Humane Education @ Home

OHS Activity Book for Kids

Does your child want to learn more about animals? Download and print the OHS Activity Book for Kids for fun facts, activities and tips to help your child become a responsible pet owner!

woman and child sitting on couch laughing while holding a small dog and dog brush

Build that Bond: Enrichment Activities for You and Your Pet

Build a better friendship and keep your pet entertained for hours with these fun-filled activities!

Cats:

  1. Hide and Seek
  2. Cat food puzzles
  3. Homemade toilet paper roll cat toy
  4. Sock toys for cats

Dogs:

  1. Come when called
  2. Find it
  3. Hide and Seek
  4. Magic cup game

DIY Crafts for Kids

Here are a few links to some of the most popular crafts we do at the OHS Camp Program! Send us a photo of your completed crafts by emailing humaneeducation@ottawahumane.ca. Please note – for safety reasons, we are currently not taking donations of toys for the animals – keep them for your pets at home or save them for a friend/family member with a pet!

  1. Cat Toys
  2. Bird Feeders
  3. Toilet Paper Roll Toys for Small Animals
  4. Popsicle Stick Animals
  5. Paper Plate Animals
  6. Egg Carton Animals
  7. Egg Carton Owls
  8. Reptile Crafts

Hide and Seek

Help your indoor cat express their normal hunting behavior—one of the Five Freedoms—by playing hide and seek. This purr-fect game will allow your feline friend to burn off some energy and embrace their wild-side!

How to play: You can use a stuffed animal or any other cat toy and hide behind a door or wall. Wave it and move it to get their attention. Once you’ve captured their eyes, just throw the object across the room, and watch them pounce! Find a new spot and repeat!

Cat food puzzles

Want to give your cat’s mind a work-out, while giving them their favourite treats?!

How to play: Grab a cardboard box, some scissors, toys and treats. Simply poke small holes in the box top, add kitty toys and treats to the box and put the lid back on. Watch as your feline friend plays around the box searching for their favourite treasures!

Homemade toilet paper roll cat toy

Who knew you could use toilet paper rolls as cat toys? All you will need is an empty toilet paper roll, scissors, and cat treats.

How to play: Mark four, finger-width marks on the side of the roll, then use the scissors to cut each ring. Next, insert the first ring into the second ring, then continue until you have formed a little ball! Add some treats before closing the ball and watch your kitty go wild!

Sock toys for cats

Finally time to use up those old, unmatched socks and keep your furry, feline friend busy!

How to play: Grab an old pair of socks and a piece of paper to stuff the sock with. Roll the paper into a ball and stuff it into the sock, tie the sock end and voila! Toss it to your kitty and let the fun begin!

Come when called

Knowing that your dog will come when called can keep them safe and sound. Here is fun way to work on this skill in your very own home!

How to play: You can play this game at any level. If your dog is a beginner, just stay close by. Get them to sit and then call their name. As soon as they come to you, give them a treat and tell them how much you love them!

If your dog already comes when called, you can still play — just make it a little harder for them. Try moving further away each time! As soon as they find you — give them a treat and tell them how proud you are of them!

Find it

Give your dog’s brain a work-out while working out their powerful nose!

How to play: Grab a handful of treats or pieces of kibble and throw them around a small area or hide them in different areas of your house! Then tell your dog to “find it” and watch as your dog searches to find them. Watch how happy they are when they get to eat the treats they find!

Hide and Seek

Looking for ideas on how to get your dog excited and keep him engaged? Why not play this simple game of “hide and seek”!

How to play: Once your pooch comes when you call them, it’s time to play “hide and seek.” All you need to do is find a hiding spot—without your dog watching. Then, call out your dog’s name. Once they find you, give them a treat and praise them. Repeat this as many times as you can and see how excited your pup gets!

Magic cup game

This activity is a great way for your dog to get their most important sense fulfilled- their sense of smell!

How to play: What you will need are a few treats and three cups.

Simply place one treat under one cup and rotate the three cups to engage your dog’s sense of smell by getting them to choose which cup has a treat hidden under it. They may tell you by giving you a paw, or by trying to move the cup with their nose. Once they guess the correct cup, reward them with the treat hidden inside!

Extra tip: If they don’t guess the correct cup, show them the right one and give them the hidden treat to teach them the game!