School’s out: fun for kids with rabbits and guinea pigs

With school out for the summer, kids have time to slow down, explore, and reconnect with their surroundings, family, and themselves. For families with small pets, the long school break opens up plenty of fun for kids with rabbits and guinea pigs. Over the summer, your child can build stronger bonds with their furry friends and discover just how much joy they can bring. From creating ideal habitats to learning about their care and behavior, there are plenty of engaging and enriching ways kids can connect with their rabbits or guinea pigs. Whether it’s their first break together or they’ve been best buds for years, here’s how to help your kids make the most of their time with their pets.

Make this summer special

Rabbits and guinea pigs are gentle, intelligent, and social animals, and they thrive when given attention and interaction. Summer break is an ideal time for kids to slow down and spend quality time getting to know their pets better. Here are some fun, educational, and creative ways to keep everyone’s days full and happy.

Build routines and bonds

Summer is a great time to start new routines that help kids and pets connect. By caring for rabbits or guinea pigs, your child will learn responsibility, create lasting relationships, and experience the power of empathy and creativity. To set your children and their pets up for success this summer:

Treat daily care as a learning experience. Involve children in feeding, cleaning, and water changes. This teaches responsibility and helps kids learn that pets rely on them for care and comfort.
Encourage your children to read to their rabbits or guinea pigs. Summer reading programs are in full swing, and what better way to motivate them than sharing their book with their small companions?
Teach gentle and proper handling techniques. Holding a rabbit or guinea pig is a rewarding experience, but safety should always be paramount — both for the pet and your child.

After a week or two of your child being involved in their care, rabbits and guinea pigs should begin to recognize their voice and presence and display recognition or appreciation. That’s when the real bonding begins — and it’s a beautiful thing.

A supportive setup

Summer is a great time to get outside to design your pets’ space. Start with a supportive rabbit and guinea pig hutch and run as a base, then add elements to help them through the heat of the summer. Add fresh, seasonal offerings in a Caddi Rabbit and Guinea Pig Treat Holder to elevate snacktime, or implement Zippi Rabbit and Guinea Pig Ramps and Platforms to add space and shade to their run.

Create the ultimate play space with an above-ground burrow, made possible by Zippi Rabbit and Guinea Pig Tunnels. Connect the pipes to Zippi Playpens and their hutch to create different areas of exploration. Different pens for food, playtime, or foraging simulates the natural burrow structure of wild rabbits and guinea pigs.

Activities for curious minds

Kids, rabbits and guinea pigs have something in common: curious minds. For these small pets, stimulation is important to stay healthy and happy. Your child can get creative with fun enrichment activities. Here are some ideas:

DIY foraging games: Fill cardboard rolls with hay and a few healthy treats, or scatter veggies in a dig box of shredded paper or hay.
Obstacle course and tunnels: Use tunnels, ramps, and boxes to build a mini playground. Kids will love watching their pets explore and solve “puzzles.”
Training basics: With supervision, older children can try simple training like litter box use or following a treat target. Rabbits and guinea pigs can learn surprising tricks with patience and gentle encouragement.

The power of observation

Spending time with their furry friends can help kids become better observers of animal behavior. Encourage your child to sit quietly and notice what their pets do: do they chatter their teeth, flop on the ground, or popcorn? These behaviors help kids understand the language of rabbits and guinea pigs.

For additional educational value, help your child understand where rabbits and guinea pigs come from, what they eat in the wild, and their natural habitat. Turn their research into a summer research project or journal. Take and print photos of your rabbits or guinea pigs to add to their data.

Comfortable companionship

Not all of the fun of summer has to be fast-paced or action-packed. This time off from school offers an opportunity for rest and stillness — and rabbits and guinea pigs can be excellent quiet-time companions. Once they’ve been acquainted, invite your rabbit or guinea pig to sit with your child during a movie or while they read. Or, simply have your child sketch a drawing as they watch their pets for simple, wholesome, screen-free entertainment. Just spending time watching a rabbit or guinea pig nibble hay can be calming, and helps them (and parents) appreciate the little things in life.

Omlet and your small pets

With Omlet, it’s easy to keep rabbits and guinea pigs safe, happy, and entertained, no matter the season. From the cozy Eglu Go Rabbit and Guinea Pig Hutch to spacious Zippi Runs and Playpens, kids can take an active role in setting up enriching, secure environments for their small pets. With our customizable setups, your pets — and children — can explore and play to their hearts’ content. Whether they’re watching their rabbit or guinea pig race through Zippi Tunnels, or nibble on an offering from their Caddi Treat Holder, our products help turn everyday moments into something magical.