Classroom Desk Pets—Easy Ideas & FREE Downloads

EI Editor Posted On Jun 21, 2022

The desk pet trend has swept through schools across the country, motivating and rewarding positive classroom behavior, teaching responsibility, and spurring innovative math, science, art, and writing exercises. If you haven’t jumped on the desk pet wagon, now’s the time to prep for back-to-school!

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First, what IS a desk pet?

This teacher-generated craze can be traced to an idea posted last year on TikTok by teacher Marissa Begay. Ms. Begay took the animal-shaped erasers that all teachers have stashed in their prize packs and turned them into… student pets! Her simple idea launched a TikTok sensation, with other teachers posting their own creative ideas, which are endless.

Once the pets have been adopted, students earn points to spend on pet accessories and earning extra pet playtime and teachers incorporate the pets into their lessons, including discussing, creating, writing about, and drawing animal habitats and environments; keeping daily pet diaries; drawing, painting, and sculpting the pets; and more.

Since pets are a long-term responsibility, you want your classroom desk pets to last! Our Desk Pet Pals Adoption Pack make the best desk pets, with 24 extra adorable, super durable Desk Pets and 20 (yes TWENTY) FREE, downloadable Desk Pet activities. Click to print a desk pet application, desk pet adoption certificate, fold-up desk pet houses and desk pet habitats (including several color-your-own), desk pet bingo and tic-tac-toe templates, desk pet brag tags, desk pet money (to earn and spend on accessories like the habitats!), a desk pet name plate, desk pet diary template, and more