"Animals are special and important to many young children. In fact, even if they do not share their home with a pet, they will meet all kinds of animals through stories, television, film and toys. For example, from the Rainbow Fish to the Very Hungry Caterpillar; from Spot to the Three Bears, many of the much-loved characters in children™s favourite stories are animals. In this article we discuss how practitioners can build upon this sense of familiarity and natural curiosity to ensure that both children and animals benefit from each other™s interaction."

Read the full article here.

Helen and Russell's new book Tails from the Classroom is a fascinating exploration of the use of animal-assisted interventions in educational settings and how they can inspire and support learners™ all-round development.

Helen and Russell discuss how AAIs can contribute towards learning in different subject areas and across the curriculum, sharing a wide range of examples to illustrate possible starting points for teachers in a range of subject and thematic contexts “ even in less obvious areas such as the arts, literature, and religious and moral codes. Find out more here.