What Is a Good Playful Pet for a Child?

Children can learn how to care for another living being by taking care of a pet. While ant farms and goldfish bowls may provide an interesting pet experience, some children prefer a more playful and interactive animal companion. Choose a social and outgoing pet that the whole family will enjoy taking care of together.

  1. Rabbit

    • Rabbits won't bark or screech loudly like other pets but remain playful and affectionate if they are treated with care. According to the Wisconsin Humane Society, when a rabbit feels safe in its environment, it enjoys playing with cardboard boxes or containers and chasing paper balls. If socialized correctly, a rabbit will also enjoy petting and will tolerate being carried around. The low care requirements make it a good choice for older children, but younger children might startle it with loud noises and could get scratched.

    Rat

    • Rats are clean, intelligent and social animals that won't bite a child unless they offer it a food-covered finger, says the Parenthood website. A rat requires plenty of attention to become adapted to interacting with humans but will play games and enjoy learning tricks for a child who spends time with it every day. The diet and cage requirements of a rat are simple, and they like being handled. A rat makes a better alternative to a nocturnal hamster that isn't the most playful pet even when it is fully awake.

    Dogs

    • Dogs are the classic family pet for a reason. An active and loving dog will encourage your child to engage in active, outdoor play more often instead of choosing video games. You can train any breed of dog to get along with kids, according to WebMD, but larger breeds are less likely to bite a child that accidentally hurts it because it won't become injured as easily as a toy breed. Dogs that have a balanced personality between active and laid-back are best because they won't get destructive if your child doesn't want to play on a rainy day.

    Guinea Pigs

    • Guinea pigs are a little bigger than a pocket pet like a rat or hamster, but they handle loud noises and being picked up easier. These medium-sized rodents make better pets for young children than rabbits, says the Parenthood website. Guinea pigs will scurry around and explore or play by dragging and tossing small, wood toys. They do produce more noise than a rabbit, including high pitched squeals when they are happy, excited or worried. If they're kept happy, the squeals don't get very loud and remain cute instead of bothersome.