Asha’s First Pet
Grandma Joy’s House Bobbin’s Blooms
Poppins Park Asha’s Flat Oa’s Flat Adesh’s Flat Where are we going today? 1 2 3 6 5 4 7 8 9 Stables
First published 2022 © Twinkl Ltd of Wards Exchange, 197 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield S11 8HW Copyright © Twinkl Ltd. 2022 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Twinkl Ltd. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This resource is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is intended to offer general information and should never be taken as advice for interactions with an animal. As this information is specific to the situation, the pet’s breed, and the individual pet, it can change. It is your responsibility to assess risks and ensure the interaction is safe for those participating. We do not warrant that the information provided is correct. You and your family should not rely on the material included within this resource, and we do not accept any responsibility if you or your family do. It is up to you to contact a suitably qualified professional if you are concerned about the pet’s behaviour. Twinkl is a registered trademark of Twinkl Ltd.
Asha’s First Pet Twinkl Educational Publishing
Asha is feeling excited. Her family is getting a pet! Leo wants a fish. Asha wants a puppy. “We have to choose a pet carefully,” says Daddy Rob. “They have to be able to live happily and safely with us. All animals have different needs.” Do you have a pet? ?
“Like food?” asks Asha. “Yes,” says Mummy. “Animals need food and water.” “And a comfy place to live and rest,” says Daddy Rob.
“Cuddles,” says Leo. “Some pets like gentle cuddles but not all of them,” says Mummy. “We don’t want to hurt or frighten them.”
“What else do pets need?” asks Asha. “They need space to move and exercise,” says Mummy. “Let’s visit some different pets,” says Daddy Rob.
Adesh has a pet called Lofty. “Dragon!” says Leo. “He’s not a dragon,” giggles Adesh. “He’s a lizard.” “Would you like to hold him?” asks Adesh’s dad, Nav.
Leo and Asha take turns to hold Lofty. Asha is a little unsure. Leo loves holding him. He feels bumpy. “He can’t stay out for too long,” says Nav. “He needs to stay warm in his tank.”
Oa has a pet cat called Mittens. Mittens comes in through a hole in the door. “That’s a cat flap,” says Oa. “She can use it to go outside whenever she wants.”
Oa shows Leo and Asha how to hold Mittens. She is very fluffy. “Sit nice and calmly,” says Oa. “Then she’ll feel safe.”
“Dogs enjoy exploring different smells,” says Immy. “They need lots of exercise.” Immy the florist has a dog called Petal. Asha and Leo play fetch with Petal in the garden.
Petal is wagging her furry tail. Leo tries to grab it. “Don’t pull her tail,” says Daddy Rob. “We always use gentle hands to touch animals.”
Dila keeps some fish in the pond near Poppins Cafe. “Would you like to feed them?” she asks. “Yes, please!” shout Asha and Leo.
“Cuddle!” says Leo. “I’m sorry, Leo,” says Dila. “We can’t touch the fish. Some animals love cuddles but fish need to be left alone in the water.”
Grandma Joy has some hens. “The hens lay eggs,” says Grandma Joy. “Yummy!” says Asha.
“Why don’t you sit here with me?” says Grandma Joy. “They will come to you if they are not frightened. Then, we can stroke their soft feathers.” Leo chases the hens around the garden.
Alfie and Jess look after a pony at the stables. “Brush, brush,” says Jess as the children all help to brush Toby.
Toby tickles Asha’s hand with his bushy tail. She laughs loudly. “Ssh,” says Daddy Rob. “We need to use soft voices around animals.”
It’s time to decide what pet to get. “Can you remember what we can do to look after our pet?” asks Mummy.
“Soft voices,” whispers Asha, “and gentle hands!” “No pull,” says Leo. “That’s right,” says Daddy Rob. “If we touch them, we need to be gentle and hold them safely.”
“No cuddle fish,” says Leo with a grumpy face. Mummy laughs. “I’m sorry, Leo. Some animals just don’t like to be cuddled.”
“We haven’t got room for a horse or chickens,” says Asha. “What about a puppy?” “Puppies need lots of space,” says Mummy. “I think we need to get something smaller.”
“Dragon!” says Leo. “I want something soft,” says Asha. “Oa’s cat is really cute.” “We don’t want to put a catflap in our door,” says Mummy.
“So, something small and soft that doesn’t need lots of space or a catflap,” says Daddy Rob. “Cuddle,” says Leo. “And something that Leo can cuddle,” laughs Mummy. “I think I know!” shouts Asha. What do you think would be a good pet for Asha? ?
Meet Cuddles the hamster! He’s small, soft and his toys all fit in the living room. Most importantly, he loves to be held by Leo and Asha…
…with gentle hands, of course!
I met lots of pets in the story. Which one was your favourite? Have you met any pets in real life? Which is the odd one out?
If you want to learn more about different pets, you can ask your grown-up to help you. How many cats can you spot? Explore Asha’s First Pet resources
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Asha is trying to choose a pet. Today, she is going to meet some different animals and learn about how to look after them. Will she find a pet that’s just right for her family and home? We provide educators around the world with entire schemes of work, lesson planning and assessments, plus online educational games, innovative augmented reality and lots, lots more. We provide educators around the world with entire schemes of work, lesson planning and assessments, plus online educational visit twinkl.com games, innovative augmented reality and lots, lots more.