Keeping your students engaged, motivated and happy in the classroom can be a never-ending challenge for teachers. And doing so in a way that neither involves candy nor costs a fortune can be even more difficult.
Standard incentives such as pencils, erasers and fidget toys are great options – but what if you could take that idea to the next level? Enter Desk Pets. For teachers across the country, Desk Pets have now transformed their classroom reward system and students are loving it!
What Are Desk Pets?
So what exactly is a Desk Pet? Simply put, they are typically erasers or fidget toys in the shape of animals, creatures or characters that can be kept at the student’s desk. Students “adopt” them and keep them for their own at their desk. They are responsible for the Desk Pet’s care and keeping, similar to that of a real pet, but without the onerous costs and commitments that come with a living, breathing creature.
Desk Pets can be paired with a student’s name plate or live in a “habitat” at the corner of their desk. Habitats and accompanying accessories can be as basic or elaborate as you like, ranging from habitats crafted out of paper and markers or mini domes and tiny food-shaped erasers.
Teachers can incorporate Desk Pets into lesson planning, use them as brain breaks, incentivize students to reach a goal – or countless other ideas. One of the latest trends for the classroom, Desk Pets have proven to be a hit with students and teachers alike.
4 Desk Pet Ideas For Your Classroom
Desk Pet ideas for your classroom are only limited by your creativity and how much you’d like to put into it, but here are four of our top favorites:
1. Jungle
Welcome to the jungle! Whether it’s giraffes and monkeys or snakes and dinosaurs, they are all at home in the jungle. Students can color their own diorama-style habitat, complete with vibrant flora and fauna.
2. Farm
Even if you don’t live in the country, there are many lessons about life that can be learned on a farm and from caring for the animals like cows, chicks, horses and pigs that call it home. Kids can give their farm animals shelter in a big red barn and color in fields and pastures where they can roam and play.
3. Forest
Among the tall trees and highest mountain peaks, students can let their minds wander and explore. With this Desk Pet habitat, they can imagine a lush forest where they might spy a bear (maybe even the gummy variety) or perhaps a more fantastical creature such as a unicorn.
4.Ocean
Under the sea – that’s where the fun will be! Students can create a world of their own down under with this underwater habitat and then choose from their favorite sea creatures like octopi, dolphins, whales and penguins to call it home. Oceans of adventure await!
Discover Desk Pet Ideas For Your Classroom
Once you let your imagination go, there are countless ideas for how you can incorporate Desk Pets into your classroom – the adorable, affordable and adoptable possibilities are endless! Shop a fun variety of Desk Pets as well as creative habitats and accessories to go along with them at Raymond Geddes or contact us today to learn more. School supply catalogs are also available to request.