentioned how he felt a little scared when an owl flew over his head but thoroughly enjoyed the moment. The key information he brought back was, “Rainforest layers are the highest, whereas emergent layers are the lowest in a flooded forest.”
It’s great to see these developments in the UAE – providing kids with the opportunity to learn through in-person activities rather than just feeding on information via phone screens.
