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Using Mascots as a Tool to Educate

Mascots are incredibly versatile and can add value to in a variety of ways. One notable way that mascots can provide value is as educational tools to capture the attention of children and adults alike.

Mascots can serve as effective educators for any topic – whether it’s health, safety, or an environmental cause. A relatable friend in the form of a mascot character can be an impactful tool used to teach and engage an audience, adding colour and fun to the learning process. Consider how your organization can use a mascot to share its message and further its mission.

Discover reasons why mascots make effective educational tools, and the ways organizations are using their mascots to effectively teach their audience:

1. Making Learning Animated and Inspired

Mascots characters have lively personalities to entertain and inspire. Sometimes learning can feel boring, and unimaginative, which makes it challenging to capture the attention of a group of rambunctious kids. With so many distractions in their environment, try changing the approach to education by introducing a furry mascot friend as a teaching tool. A mascot can bring excitement to a lesson and keep kids engaged from start to finish!

Mascot in action

The CBC preschool show, Scout and the Gumboot Kids, has a leading character in Scout! An impeccably dressed mouse, Scout and his companion Daisy, take the lessons learned on-screen, and bring them off-screen during community events and performances.  Scout’s teachings involve the magic of nature and mindfulness techniques to explore these phenomena. Scout makes learning animated, helping to inspire children to solve the mysteries of nature in fun and engaging ways.

2. Simplifying the Message

Depending on the topic, educational messages can be confusing and challenging for kids and adults to understand. Mascots can lend a hand – to simplify and breakdown complex concepts to make learning more accessible.  

A mascot can create a friendly, approachable environment to help kids feel more comfortable and receptive to the topics they are learning. They can disarm young learners and support them in understanding more serious topics. If the learner was nervous about a topic before, now they have a buddy by their side to increase their confidence and encourage them in their learning.

Mascot in action


Source: https://twitter.com/screenmeMNC/status/1146779065405333507

The Melanoma Network of Canada’s mascot, affectionately known as SPF Sam, is a sunglasses-donning sunscreen bottle, developed to deliver the organization’s message of sun safety. There is even a sunburn prevention checklist on the costume to provide a simple way for kids and adults to understand the right preventative measures to reduce their chance of melanoma. SPF Sam takes a serious topic like melanoma, and delivers a simple, accessible message about prevention in a fun and friendly way.   

SPF Sam is also a regular fixture on the organization’s social media channels, sharing his adventures in the community thorough his Screen Me accounts.

3. Creating a Memorable Learning Experience

If you want your message to be heard by your audience, you need to create a memorable learning experience. Mascots – with their fun, loving and goofy nature, can help deliver these messages in creative ways. There are many reasons why you may want people to remember your mascot and the information they shared, particularly if your message involves the health and safety of your audience. If you want your audience hanging off their every word, choose a mascot to deliver the message.

Mascot in action

Carl S. Bat is the locally loved mascot for the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. Beneath the surface of the desert are more than 119 caves—filled with 17 different bat species. Carl is tasked with sharing the wonders of these caves to educate visitors.

Most recently, Carl popped up in an engaging YouTube video to educate visitors to the park during COVID19. He shares all the COVID19 precautions to ensure everyone visiting is being safe, while also enjoying everything that the National Park has to offer.

Interestingly, this heath and safety message can help boost the number of visitors to the park, as some visitors will be more inclined to visit upon seeing that the park is taking measures to actively limit the risk of spread or transmission between guests. In this sense, Carl serves the dual purpose of educating an audience, and marketing this national treasure.

Mascots can be used to educate audiences on a variety of topics – the possibilities are truly endless. When considering a mascot for your organization, choose a character that will appeal to your audience and can help to forward your mission.

Reach out to your local Toronto mascot design experts at Hogtown Mascots and let’s start creating your dream mascot to serve as the face of your brand, and the messenger of your educational cause.