We recently had the opportunity to pet-sit a relative’s guinea pig, and her presence greatly enriched my and my children’s relationship to our space.
Practical life, math and language opportunities abound, so if you’re considering having/ adopting a pet or already have one, here are some ways to Montessori with a pet:
1. Read up and learn about her feeding habits.
This is the most “fun” way for children to be involved, by feeding them. I made a feeding chart in about 30 minutes, so that the children could read and experiment with the kinds of vegetables and fruits that we fed the guinea pig. Because I DIY-ed the feeding chart, I was also able to type “1 time a day” rather than “once daily”, so it would be easier for an emergent reader to decode.
2. Practical life doesn’t get more practical than this.
3. Enrichment
If I make Montessori materials for the children, this was where the children made Montessori materials for the guinea pig. Since we were experimenting with what she might or might not like, I guess you could say she really was a guinea pig for our Montessori pet endeavours. How wonderful to see that the work of their hands was enjoyed by a small creature.
We gave her time outside her cage daily (I welcome suggestions on whether it’s possible to let the guinea pig run freely around the living room) and often made obstacle courses to entice her out.
4. Make the guinea pig’s things accessible to children.
Nothing too permanent as we were only pet-sitting temporarily, but I used hanging clips to display literature related to the guinea pig, a cloth for carrying her, and her supplements, hay and cage bedding, in used washed takeaway containers that we had gotten from our relatives.
5. Practise care and respect for all living things.
We also spoke about observing the guinea pig’s body language and the type of sounds emitted, so we could sense her needs. For instance, we noticed contented gurgles whenever my daughter petted her, standing on hind legs for food, and high-pitched squeaking when she wanted her food bowl refilled or when her owners came back to collect her. We observed when she had a relaxed posture (legs spread out), curious/ watchful (sniffing), or when she was skittish, and would refrain from petting or carrying her then.
A most worthwhile experience!