Dogs, mice, cows, bats, whales and you! What could all of these have in common? They are all mammals.
Key idea
Mammals have hair or fur, breathe air with lungs, and feed their babies milk.
Why it works
Where an animal lives does not decide its group. Its body does. A whale lives in the ocean, but it comes up to breathe air, and its babies drink milk. A bat flies, but it has fur and feeds its babies milk.
Worked example: Let's think it through
A dolphin swims in the sea. Is it a fish or a mammal?
- Does it breathe air? Yes, through a blowhole on top of its head.
- Does it feed its babies milk? Yes.
- Fish breathe with gills, and they do not make milk.
Answer: A dolphin is a mammal.
Common mistake
Children often call a whale or a dolphin a fish because it lives in water, and a bat a bird because it flies. Look for the mammal clues: hair, breathing air, and milk for the babies.
For the grown-up. People are mammals too. Ask your child to find the mammal clues on themselves: hair on their head, breathing air. It helps the idea feel real.