Vet activities for an 11 year old?

[HeartSong]

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I have a friend who has an 11 year old daughter who wants to be a vet. She is going to hang out with me a few hours a week this summer. I need some fun learning activities for us to do together. It's hard to think about what is appropriate for that age. I figured I'd use my dog and cat to show her how to do a physical exam, use a stethoscope and some handling techniques. I'm also going to have her look at some radiographs just to recognize the normal anatomy, not to try to find disease or anything like that. I have some anatomy books with awesome photos to go through as well.

What other things would be good to do with an 11 year old? Either activities or just topics that wouldn't be too advanced for that age.

 

[AidanEvieCleo]

You could also teach her about basic cat/dog care, depending on how much she already knows and if she grew up with animals. Topics like feeding, bathing, cleaning up after them, exercise, and environment enrichment, even adding nail trimming and ear cleaning if your animals are good. Add to this animal behavior: what makes each species happy, mad, frightened, ex. and how to properly approach a strange animal. If you have experience with dog training you could work together to teach your dog a new trick using positive reinforcement!

Good luck, you are doing a really nice thing by helping to teach her, we all need to spend more time with the younger generation teaching them about careers that may interest them!!

 

[DocDVMD]

Great idea! I think many of the activities and displays at vet school open houses are geared toward that age group so I'm sure you can get ideas from your own open house, if not others. I remember at Cornell's open house a few months ago they had an exhibit where kids had to identify foreign objects from radiographs or identify the species (think birds, etc).
I also have a 12 year old cousin who wants to be a vet, and I might take him to Minnesota's open house this fall and show him around. I think he'd really enjoy it.

 

[Truth74]

There may be summer volunteer opportunities, like dog walking or cat socialization, with the local shelter. I know, the ones around us have a junior program during the summer and some will do it year round.

There is also having her tag along when you are doing volunteer work, yourself. That's with prior permission, of course.

 

[lenmaca]

I remember when I first starting volunteering at a veterinary clinic at a young age they taught me how to wrap surgical packs, and also fold/wrap surgical gowns, which I thought was a lot of fun.

 

[Trilt]

Suture some bananas? 🙂

 

[HeartSong]

Thanks! Those are all some great ideas.

 

[StillDreaming]

Here's the LA side in me, but also take her out to local stables to get to see horses and such. Maybe a trail ride? talk to the stable manager to see if one day you both can come out and learn handling techniques on horses, or how to groom, feed, etc.

🙂 have fun!

 

[No Imagination]

Let her play with a microscope (if you have one), look at pond water, or some worms. Perhaps spark the natural scientist in her that all kids have (till they get to school at its sucked out by memorizing the periodic table...)