This has been one heck of a rough year for so many, especially those with little kids. It is harder than ever to find enough to keep them busy with so much free time.

I recently learned about Outschool and was amazed at the online classes they offered about animals. These classes are online – and although traditional school may not be that exciting, these classes I would take bets will keep your kids glued to the screen.

Below are 5 of my favorite online animal classes on the platform.

The Weirdest Things Animals Do – And Why

The class is for kids ages 7-12 which is a perfect age to talk about all the strange things animals do. I can imagine a lot of giggling going on with this class.

I learned that butterflies fart – bet you did not know that! I also learned that turtles actually breathe through their butts. These are the kinds of things kids love to learn! This class is interactive and the kids will enjoy the engagement and questions that will be asked by the teacher.

This class is taught by Marie Arsenault (MA, BEd, BA) who brings over 13 years of teaching all ages and has taught over 10,000 kids on Outschool. She is an animal lover with a special passion for reptiles, so I can only imagine the fun the kids will have learning about those as well.

Class Details

• For ages 7-12
• Class size of 3-18 students
• Lasts for 55 minutes
• One time class
• Class has been taken by over 4,700 students and has a 5 star rating from almost 1,000 parents
• Lots of options for available class times
• Cost for the class is $15 per student

Introduction To Reptiles Featuring Live Snakes Lizards and Turtles

Not sure I ever met a kid that did not love anything slippery, slimy or hard shelled. I had a reptile party for my own daughter when she was little and it is probably the party she remembers the most! This class will definitely leave your kids wide-eyed and interested. Imagine – a whole hour to yourself!

Your children will meet live animals and find out what life as a cold-blooded critter is like. They will learn about habitats, characteristics and how to properly care for the animals. Some of the animals they will meet include: Cupcake the hognose snake, Mario & Bowser the ball pythons or maybe Scout the Sulcata Tortoise. Sounds like you may never know who may make an appearance to each class!

The teacher, Angela Schiel Ferguson works for Angie’s Animals in Action which is a nonprofit in GA. She teaches animal education classes and brings her animals to schools, homeschool groups and other children’s events to promote awareness and conservation of these amazing creatures.

Class Details

• For ages 4-9
• Class size of 3-18 students
• Lasts for 60 minutes
• One time class
• Class has been taken by over 4,800 students and has a 5 star rating from over 1,000 parents
• Lots of options for class availability
• Cost for the class is $15 per student

Guinea Pig Sounds, Body Language & What They Mean

Whether you have guinea pigs or not, this will be an adorable mini-class that the kids will love – and learn from. The kids will learn everything they need – and want to know about the sounds a guinea pig makes – which are mighty cute sounds! They will be able to understand the sounds and how they can help a guinea pig if they are making a certain sound.

Guinea pigs make a variety of sounds like a “purr” or a “wheek” and when the class is done your child will be able to determine what they all mean. It is a discussion based class and there will be at least one guinea pig in the class – and your child can of course bring their own.

The class is taught by Jennifer McCarthy who holds a Master’s degree in Human Services and is a TEFL certified teach and animal care instructor.

Class Details

• For ages 5-10
• Class size of 3-8 students
• Lasts for 30 minutes
• One time class
• Class has been taken by over 1,400 students and has a 5 star rating from over 300 parents
• Multiple class availability options
• Cost for the class is $10 per student

Disgusting Animal Ongoing Class

They may be gross, but they are still darn cute! I have a fondness for weird animals myself, so the class is one I know I would love and I would bet your child will be glued to the screen with this one! The kids will enjoy hearing fun facts about some of the grossest animal activities like birds who cover themselves in poop!

Each week they will over different types of animals including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, sea creatures, invertebrates and birds. She will also share information about how some of these animals are endangered and what we can do to help with conservation!

The class is taught by Sandra Johnson-McLean who is an animal lover and most currently teaches English online to students in China. She also has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

Class Details

• For ages 7-11
• Class size of 3-9 students
• Lasts for 30 minutes
• Ongoing class, once per week – available throughout the year
• New class but the teacher has a 5 star rating for her other classes
• Cost for the class if $8 per week

She also hosts a Disgusting Animals camp that is 5 days a week for a week.

Zoology – An Introduction

This class is a little different as it is considered a “FLEX” class which allows your child more independence in how they take the class. There is no scheduled live chats for this particular course, but your child can meet with the teacher via a forum or private messaging.

This class is perfect for kids who are showing a true interest in animals and a possible career in zoology. It is an in-depth class that covers the following over the course of 6 weeks:

• Intro to Zoology, classification and vertebrates
• Invertebrates
• Behavioral, physical and physiological adaptations
• Symbiotic relationships
• Ecology (ecosystems, food chains, food webs etc.)
• Career opportunities and studies in zoology

Every Sunday a new video will be released for the upcoming weeks topic. There will also be supplemental videos, homework assignments, activities and more that should be completed. Then, throughout the course there will be online discussions in the “classroom” where students can come together to discuss the various topics.

The course is taught by Marc Cuda who has a Bachelor of Science with a a major in Zoology. He is from Canada and has worked in a variety of animal fields which gives him a great background to teach this class.

Class Details

• For ages 9-13
• Class size of 1-18
• No live video chats
• Discussions are held via a classroom forum & private messaging with teacher
• Perfect for independent learners
• Cost is $60 per student
• Class taken by over 100 students with a 5 star rating by over 30 parents

Final Thoughts

This is jsut a small list of some of my favorites that as a mom, I would think kids would love! There are so many other great animal classes they can take on Outschool that I am sure kids of all ages will love.

Have you tried any of these classes? Would love to hear your thoughts!