One of our favourite things about spring (and there are many) is that it brings so much new life: new buds on the trees, new flowers in the ground, and new animal babies to fawn over (get it?!).
A fun side-trip to The Old Farmer’s Almanac site explains that many animals in North America have their young in spring because the longer days give parents more daylight for finding food; because the new grasses make for excellent grazing, which leads to more nutritious milk for baby mammals; and because birth in spring means young animals just miss the harsh winter weather, and then have all summer to gain strength before the chilly season hits us again.
Animals closer to the equator, where the weather is fairly consistent year-round, birth their young year-round, too.
(Don’t assume we’ve just spoiled that whole article for you… if you want to know why we have an Easter Bunny, you’ll have to read it for yourself!)
If you’re looking for a fun animal-related outing with your family, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy has re-imagined Winnipeg’s beloved Aunt Sally’s Farm. Its new incarnation opened in late March, and offers a wonderful way for kids to play alongside energetic animals (including goats, a horse, a donkey, a llama, a potbellied pig) in a colourful playground.
To help your little ones learn some of the more common* animal baby names, we’ve created a little memory game you can play together. Just download it below, print it on the thickest paper you have available (to prevent players from seeing through the game cards), and embark on some fun learning together.
*Did you know a baby ant is called an “antlet?” Neither did we! For more interesting animal baby names you can use to liven up your next Zoom meeting lull, check out the list on Zooborns.com.