Hamsters And Homeschooling

Having hamsters can be an enriching part of any homeschooling family's curriculum. Hamsters are appealing as pets, plus they are easy to maintain and require very little living space. They can not only be used as a part of your science curriculum, but can be used for any subject - math, language arts, social studies, etc.

Before deciding whether or not you want to incorporate hamsters into your curriculum, consider the fact that you will be making a commitment of at least 2 to 3 years. You cannot simply have them for a few weeks and them turn them loose - chances are they will end up being eaten by a predator or dying of starvation in the wild. Setting hamsters free is not a humane or generous gesture, and simply giving them to a pet shop might have them end up being dinner for a hungry snake. Carefully contemplate your choice.

Be sure to document your homeschooling activities through writing, photos, etc., and keep this for your records.

Once you have decided to make the commitment, determine how you wish to use them. You can choose to simply have one hamster and use him for observation and entertainment, or you could have more than one and use him and her to study things such as genetics, mating rituals, social order and other subjects. The possibilities are endless.

For language arts, you can use one or more hamsters to inspire fiction or to exercise writing skills in nonfiction topics. Children can describe the characteristics of the hamster, day-to-day activities, how the hamster came to live in the family, and a host of other topics. Ongoing assignments can be given on the growth and development of the hamster, along with noting any illness. A daily or weekly journal is also a good activity.

For math, you can calculate food consumption, water usage, the cost of supplies, etc. You can also calculate things such as how long a bag of bedding material will last if x is used per day, per week, etc. If you breed hamsters, you can calculate population projections and more complicated usage projections. Budgeting is another subject you can use, and you can give the children the responsibility of staying within a certain budget each month for your hamster. If you sell the baby hamsters, children can calculate the amount of profit, if any.

Science is the subject most suited for this type of project. Children can learn about genetics, breeding, animal husbandry, and a host of other scientific topics. It is even possible for children to attempt to do selective breeding and create new, desirable traits in their hamsters. If your hamster becomes ill, this is a good lesson in veterinary techniques and treatment. Taming hamsters is also a good lesson for children to learn (with adult supervision, of course).

Above all, the best lesson for children is the joy of being responsible for another living creature and being able to nurture a small life. They learn responsibility, empathy, compassion, respect and patience. It also matures children in a loving way.