Introducing 3-5 year olds to Snakes!!

I get to semi-realise one of my possible career goals (by incorporating it into my other career goal!)
Next week's theme at the daycare where I'm a caregiver is Pets. To show the kids that some people keep more unusual pets than others, I'll be bringing my Ball Python in to show the threes (my kids) and fours and fives (a couple of my kids are in this class now).
I plan to tell them
-the meaning of 'cold blooded'
-the way he "tastes" smells
-his heat sensing
-shedding and the general ownership of scales as opposed to skin
-an exhibition of slithering

I might let them touch him briefly. It depends on how they react.

Any suggestions or additions to what I should tell them?

I'd rather not go into the whole "he crushes the crap out of a mouse then swallows it whole" thing. They're a little too young for it.

Here's another thread that may help... http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=38402

I've taken my snakes to the fours preschool class and my son's kindergarten class. I'd advise you not to let them encircle you, but allow you to come to them or line them up. Two fingers for touching is a good rule if you feel that the kids can handle it, and then an immediate trip to the bathroom for washing hands. It's a wonderful treat to see the kids faces and it's educational too. I hope it goes well, and remember to have someone some pics!

Yeah, seriously I'll try to get pictures. I already have a little photo album with a ton of pictures of the snake in it for my kids and I think I'll put it in the 4/5's next week sometime too so they know what to expect (not green or slimy, etc :P)
But I just realised my good camera will be with my boyfriend in Toronto! Oh well, I'll have to use my bad camera. Bad pictures are better than no pictures!

I've already had a couple of parents ask me if their kids can come meet Orey outside of daycare time... so this will be a big treat for a lot of my boys.

When I took my geckos and snake into my son's kindergarten class, I had another kindergarten teacher ask to bring their class through, and then got nabbed again for a 2nd grade class. The kids all loved it, but I did see one teacher rush her class in and shut her door. lol.

Another thing that I would advise is to bring in any old shed you may have... preferably one your not attached to. ;)

I should have one of those on Sunday... He's gotta look his best for my kids!!

I've been meaning to bring some shed to put in the album I made, but I keep forgetting haha. The shed is something that they can touch without me worrying too much :D

Exactly. You can pass that around and do your talk before you bring out your snake, as they'll be completely awed the second they see it. Anything you say after that point just flies over their cute little heads. :giggle:

I'd advise holding the snake so they can pet his tail(mid-section back) so there is no chance of getting bitten. You can tell THEM it's so he doesn't think they will poke his eyes, since they don't have eyelids.(Another point they love, no EYELIDS??????)
I like to tickle the belly and show them how he squirms away from it, saying "They are ticklish" or something else.
This is all just stuff I do when showing snakes to kids. Your results may vary.
Wolfy

Don't forget to bring the hand sanitizer with you and make sure they all use it if they've touched the snake.

We're going to be doing a snake talk in the spring at our son's school (he's 5). Other than basic information about how snakes are the same and different than other pets we are also going to cover why snakes are important in the world and what to do if a child comes across a snake in their yard. Things like why the snake is there, it's job in nature and that they should leave it alone to go about it's business.

I think it's really great to introduce small kids to the world of herps and with straightforward information help them understand that snakes aren't mean or wanting to bite them and that they have a real job in Mother Nature's world of creatures. :)

I'll have a bucket of warm soapy water at the ready. Because of their age I don't want to use chemical hand sanitizer - that's a parent decision and we don't use any at my work. But no worries. Hands WILL be washed!!

I'm very impressed at my parents. Today I put up signs at the doors of the two rooms whose kids will be meeting the snake. Not ONCE did I have a concern over it biting someone, hurting someone, being full of diseases - most of the parents just said "That's so COOL of you!!"
I'm so excited! Day after tomorrow!