Skip to main content
Supported by Pets at Home

Animal fact-finding visit

Go on an adventure to a community farm, animal sanctuary or another place, and pick an animal to learn all about!

Back to Activities

You’ll need

  • Weather appropriate clothing
  • Pens or pencils
  • A4 paper or activity sheets
  • Device to take photos (optional)
Animal fact finding visit sheet
PDF – 70.8KB
Download Animal fact finding visit sheet

Before you begin 

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There's also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.   
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely. 
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help

Planning your trip 

  • Find a place to visit, such as: 
    • A city farm, community farm or open farm – places where people can visit and learn about animals and farming. 
    • A zoo or wildlife park. 
    • An animal sanctuary or rescue centre – they care for animals that are injured, abandoned, or unable to survive in the wild. Some also rehome animals. 
  • Everyone will need a way to record what they’ve learned – this could be through writing, drawing, or taking photos. We’ve created a sheet you can use, with prompts and space for people to write or draw what they find out. 
  • Think about how people will learn about the animals. Are there information boards to read? Will there be volunteers or staff to speak to, or any talks to attend? You may also want adults with mobile phones or tablets to help look up answers if they can’t be found at the location. 
  • Make sure everyone knows what they need to bring for the visit and what to wear. Check the weather forecast – and be prepared for it to be wrong! 
  • You could also use time in a previous session for people to choose the animal they’d like to learn about and to organise groups in advance. This is a good opportunity to introduce the challenge, get people thinking about what they need to find out, and adjust or create an activity sheet to match. 

Run the activity  

  1. Explain that everyone will pick an animal to find out about. 
  2. Introduce your challenge, for example “A friendly alien has landed on Earth. They’ve never seen your animal before and want to take one home to look after. It’s your job to make them a guide so they know exactly how to keep it safe, happy and healthy!” 
  3. You could get everyone into small groups, depending on which animal or type of animal they’d like to find out about.  
  4. Ask everyone to think about what they need to find out about their animal, for example: 
    • What should its home look like? 
    • How much space does it need? 
    • Does it like to be alone or with other animals? 
    • Where does it rest? 
    • What does it eat? How often does it need to eat? 
    • What toys or equipment does it need? 
  1. Before everyone sets off in their small groups, make sure they understand how to stay safe, what to do if they become lost or separated, and how they’re expected to behave while they’re there. This includes being respectful and caring towards the animals. Confirm when and where the groups will meet back up. 
  2. Encourage everyone to record what they learn. They can write, draw, or, if possible, take photos. 
  3. At the end of the visit, or in a future session, bring everyone together to share what they found out. They could share their favourite fact or something that surprised them. 

Reflection

This activity gave you the chance to learn what an animal needs to stay happy and healthy. All animals -  whether they live in the wild, in a zoo, or at home as pets - have five welfare needs.  The five welfare needs are:  

  • A safe place to live:  Animals should have the right type of home, including shelter, space and opportunities to exercise, and somewhere comfortable to rest and hide.    
  • Food and water: Animals need to have access to fresh, clean drinking water all the time and should be fed the right amount and type of food to keep them fit and healthy. 
  • To behave normally: Animals should have enough space and the right sort of toys and housing so they can behave normally. 
  • Having the right company: Some animals need to have friends of their own kind. Animals should have the right sort of company, and some should be kept on their own – find out what is best before you get your pet. 
  • Good health: Animals should be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease and should be treated by a vet if they are sick or injured. 

These are all things to think about if you’re choosing or looking after a pet.

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.

Visits away from your meeting place

Complete a thorough risk assessment and include hazards, such as roads, woodland, plants, animals, and bodies of water (for example, rivers, ponds, lakes, and seas). You’ll probably need more adult helpers than usual. Your risk assessment should include how many adults you need. The young people to adult ratios are a minimum requirement. When you do your risk assessment, you might decide that you need more adults than the ratio specifies. Think about extra equipment that you may need to take with you, such as high visibility clothing, a first aid kit, water, and waterproofs. Throughout the activity, watch out for changes in the weather and do regular headcounts. 

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Animals and insects

Be aware of the risks before interacting with animals. Be aware of anyone with allergies, and make alternative arrangements for them.

Gardening and nature

Everyone must wash their hands after the activity has finished. Wear gloves if needed. Explain how to safely use equipment and set clear boundaries so everyone knows what’s allowed.

  • When choosing your location and planning your visit, make sure it’s accessible for everyone in your group. You may want to visit the site in advance to check this.
  • Think about how people will get to the location, move around it, and access any buildings. Consider whether there are accessible toilets and whether anything on site might be challenging for people with sensory differences.
  • Get in touch with the venue and ask about their accessibility. Will it meet everyone’s needs? You may need to think about level access, suitable toilets, or quiet spaces where people can take a break if needed.
  • Consider how people will record what they’ve learned – writing, drawing, or taking photos – and whether working in pairs or small groups would help everyone take part. 

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Beavers Animal Friend Activity Badge
Cubs Animal Carer Activity Badge

Involve young people in planning the visit by deciding together what kind of place they’d like to go to and which animals they’re most interested in learning about.