Best 4H Animals for Second Grade Homeschoolers

Pick the right 4H animals for second-grade homeschoolers, and they’ll learn a ton from their experience. Do it wrong, and all you’ll learn is that maybe you’re not cut out to be a pet owner. 4H typically starts in second grade and is open to members between the ages of 8-18. If your child is younger, you might want to look into clover kids, which is available for kids ages 5-7. Plus, 4H is a great way to bring some of your homeschool program outside. Here are some remarkable animals to start with.

Rabbits for Beginners in 4H

Rabbits are an excellent choice when looking for 4H animals for second-grade homeschoolers because they’re easy to care for, can live in small spaces, and will provide hours of entertainment. Plus, they live about eight years. They’re also relatively inexpensive. You won’t spend much money on food, cages, and other supplies. You can order most of the supplies from Amazon or get them at your local farm store. 

These characteristics make rabbits a good option if you want to teach your child about responsibility and caring for another living creature without having to shell out big bucks.

While there are many breeds of domestic rabbits, most fall into one of five categories: 

• Rex
• Dutch or Belgian Hare
• Giant Chinchilla
• Flemish Giant
• French Lop Rabbit

These varieties have different personalities, but all have long ears sticking up and over their heads. For example, the Rex has short fur with a bit of wool under its coat; this fur is tight to the skin but soft at first touch. 

Rabbits come in all colors from white through black/brown, with silver flecks throughout. Each rabbit has a unique coat, so it can be fun for your child to go pick out their first bunny. 

This whimsical, Alice and Wonderland-style rabbit hutch is perfect for any little girl’s first bunny. With the asymmetrical doors, roof, cute fence, and little wavy trim it looks like something right out of the fun make-believe movie. Plus the cute little door is easy to open for little ones. It has an easy-to-clean pull-out tray.

Cats for Second Graders in 4H

Cats are probably the most popular pet for homeschoolers. They’re easy to care for, and they’re great with kids! You can find cats of all colors, sizes, and personalities. While some breeds may have special needs (like Persians), your local shelter will likely have many different types of cats available to adopt.

Cats don’t need much space either—they’ll happily share your living room with you while they sleep or relax at home on their own terms. Cats also do not need much attention: a few good scratches under the chin every now and then will satisfy their cuddly desires!

As far as toys and litter box supplies go, you can easily pick these up at your local Walmart or order something fun off amazon. 

Amazon has a variety of fun fruit-shaped litter boxes with swinging doors so your new cat does not throw litter all over the room. Plus these boxes are brightly colored and fun for young pet owners. However, it is not recommended for children or pregnant women to be around cat litter. Kids ages 14 and up are usually safe to begin messing with this chore. Grab this lemon-shaped cat box for your 4H program today from Amazon!

If you have younger children who won’t be participating in the litter box step and you want to save yourself some time, you could also try a self-cleaning cat litter box, available on Amazon.

You could also get the easy-to-clean top entry cat box set that comes with the litter box scooper, removable cleaning tray, and two cat bowls for food and water.

Fish and Birds

Fish and birds can be great pets for second graders. They’re easy to care for and require little space. Plus, fish are less likely to bite than other animals. Fish and birds can also be less expensive than other types of 4H animals, but they’re still a great choice if you’re looking for a pet that will teach your child about responsibility. Some birds you might consider getting in the summer months are chickens or guineafowl. These will also benefit your yard because they eat insects like ticks and chiggers. In the summer months, you can order boxes of hatchlings. 

If you want a small set of chickens because you don’t have much space, like 4-6 birds, you could get a portable chicken coop on Amazon. Since it is portable you can easily move it to mow under it, but your chickens will still be protected at night time.

However, if you want to go the fish route you could start out with something small. Amazon has a really cute ecosystem that has herbs and plants on top of the fish tank to make it self-cleaning. Kids can work with a mini garden and care for a fish with this set.

Hamsters and Guinea Pigs

Hamsters and guinea pigs are excellent for second-grade homeschoolers because they are easy to care for and friendly. Guinea pigs can even be kept in large cages with just one or two of their own kind. Hamsters can be socialized with humans, but they don’t need constant companionship. In fact, many hamsters will fight each other to the death after reaching maturity. They do like to be cuddled occasionally.

On the other hand, Guinea pigs will bond with their owners quickly, especially if you start training them when they’re young! They also like having other guinea pigs around.

Hamsters are small enough to fit into even a small cage (but not too small!), so if you live in an apartment or house that doesn’t allow pets but still want some variety in your class pet collection, then these little critters might fit the bill perfectly!

If you are wanting to get a few guinea pigs you could get them in this cage with an attached playpen. While they can climb and jump, they are not likely to climb over the top of a playpen as a hamster will.

Raising 4H Animals at Home Can Be a Great Experience for Your Homeschooled Children if You Have Enough Space.

Raising 4H animals at home can be an excellent experience for your homeschooled children if you have enough space.

4H is a great way to learn about animals and their care, health, nutrition, and behavior. Teaching children about these things will help them become better stewards of the earth and its resources.

Free Printable

You can print off this free pet care checklist printable for your home to help your kids remember some of the basic steps to taking care of pets!

Download Free Pet Care Printable

Getting 4H Animals for Second Grade Homeschoolers

We hope this list of 4H animals will help you start your homeschooling journey with classroom pets and animals! Don’t be afraid to try something new and push yourself outside your comfort zone. The more you invest in this, the more valuable it will be for both you and your child’s future.

Pin it!