Make Your Own Pet First Aid Kit
In this science activity, kids make an animal first aid kit and pretend to be veterinarians.
A veterinarian is a doctor who takes care of many different types of animals. Most people are familiar with veterinarians that take care of pets, such as cats and dogs. But vets also take care of farm animals, such as cows and chickens, and even wild animals like lions, turtles, bears and pelicans. Vets provide these animals with the medical attention they need to get better if they are sick. They also give animals yearly check-ups and vaccination to make sure that the animals stay healthy, just like doctors do for people. Vets can work anywhere from animal hospitals, to zoos, and even wildlife refuges.
Materials
- Recycled box or container
- Decorating materials
- Printed first aid symbol(s)
- Your kit could include:
- Gauze or strips of old sheets or toilet paper
- Cotton swabs
- Cotton balls
- Wet wipes or tissues
- Bandaids
- Popsicle sticks
- Plastic medicine syringes
- Stethoscope
- Flashlight
- Magnifying glass
- Recycled small containers or zipper baggies
- Optional
- Various stuffed animals
Instructions
Decorate your recycled box to look like a vet kit. Glue or tape on the first aid symbol. Now add whatever you can think of that might be used in examining and treating a sick or injured animal: gauze, strips of old sheets, cotton swabs, cotton balls, wet wipes, tissues, bandaids, popsicle sticks, plastic medicine syringes, stethoscope, flashlight, etc. You can use recycled small containers or zipper baggies to organize your materials. Now you are ready to open a vet hospital! Gather up a variety of stuffed animals to examine and treat.
Safety note: If you have live furry friends at home that you want to examine, be sure to treat them very gently, and never poke them, restrain them or shine a flashlight into their eyes.
Extensions:
For younger children, consider adding "boo boo" stickers to stuffed animals so the children will know what part of the animal to examine.
For older children, consider having them write up a patient diagnosis and a course of treatment or prescription for each animal.
