Welcome to Animal-Assisted Learning
Animals have a remarkable way of opening hearts and minds -helping children feel calmer, more curious, and more connected. Animal-Assisted Learning: An Educator’s Guide explores how these human–animal relationships can transform education, bringing evidence, empathy, and joy into the classroom and beyond.
This website is where that learning continues. Created by the book’s authors, Dawn Newman and Jenny Phillips, it’s a home for educators, early years professionals, and parents who want to bring meaningful, ethical animal experiences into their teaching and care settings.
Here you’ll find:
• Insights and stories from classrooms and community settings where animals are making a difference.
• Research-informed articles and resources to help you plan and deliver animal-assisted activities with confidence.
• Case studies and reflections showing what works — and why.
• Updates and opportunities from the growing network of practitioners who share our vision.
Whether you’re inspired by a single moment with a child and their classroom pet or ready to build a full-scale animal-assisted learning programme, we’re here to guide and encourage you every step of the way.
Start by exploring the site, joining our mailing list, or discovering the book that began it all – Animal-Assisted Learning: An Educator’s Guide. Together, we hope to we can help you to integrate animals into your practice to create more compassionate, curious learning environments, one paw, scale or feather at a time.
Want to hear more? Leave your email info to find out when new posts and events are made available.
From the blog
Find the latest blog posts, articles and resources from Jenny and Dawn
Posting new insight, tips and resources every week
About Us
Jenny Phillips is an educator and practitioner specialising in how animals can support children’s cognitive, emotional and social development in educational settings. Her work focuses on creating inclusive, life‑affirming learning experiences, particularly in early years and primary environments and for children with additional needs. Jenny is committed to translating research on human–animal interaction into practical approaches that teachers, SEND practitioners and care workers can use in real classrooms and care settings.
Dawn Newman is a community‑focused educator and facilitator with a strong interest in how safe, supportive environments help people to learn, grow and connect. Alongside her work in community building and learning design, she has been involved in developing accessible guidance on animal‑assisted learning for educators and families. Dawn is passionate about helping practitioners feel confident in integrating animals into educational spaces in ways that are ethical, well‑planned and beneficial for both children and animals.
Together, Jenny and Dawn wrote Animal‑Assisted Learning: An Educator’s Guide as a practical, evidence‑informed resource for anyone interested in bringing animals into educational and care settings. Combining theoretical background with detailed case studies and guidance, their work supports early years and primary staff, SEND practitioners, care workers and parents to design animal‑assisted experiences that are engaging, inclusive and grounded in best practice.
Animal-Assisted Learning: An Educator’s Guide is available now from Routledge Education.
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