Children and Pets

boy sitting in front of dog
Type: Vocabulary
Originally published on August 28, 2022 and last updated on May 8, 2023

One of the most important benefits of having your child grow up with a pet is that they will learn empathy. They will see how the animal feels when it is hungry or tired, and they will want to help it. This kind of empathy can be translated into empathy for other humans as well.

While it is great to have a pet, there are many things you need to consider before bringing one home. Pets can be a wonderful addition to your family, but they can also be a lot of work. It’s important to remember that pets are living things, and they require care and attention every day. If you’re not sure if your family can handle that kind of responsibility, then maybe it’s best to wait until your children are older before getting a pet.

Instructions:
Go through the vocabulary below with your students and ask them to try and use this vocabaulry where possible when discussing the different conversation questions.

Useful Vocabulary

Try and use the following vocabulary when answering the question. Click to look up the definition in the dictionary

  • beneficial (adjective)
  • look after (phrasal verb)
  • personally (adverb)
  • responsibility (noun)
  • take into account (phrase)
  • consider (verb)

Conversation Questions

My Image
  • What are the best pets for children?
  • Do you have any pets?
  • Did you have any pets when you were a child?
  • Do you think children are responsible enough to look after pets?
  • How can pets help children in their life?
  • What could be the negative side of having a pet and children?
Gregory
This conversation topic was prepared by Gregory

Gregory is a qualified TEFL teacher who has been teaching English as a Foreign Language (ESL) for over a decade. He has taught in-person classes in Spain and to English learners around the world online.