Are you contemplating jumping on the latest trend wondering how to use desk pets in your classroom? We know that finding strategies for classroom management is the path to maintaining sanity throughout the school year. And desk pets are taking classrooms across the nation by storm. Classroom desk pets are proving to be more than just toys or distractions in the classroom; instead, they are a kid-tested, kid-approved reward system and incentive (both as a whole class and individually). With desk pets, students have tons of opportunities to earn more than just a single pet. They are the best alternative to “can I have a puppy?” You don’t have to actually feed or clean up after them but, although these adorable pets are nonliving, they still need food, accessories, and companions.
If you are looking for implementation ideas and ways to successfully add desk pets to your classroom family, then read on! I’ll be going over:
- What are desk pets?
- Rules & Expectations
- Tips for Getting Started
If you’re ready to jump right in, or you’re looking for more resources for your current desk pet situation, check out the Desk Pet Starter Kit:
Have you ever had a class pet (whether you were the teacher or remember a class pet when you were a student)? Like a real, breathing animal in your class? I had a hamster one year, Sonny. He was the CUTEST thing but boy was the maintenance intense! I spent my entire Friday lunch period cleaning his tank and maze of tubes. He had a duplex – a plastic home and a wired home. Every holiday or extended break required trekking the entire home and Sonny to and from school to my house and to school again. Looking back, would I have changed that? No, probably not. My kids loved it and so did I. They’re definitely more my speed!
Desk Pets are Universal & Motivating
I have to be honest I think I’m having more fun with all things desk pets than my kids. I mean, I even use them with my school-age daughter at home! We tie in incentives and rewards with responsibilities around the house, being kind to her little brother, making positive choices, being honest, and expressing her feelings clearly and calmly. And you’ve probably guessed it, these are categories that can fuel how you use them in your classroom! So, let’s get down to business…
I’m going to give you everything you need to know to make a decision that is just right for you and your students! And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to jump into the comments… I’m sure if you’re thinking it, someone else is too!
What is a desk pet?
Ever walk through Bulleye’s Playground at Target? For every season and holiday (and sometimes just because), you can find little bags of mini erasers – bunnies, chicks, rocket ships, hearts, pizza, puppies, and kittens… Those, my friend, are your desk pets – the bunny, chick, pup, or kitten! (And there are so many more available at Michael’s and Amazon!)
They live on your students’ desks. Oftentimes in a container, safe and sound, and out of reach to play with while working. I have my students store them in their little Dollar Tree containers. They don’t require me to change their cages or litter boxes, no worrying about allergies, and I don’t have to bring them home every long weekend! What’s even better is that if something doesn’t work for you – there’s no harm in changing it up… If you aren’t sure that your students can handle them on their desks, you can have a communal spot in the classroom for all pets.
As students earn points (or tokens or bucks, whatever your system is) – the more they can purchase for their desk pets. The rocket ship mini eraser becomes their toy and the pizza mini eraser is their food!
Desk Pets for the Classroom
Okay, you’re really leaning towards desk pets joining your class family. Let me share with you the MUSTS to get going:
Rules
Just like with any system or procedure in your classroom, there needs to be clear rules and expectations around the use, storage, maintenance, and purchasing of desk pets and their accessories. You can adjust your rules to fit your students and your classroom policy. Below you’ll find my top rules:
- Desk pets remain in their homes throughout the day.
- We should respect our friends’ and classmates’ desk pets by not touching them or their belongings.
- Desk pets are allowed to be out and “participate” in class during the specific given times. (Examples: free time, before school, when earned from special reward ticket purchase.)
I found that these 3 rules cover the main umbrella of potential issues:
- Teacher: “Friends, put the desk pets away please. Hands resting on desk, eyes on me.”
- A (student): “She took my desk pet’s snack!”
- B (student): “He touched my desk pet!”
- C (student): “When can we take them out? Is it time yet?”
Clarity
Make sure your expectations are painfully clear. Outline and plan all the details – when, where, why, how. As the saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. We want to set you (your sanity) and your students up for success! Here are some questions to think through:
- WHEN…
- will students receive them?
- can their desk pets come out?
- will they purchase another desk pet or accessories?
- can they take them home
- are they taken away?
- will they get them back if they are taken away?
- WHERE…
- are desk pets kept during the day?
- will they be kept overnight?
- are they kept when they are taken away?
- WHY…
- are desk pets taken way?
- do they have to stay in their “homes” during the day?
- HOW…
- will students get a desk pet – do they get a free desk pet to begin or do they have to earn one?
- can they earn more desk pets and/or accessories?
- much will accessories and pets cost?
- can they earn extra time to spend with their desk pets?
- do we clean up and store our desk pets at the end of the day?
- long will you (the teacher) keep the desk pets if they visit the vet clinic or the pet sitter? (More on that in a little bit.)
Now, what happens if things aren’t going swimmingly… be sure that consequences are also clearly communicated to students (and families – we’ll get into that more in a second too).
Consequences
When students aren’t listening or are distracted by their desktop companions, their desk pets go on a field trip and spend time with the teacher (the teacher is the pet sitter for the day). As an added bonus, I use desk pets to motivate students to keep their workspaces clean and organized. Some teachers utilize the desk fairy; I leverage the desk pet’s well-being. See, just like real pets, these pets need a safe and clean living space. If a student’s desk is messy, then their desk pet may need a wellness visit to the Vet Clinic.
Communicating these expectations and consequences is key! And at the beginning, it’s totally okay to give several reminders until it becomes a habit and routine.
Desk Pet Instructions
Careful Planning
Similar to lesson planning, think about whether your students are ready for desk pets, as well as when and how you’ll get started.
Think about whether you will allow students to take home their desk pets – whether it’s for one night or forever. Maybe the kids get to start with a new desk pet at the beginning of a new marking period or at the beginning of each month. While it may seem like not a big deal, you may want to plan for at least one take-home event. Imagine little Ciara who has 3 pets, 5 food erasers, and 4 entertainment/fun erasers. Ciara isn’t going to have much space on her desk for her school work at that rate! You may want to proactively decide that students can have no more than 2 desk pets, 2 food items, and 2 entertainment items. It’s all up to you how you set up the system and what your students can handle!
More Accessories
And while we are talking about accessories and goodies… designate a pet shopping day. This way you are not being asked every day “when can I buy my desk pet food? When can I get another desk pet?” I promise you, that will get old – QUICK!
Storage
Lastly, think about how your students will store their desk pets. I have seen some classes keep their desk pets inside their desks (strange, right? haha). Other classes have a specific communal area where all of them are kept overnight. Definitely consider how much space you and your students really have. If your class is working collaboratively on a regular basis, you may not be able to sacrifice a large surface space for 20-something desk pets, their homes, and their belongings.
Introduction & Exploration
Kids are kids. They are going to want to play and check out their desk pets. Really, they’d be happy just sitting there staring at them. And if they don’t have a chance to check them out and touch them, it’s like the red button you tell someone NOT to press. Well, now we ALL want to press it! So when students get their first desk pet, give them some time to explore, play, give them a name, etc. Let them ask any questions and maybe incorporate some fun activities about their new desk pet. By doing this, you’ll ease the bursting excitement and curiosity!
Personally, I recommend giving all students their first desk pet at the same time, this way no one feels left out. Also, hand out the desk pets at the end of the day with some time built in for students to play and explore.
Communication to Students & Parents
Parent communication is always important. When we implement any behavior or incentive system, it’s important to include parents on how it will work. By doing this, parents will encourage their students, have conversations about how things are going in the classroom and will know what is happening when their child comes home and says they didn’t earn a point and can’t buy their desk pet french fries on the next pet shop day.
I prefer sending a letter to parents either right before I introduce desk pets or on the same day, the kids receive them. There is no right or wrong here, as long as you communicate your plans. It’s pretty likely that parents won’t know what a desk pet is, so give them a little background – let them know what it is, share how students can earn accessories and more, and let them know what happens if they become a distraction. Parents will appreciate being informed!
Classroom Management Can Be Fun
Above all, when considering strategies for classroom management, don’t look over classroom desk pets because the possibilities are endless. In my second blog post in this series, I’ll give you all kinds of ideas and ways to intertwine them into your day-to-day routines, building upon academics and social-emotional learning.
Not sure where to buy desk pets? I have a resource in the Desk Pet Starter Kit that gives you multiple options for desk pets, homes and storage, and food/accessories! They are guaranteed to get your students excited and your classroom running smoothly!
More Ideas for Desk Pets
- Desk Pet Ideas: Your #1 List for Desk Pets in the Classroom
- Desk Pets: the Positive Reinforcement Strategy That’s Taking Over TikTok
- The Positive Reinforcement Strategy That’s Taking Over Classrooms
- Desk Pets 101
If you’re interested in giving it a shot, grab the Desk Pet Starter Kit! It includes a letter to families, birth certificates, expectations, desk pet instructions, and a whole lot more to share with your students! You’ll have all the details on what you need and how to use desk pets in your classroom!
Have you started using desk pets in your classroom? Let us know what’s working (or not working) in the comments!
And if you’re not sure desk pets are for you, let us know what’s holding you back! Maybe we can help. Drop it in the comments below, friend!
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