A kitten looks like a tiny cat. A puppy looks like a little dog. But a tadpole does not look like a frog at all! Young animals and their parents can look alike, or very different.
Key idea
Many young animals look like small copies of their parents. Others look very different and change as they grow. Many parents feed and protect their young.
Why it works
Robin parents bring worms to their chicks all day. A mother duck leads her ducklings to food and watches for danger. Other young animals, like baby sea turtles, hatch and find their own way to the sea with no help.
Worked example: Let's think it through
Baby robins sit in the nest with their beaks open. How do their parents help them?
- The chicks cannot fly or find food yet.
- The parents fly back and forth with worms and bugs.
- They also keep the nest safe.
Answer: They bring them food and keep them safe.
Common mistake
Children often think every young animal is a small copy of its parents. A caterpillar, a tadpole and a fluffy chick look quite different from the grown-ups they become, but each grows into its own kind.
- A young cat is a kitten. A young dog is a puppy.
- A young cow is a calf. A young deer is a fawn.
- A young bear is a cub. A young duck is a duckling.
For the grown-up. Picture books of animal families are a good match for this topic. Ask, page by page: does the baby look like its parent? Who feeds it?