Meeting Pitzy and Penny: A Week of Pet Animals at Monkey Puzzle Marleigh
At Monkey Puzzle Marleigh, one of Cambridge’s warmest and most welcoming day nurseries, learning comes to life through real experiences. Over the past week our theme has been Pet Animals, and the children have loved sharing photographs and talking about the pets they have at home. The week reached a lovely high point when one of our team brought in her two guinea pigs to meet everyone.
Say Hello to Our Guinea Pig Guests
Our babies, toddlers and preschoolers all had the chance to meet Pitzy and Penny up close. With gentle guidance from our team, the children learned how to hold the guinea pigs safely, which foods they can eat, and how they are kept comfortably cool or warm in different types of weather. It was a hands-on moment of curiosity and care that the children will remember for a long time.
Learning to Care for Animals, Big and Small
Our preschool children were especially interested in how guinea pigs stay active, and they had plenty of ideas to share. Together they talked about adding slides, tunnels and toys to the cage to keep the guinea pigs happy and busy. The children even chose brand new names for their new friends, deciding on Oreo and Jammy Dodger, which brought no shortage of giggles.
Why Moments Like These Matter for Your Child
Meeting animals is about far more than a fun morning. As children learn to handle a guinea pig gently, think about what it needs, and consider how to keep it happy, they are building empathy, responsibility and confidence. These early experiences nurture kindness and curiosity, the very qualities that help a child grow into a caring and thoughtful learner. For your family, that means an early years experience where your child discovers the world through real, meaningful moments, guided every step of the way by a team who know them well.