Baby animals grow and change — Science, 4–6 years
A baby animal is not just a smaller adult. As it grows, its body, skills and needs can change, although it remains the same kind of animal.
Growing means changing
A baby animal grows into an adult of the same kind, but it may look and act quite differently on the way. A kitten learns to walk, climb and eat different food; a chick grows feathers and becomes able to fly. Growing changes the body and the things an animal can do.
Why do animals change?
People noticed that a tiny chick did not stay tiny, and that its needs changed as it grew. They needed to know whether a young animal was a different kind of animal or an early stage of the same one. Comparing babies and adults helps us understand growth instead of guessing from one moment.
Follow a chick
Look at a chick on three days: day 1, it has soft down and stays near the hen; day 10, it has more feathers and walks farther; after several weeks, it has larger wings and can practise flying. The steps show change over time, while every picture still shows a chicken.
Not every baby looks alike
It is easy to think a caterpillar and a butterfly are different animals because they look so unlike each other. That is a reasonable guess: the change is unusually large. In this case, both are stages in the life of one animal, so pictures, time and careful observation are needed.
Watching animals grow
Farmers, families and wildlife workers watch young animals to check that they are growing well. They may record a chick’s feathers, a puppy’s size or a tadpole’s new legs. These observations can show when an animal needs help, without assuming that every animal grows in exactly the same way.
Keep exploring
Other languages
Loading MyLeoNes™…