Most of these activities are primarily geared towards grades K-8, but don’t be surprised to find something for all ages! Make sure to keep checking back, as we will be continuously adding to our library of resources.
Available Activity Guides
Arts, Crafts, Reading, & Writing
Have some tissue paper gift wrap lying around the house? Create some pet-inspired 3D art!
MATERIALS:
Crayons/markers/color pencils
Glue stick
Tissue paper gift wrap (optional amount)
Pencil w/ attached eraser
Scissors
Blank paper, coloring page, or print out
This activity asks kids to think about concrete ways to practice compassion for animals in rough situations. The goal is to create a comic strip that identifies how the animal in a given scenario may be feeling (an exercise in empathy) and to imagine human action that would be helpful to the animal (an exercise in compassion).
MATERIALS:
2 sheets of blank paper (at least 8×11”)
Pencil
Ruler (optional)
Crayons/markers/color pencils
Does your child want a career working with animals? This activity can encourage young animal lovers to think about their future and get creative with what that future can look like.
MATERIALS:
Pencil
Eraser
Paper
Markers/crayons/color pencils
Ruler
Try this fun, mostly mess-free painting activity for both kids and pets!
MATERIALS:
Saran wrap
At least 2 colors of paint
Large sheet of paper
Hard mobile surface, such as cardboard or a cutting board
Paper towels
With this activity, recommended for kids ages 5-10, you will make a diorama illustrating everything your pet of choice needs to be happy and healthy. It’s a great activity to help kids think through responsible pet care while encouraging their creativity. If given the time, space, and freedom to work on it, many kids build very creative homes! Try it as a follow-up to the DIY Pet Care Presentation available for free download on spcaLA’s website!
MATERIALS:
Small cardboard box or shoe box
Masking tape
Scissors
Glue
Markers
Variety of magazines or blank paper for drawing
Miscellaneous craft items of choice (e.g. fabric pieces, yarn, felt, etc.)
Print this fun, pet themed word search game.
Staff who work hands on with shelter animals often develop some favorites (but don’t tell anyone!). Sometimes these pets have been with us for an especially long time and could use some extra attention. You can help us highlight some of our shelter favorites!
MATERIALS:
Art supplies of choice
Group / Family Activities
By asking participants to act out emotions, this twist on a classic game promotes emotional literacy while having fun with the family. This activity can also be paired with spcaLA’s DIY presentation on Animal Communication. Dogs and cats communicate their feelings through body language, and that’s what you’ll be doing too!
MATERIALS:
Scraps of blank paper
Pen or pencil
Small container
When faced with stress and difficult situations, it is easy to become lost in thoughts and feelings that we may not know what to do with. This activity asks participants to focus on using their five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) in order to be fully present in the moment and come back into their bodies. Taking time to slow down and reconnect with ourselves by taking a moment to focus on each of our senses can be an effective form of self-care, helping to ease the mind and body while improving our capacity to cope and process what we find challenging. During this activity, participants are asked to use the five senses to complete different tasks around the room.
MATERIALS:
Blank paper
Pen or pencil
Tape or sticky putty for the wall
Dogs have an amazing sense of smell. In fact, their sense of smell is 1 million times better than ours! That’s why dogs make such good workers, such as those trained to help humans detect cancer, explosives, or other people. They are capable of using their wonderful noses to accomplish all sorts of tasks. As a fun comparison, this is a game that puts your human nose to the test!
MATERIALS:
5 – 10 paper bags
5 – 10 fragrant items of choice (1 per paper bag) (some good options for odors are: soap, peanut butter, chocolate, oranges, banana, candles, pine leaves)
5 – 10 small containers with lids (1 per odor)
Pencils (1 per participant)
Sheet of paper (1 per participant)
Marker
This is a simple activity meant to give families a chance to share and practice gratitude together. Taking a moment to pause and focus on something that you are grateful for, no matter how big or small, is a useful practice for fostering resiliency in ourselves and our families.
MATERIALS:
Paper (preferably colored)
Scissors
Glue or stapler
Pen, pencil, or marker
Small container
Test your memory skills with this fun pet care game. This can be a stand-alone activity or a follow-up activity to spcaLA’s DIY Pet Care presentation, available for free download on our website.
MATERIALS:
Pencil
Paper (optional handout provided here)
20 items (or photos of items) representing everything pets need to be happy and healthy
We all experience varying levels of stress throughout our lives, and you can never have enough tools to help support healthy ways to help relieve that stress. This activity offers an opportunity for parents/caregivers and their children to talk about some of the things that contribute to stress in their lives, followed by the making of one simple tool to help ease the physical tension that comes with difficult emotions.
MATERIALS:
1 cup of rice
1 clean tube or crew sock
Recommended: essential oils
Optional: markers
This is an activity that takes trust and cooperation as teams guide each other through obstacles.
MATERIALS:
Objects from around the house and/or furniture.
Bandana or something secure to cover your eyes.
Two or more people
Pet Projects & Enrichment
These homemade cat tents give cats a comfortable place to hide and sleep – two things cats love to do!
MATERIALS:
Masking Tape
2 wire hangers
Medium t-shirt
15×15 inch piece of cardboard
Wire Cutter
Safety Pins
Single hole punch
Soft towel or small blanket
Fabric markers or fabric dye
When it comes to providing some fun and enrichment for our pets, we can never have enough options!
MATERIALS:
Children’s tights, knee high tights, or fabric tube measuring no less than 12” long and 2 ½“ wide. Fabric material should be similar to that of thick tights that do not tear easily.
3 – 6 plastic bags
Scissors
Non-toxic markers (optional)
Catnip (optional)
Cats have a natural need to scratch. Providing them with an appropriate scratching area helps keep them happy and healthy. Here is a cat scratcher you can make at home.
MATERIALS:
Large cardboard boxes
Scissors
Ruler
Masking tape
Markers
Decorative duct tape (optional)
Cat nip (optional)
Make this quick and simple treat dispenser to provide some fun enrichment for your dog.
MATERIALS:
Food Container
Scissors
Treats
Tape
Lots of dogs enjoy the crunchy sound of an empty water bottle. By re-using a couple of items instead of throwing them away, you can very easily create a new toy for your dog to enjoy!
MATERIALS:
Empty water bottle with cap
Tube or crew sock (even if it’s old or has a hole!)
Markers (optional)
Make this fun doggie condo for your dog to enjoy.
MATERIALS:
Large empty box
Scissors
Markers
Water bottles
Dog Toys
Fabric or blankets
Tape
Rope, yarn or string
Treats
Make this toy at home for your dog!
MATERIALS:
Scissors for cutting fabric
3 strips of fleece (2 inches wide by 6 feet long)
Construct this Dog Treat Gingerbread House and share with your dog to for fun and enrichment!
MATERIALS:
A variety of dog treats
One or more of the following: Peanut butter, spray cheese, paté dog food
Paper, pencil, coloring items
Cardboard
Show your dog some extra love with homemade dog treats made specially for them! They can be used for training activities or simply adding something tasty to brighten your pup’s day. These recipes have been a hit with plenty of dogs at spcaLA pet adoption centers over the years. Try them at home and see which one your dog likes best!
Make some fun toys for your cats at home!
MATERIALS:
Scissors
Felt (one 8×11” sheet of felt will make 3-4 toys)
Permanent marker for tracing and decorating
Needle and thread
Polyfill stuffing or cotton balls
5 inches of yarn, per toy (for mouse only)
Catnip
Ruler
Make this fun cardboard obstacle course for your own dog.
MATERIALS:
Empty boxes
Scissors
Tape
Treats
Pair this craft with a walk in the neighborhood where you keep an eye out for any birds or other wildlife; or pair it with spcaLA’s DIY City Wildlife presentation, available for download on our website! If you have a cat at home, you can also try to hang your bird feeder outside a window your cat frequents. Your birdfeeder can then become a new entertainment system for your cat too!
MATERIALS:
Paper towel or toilet paper roll
Yarn, twine, or ribbon
Hole puncher
Peanut butter or substitute
Knife or spreading utensil
Bird seed or a bird-friendly cereal like Cheerios
Everyone needs a soft bed – learn how to make one at home!
MATERIALS:
Fleece fabric large enough to cut out 24 x 24” and/or 36 x 36” squares (different sizes of bed for different sizes of pets)
Scissors
Poly-fill stuffing
Try these homemade enrichment items as a fun, new item to introduce into play time with your pet. You can try these with dogs of all sizes, as well as cats! For these items, we took some used plastic coffee pods that would have otherwise been thrown out, but small disposable cups are also options.
Reveal your kitty’s inner hunter with this interactive pom-pom toy!
MATERIALS:
Scissors for cutting fabric
Fleece fabric (enough to cut out a strip a 3×18” strip)
Yarn
Ruler
Create a ball pit using household items for an easy and fun enrichment opportunity for your dog.
MATERIALS:
Shallow empty box
Newspaper/junk mail
Treats/kibble
Scissors
When it comes to providing some fun and enrichment for our pets, we can never have enough options!
MATERIALS:
Baby sock or baby mitten
Polyfill stuffing
Catnip
Yarn (cut into 12 inch piece)
Markers
Make this quick and easy toy for your dog to enjoy.
MATERIALS:
Tube/Crew sock
Poly-fill stuffing
Markers
Optional: Essential oils
Make this treat dispenser for your dog to enjoy.
MATERIALS:
Empty toilet paper or paper towel roll
Scissors
Treats
Markers or color pencils
Create a fun course for your pet’s treats! Your pet will watch their treat zig and zag until it reaches its destination – your pet’s mouth!
MATERIALS:
Paper rolls
Painter’s tape
Pet treats
Optional: Paint and paint brush
More Resources
Looking for more ways to bring compassion to your home classroom? Check out our DIY classroom presentations.