At Furry Friends Animal Therapy, we have always believed that some of life’s most valuable lessons can be taught through animals. Whether it’s developing empathy, understanding responsibility, building confidence or simply inspiring curiosity, animals have an incredible way of helping people learn.
Yesterday marked the beginning of something very special.
Our Animal-Assisted Therapy Practitioner, Imogen, kindly volunteered her own time to deliver our very first Learning Through Animals home education session at Mighty Oaks Wellbeing Club, giving families a taste of what we hope will become an exciting new educational programme.
A Different Way to Learn
Knowing how much the children had been asking to meet some of our smaller therapy animals, Imogen introduced Audrey, one of our beautiful sugar gliders, alongside our wonderful herd of “house hippos” – our much-loved skinny pigs.
Rather than simply meeting the animals, the children became actively involved in learning exactly what it takes to care for them.
Throughout the afternoon, they explored:
- Natural behaviours and adaptations
- Animal welfare and responsible ownership
- Nutrition and specialist diets
- Enrichment and mental stimulation
- Respectful animal handling
- Species-specific care requirements
Every activity encouraged the children to ask questions, think critically and learn through real-life, hands-on experiences.
Becoming Sugar Glider Nutritionists
One of the biggest highlights of the session was preparing Audrey’s specialised SGS2 diet.
Working together, the children prepared two complete batches—one calcium batch and one non-calcium batch.
They carefully:
🥕 Chopped fresh fruit and vegetables
⚖️ Weighed exactly 450g for each batch
🥣 Blended the ingredients together
🧪 Added the correct supplementary powders
🧊 Portioned the food into labelled freezer pots ready for future feeds
This wasn’t just a cooking activity—it was an opportunity to understand why nutrition is one of the most important aspects of exotic animal welfare and how even small dietary changes can make a huge difference to an animal’s health.
Spa Day for the House Hippos
The fun didn’t stop there!
Our hairless guinea pigs enjoyed a relaxing coconut oil spa treatment, helping the children learn why skinny pigs need additional skin care compared to their furry cousins.
There were plenty of cuddles (on the guinea pigs’ terms, of course!), lots of smiles and endless questions as everyone got to know our little herd of house hippos.
Creativity Through Animals
Learning isn’t always about worksheets.
The children also spent time colouring and drawing sugar gliders and skinny pigs, discussing what they had learnt throughout the afternoon and sharing their favourite facts with one another.
These quieter moments are just as important, allowing children to reflect on what they’ve experienced in their own creative way.
Meeting Audrey
To finish the day, everyone had the opportunity to meet Audrey up close inside our secure play tent.
Wearing protective gloves and under close supervision, each child carefully held Audrey while having their photograph taken—creating memories we’re sure will last a lifetime.
For many, this was their first ever experience meeting a sugar glider.
We Couldn’t Be Prouder
Every single child should be incredibly proud of themselves.
They were calm, patient, gentle and respectful with every animal they met.
They asked thoughtful questions, listened carefully and embraced every activity with enthusiasm.
Watching their confidence grow throughout the afternoon perfectly demonstrated why we are so passionate about using animals as a way of supporting learning.
Looking Ahead
This session marks the beginning of what we hope will become an exciting new chapter for Furry Friends Animal Therapy.
Our vision is to continue developing Learning Through Animals into a unique educational programme for:
- Home education groups
- Schools
- Alternative provisions
- Community organisations
- Youth groups
We’re also exploring the possibility of incorporating the AQA Unit Award Scheme, enabling children to gain recognised accreditation while developing practical animal care skills and knowledge.
Join Us This Summer
We’ll be returning to Mighty Oaks Wellbeing Club this August for a HAF-funded Animal-Assisted Therapy session, where even more children will have the opportunity to meet some of our wonderful therapy animals.
If you’re interested in booking a place, you can find out more by visiting theMighty Oaks Wellbeing Club website or book directly here:HAF Session Booking.
Thank You
A huge thank you goes to everyone at Mighty Oaks Wellbeing Club for making us feel so welcome, and to all of the wonderful families who supported Imogen throughout the day.
Your encouragement, enthusiasm and kindness made our very first Learning Through Animals session one to remember.
If you’d like to learn more about our Learning Through Animals sessions, Animal-Assisted Therapy visits, or any of the other services we offer, please visit our website, follow us onInstagram and Facebook
Don’t forget to keep an eye on our blog too, where we’ll continue sharing behind-the-scenes updates, introducing our therapy animals and documenting the exciting journey ahead.
Here’s to many more adventures, many more smiles, and many more opportunities to learn through animals.
The Furry Friends Animal Therapy Team 🐹🦘🐰🐔💚
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