Everything PETS!
In this episode, four seven- and eight-year-old kids ( Evelyn, Ella, Chelsea, and Eliot) join Todd to discuss their best fur-riends: their pets! How do we care for our pets? How do pets make us feel? What do we learn from our pets? They then go on a journey to the Land of Qook-a-lackas, where they help a Qook-a-leekie, Quillion, who has lost their pet Quigley.
Guest Stars in Everything PETS!
The role of Quillion is played by Ashlie Atkinson, an American actress who works in movies, television, and theater. She has a LONG list of credits including Peaches in the Netflix film Juanita, Rochelle Applebaum in the Martin Scorsese film The Wolf of Wall Street, Connie in the Spike Lee film BlacKkKlansman, and Janice in USA Network’s Mr. Robot, and Mamie Fish in HBO’s The Gilded Age. Ashlie is also the proud cat parent of two fur-babies, Mookie and Pearl.
The ukulele music and original song, My Furry Friend, in this episode is written and performed by Bill English. Bill is an actor, musician, and voiceover artist based in NYC.
Educator Resources
Having a pet can help to foster responsibility in children, and can offer a unique opportunity for kids to take care of someone else — helping them to grow big hearts!
When children care for pets, they develop a sense of responsibility and build nurturing instincts. Pets can be great friends, especially during difficult times. Having a pet can ease loneliness, relieve stress, and bring joy.
When a pet dies, it can often be the first time a child experiences loss, which can bring up feelings of sadness, fear and anger like the kids expressed in this episode.
Though some children may not have pets at home, we can explore this relationship and the empathy it builds by using the resources provided here. Invite your class to use movement to tap into the expression of different pets and collaborate as a class to care for a “pet” of your own!