3 Surprisingly Dangerous Animals on Uncle Goose Classic ABC Blocks

Each of our Uncle Goose Classic ABC Blocks and Classic Lowercase ABC Blocks feature a hand-drawn animal illustration. And yet, not all of the animals you see on our blocks are cute or cuddly.

The animal illustrations you see on our Classic ABC blocks and our Classic Lowercase ABC blocks are more realistic. They aren't idealistic.

Realistic animal illustrations attempt to present the animals as they are. They don't have exaggerated features like big eyes or enhanced fluffiness. 

Some adults might assume that children would prefer a fierce animal to be cute. An adult might reason that a fluffy alligator with big eyes would be less scary or more appealing to a young child.

But that's not necessarily so. Nor is trying to make a dangerous animal adorable one of the educational goals of this particular set of blocks. 

For example, you'll see an illustration of an alligator, a lion, and a bear on Uncle Goose Classic ABC Blocks. These are three animals that we usually think of as ferocious or fierce. 

But some of the animals you’ll see on our Classic ABC Blocks are far more dangerous, destructive, and deadly. Let’s take a look at 3 surprisingly dangerous animals on the Classic ABC Blocks by Uncle Goose.

1. Deer. Every year, deer cause more than one million car accidents in the U.S. Around 200 of them are fatal. Deer also cause over $1 billion dollars in property destruction every year.

2. Dog. In the U.S., dogs will kill around 30 people per year. Dogs can also be destructive. At Uncle Goose, we like dogs: but dogs love to destroy our blocks. If you have a dog, don’t let them chew your blocks or toys to bits!

3. Cow. Cows kill about 20 people a year in the U.S. That’s about 7 times more than bears and alligators combined! Cows kill people by trampling or kicking them. Sometimes, cows even seem to kick people on purpose.

Even though animals can be dangerous, we love them, anyway. Animals don’t have to be scary.

Because we share the earth with animals, children need to learn how to recognize them. We all need to learn to co-exist with them. That's why Uncle Goose includes both dangerous and familiar animals on our Classic ABC blocks: recognition and respect.

Uncle Goose attempts to present the animals on the Classic ABC Blocks in a more realistic manner. That way, children can learn to recognize and respect the different nature and capabilities of each animal.

And let's face it: it’s fun to learn to look at animal illustrations! Children may make animal noises or have the animals play characters in make-believe games. And of course, Uncle Goose Classic ABC blocks provide children with an opportunity to learn to spell each of the animals’ names.

Some of our other block sets, like the Uncle Goose Cubelings series, feature animals that are more idealistic. There's a place for a more fantastical approach to animals. But the Classic ABC Block sets feature realistic illustrations by design. They serve a more fundamental educational purpose. 

What creative or surprising things can you do with the realistic hand-drawn animals on your ABC blocks? How can you use the animal illustrations as an opportunity to teach, learn, and grow?

Bonus Tip: Uncle Goose Classic ABC Blocks and Uncle Goose Classic Lowercase ABC Blocks are companion sets. The Classic ABC Blocks feature full-grown animals, while the Classic Lowercase ABC blocks feature baby animals. When you purchase both sets together in one order and send them to one location from the Uncle Goose website, shipping is free. Why not keep these animal families together and save on shipping costs?