Activities for Kids

Early Childhood Encounters – 45-60 minutes, standards-based, interactive, and themed sessions for you and your 3-5 year-old child to learn about animals and explore nature at the Schallock Center for Animals. Each month there is a new topic and activities for you and your child to enjoy!

Family Adventures

Does your whole family love animals and the outdoors? Come learn more about both and how we make sure they are well kept at the Schallock Center for Animals.  Have fun together as you explore the habitats and visit our resident animals. Each season will have a different theme so pick a date that works for you and come join us.

Tales by the Fire

Enjoy an evening outdoors with your family at the Schallock Center for Animals. Bring a picnic, hike the trails and listen to a story about animals around the campfire.  We’ll share with you how HAWS can help you, your pets and our community. Then finish the night with a fun campfire snack.

Hannah’s Haven

HAWS is excited to share our new reading program, Hannah’s Haven. This reading program is in loving memory of Hannah, a HAWS alumni dog, whose greatest joy and achievement was working with children at HAWS, local schools, libraries, and at community events.

Children ages 6 to 10 can spend a half hour reading to one of the shelter dogs or HAWS alumni dogs. Research has shown that “the presence of a calm, attentive dog” when children are reading aloud reduces stress and improves concentration much more than a supportive adult, or even a friend. Animals in shelters are often lonely and in need of interaction and socialization. Reading to animals at a shelter can give them some much-needed one-on-one time with a companion in a calm setting. There are two reading stalls available to reserve for each time slot.

Tuesday Troops

Tuesday Troops is for animal-loving kids in 6th through 8th grades to volunteer at HAWS and socialize with many of our adoptable animals. Meeting nights consist of two to three Tuesdays per month and run for a school semester.

Critter Club

Critter Club is a unique education and volunteer opportunity for kids in 6^th through 8^th grades who have a passion to help and protect animals. Critter Club members attend educational programs on Thursdays and also has them spend time volunteering at HAWS on Saturday or Sunday mornings alongside one of our HAWS educators. Critter Club sessions run for a school semester.

Critter Club members will have to apply for membership, submit recommendations from two non-related adults (teachers, ministers, scout leaders, etc), and write an essay about why pets are important.

KHAWS

KHAWS is a club for kids ages 6 to 12 years old to learn about animal safety and pet care responsibilities while interacting with the shelter’s animals. Meetings are held two Friday nights a month per semester. Each month will feature an animal-related activity, after which we will participate in several activities around the shelter such as socializing with animals and making pet toys and treats!

New! PETS (AKA ACE):  

Eager to help animals and learn about the mission of HAWS? Need service hours? This is a semester long, once a month opportunity available to high school students in grades 9-12th. Students will earn service hours as they learn about the various needs of cats, dogs and the other small animals that HAWS cares for. Students will participate in a variety of service opportunities. The type of projects we do will be dependent upon HAWS needs at the time but may include projects like cleaning (doing dishes, folding laundry, etc.), enrichment preparation, sorting donations, and animal socialization. We recommend students wear clothes and shoes they don’t mind getting dirty and shoes must be closed-toe (no crocs). We are going to get hands-on and help take care of our animals at HAWS! Your student service hours will be recorded at each attendance and at the end of the semester HAWS will sign your service log to submit as needed.

Equine Explorers

Equine Explorers is for horse-loving kids in 6th-9th grade! Kids will have the unique opportunity to learn about, care for, and interact with horses at HAWS Schallock Center for Animals.  We will cover a wide variety of topics – equine safety, types of equipment, riding styles, equine history, horse anatomy, and more! Meeting days are Tuesdays.

Equine Explorer members will have to apply for membership indicating their interest in horses and this club.  Our resident horses can’t wait to meet you!

Equine Explorers 2 & 3

This club is for kids in 6^th-9^th grade who have completed the first semester of Equine Explorers. This advanced offering provides additional opportunities to ride and gain more independence and confidence working with the horses. We will also be learning more about the responsibilities of caring for horses by helping with chores and other needed tasks around the Schallock Center for Animals. Meeting days are Sundays and Mondays.

Equine Explorer 2 members will have to apply for membership indicating why they wish to continue learning about horses and how to care for them. 

Skittles’ Book Club

We invite children in 3^rd through 5^th grades to join our book club at HAWS Schallock Center for Animals that will encourage kids to practice their reading skills by reading Misty of Chincoteague to a Chincoteague pony himself, Skittles! Like a true book club, the children will be expected to read at home along and come prepared to engage in a discussion as well as read to Skittles himself. We will also discuss the various themes of humane education present in the book, including but not limited to caring, compassion and empathy.