Some children are just born animal lovers. They seem to connect right off the bat (get it?) to the furry (and fur-less), even before they—the kids, not the animals—are able to walk and talk. There’s a bond that’s difficult to put into words, yet we can see it and understand it.
Movies and books have been devoted to the subject. Think of Born Free, Lassie, and Old Yeller, just for instance. These movies depict deep connections between animals and man.
It’s impossible not wonder when we see animals displaying what we think of as “human” behavior. What is it we do and don’t share with the animal kingdom? Are some animals special: more like humans? Are some humans more perceptive in that they are able to develop deep bonds with the animals in their lives?
One thing we can say with certainty: animals are a great comfort to children growing up, struggling to fit in with their peers and keep up with their schoolwork. A bunny, for instance, doesn’t have to do much but allow a child a nice cuddle. The child can feel the vibrant thrum of a live creature warm against her, like a hug from a parent or a friend. Endorphins, don’t you know—physical contact that makes everything all better, even when the contact comes in the form of holding a bunny on your lap. The stress of the day simply dissipates.
So on balance, it’s easy to understand why children connect so well with pets, and why they are so fond of petting zoos. Sometimes just watching the antics of animals from afar can bring about a feeling of well-being. Try showing this clip to a child that has had a difficult day and seems a bit down in the dumps. You don’t have to be an animal lover to see how much enjoyment there is for “Butch” in a just-raked pile of autumn leaves. Nor does the Siberian Husky’s owner seem very distressed at seeing his yard work spoiled by his canine pal.
Another fun clip to watch is this one in which the clever people at the BBC added human voices to footage of animals. The match between what we see and hear is uncanny, not to mention REALLY FUNNY. This one is a classic.
This more recent clip depicts a cat playing the game JENGA with his master. The cat would seem to be at a disadvantage in playing the game, since he, unlike his owner, lacks opposable thumbs. Nonetheless, he make a darned good showing (and gets by with a little help from his, um, friend).
This next clip shows the “human” side of animals. We don’t want to offer a spoiler here, but we think it’s kind of neat that we think the little girl is only mimicking the sea lion. There’s no clue that the two are purposely synchronizing their movements until well, like we said, we don’t want to give it away. We think this one is a stunner.
Last but not least, we offer you THE STORY OF CHRISTIAN, THE LION. You may have seen the video of Christian’s former owners visiting the lion in Africa, after the animal had been reintegrated into the wild. The lion, originally purchased as a pet, was reintroduced to its natural habitat by famous conservationist, George Adamson, whose wife Joy wrote the novel BORN FREE, the basis of the screenplay for the eponymous movie.
Adamson had not been at all sure that Christian would remember his former owners and warned them that this might be the case. Happily for Christian’s owners, viewers of the viral clip, and Christian himself, the animal was overjoyed to see John and Ace, his old “friends.” Like we mentioned, you might have seen the viral reunion clip, but we have something even better for you here: a full-length documentary detailing the full story of Christian the lion. No doubt both you and your child will enjoy learning more about this amazing story of an unbreakable animal/human bond.
Share these clips with your child. Watch them together if you can. All of them will touch the heart and bring a smile.
We promise.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published May 29,2014, and has been completely revised and updated for accuracy and scope.
About Varda Epstein
Varda Meyers Epstein serves as editor in chief of Kars4Kids Parenting. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Varda is the mother of 12 children and is also a grandmother of 12. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Learning Site, The eLearning Site, and Internet4Classrooms.