Going Back to School is Better with Pets

The school year is about to begin, and many families are preparing to send their students off for another year. Most parents buy school supplies, purchase new outfits, and get the yearly basics together. One often overlooked consideration in preparations is the addition of a classroom pet.

Pets Stimulate Learning

Classroom pets don't just make for an adorable companion. Pets can turn an ordinary classroom into a curiosity, responsibility, and engagement room. These pets can serve as unique tools for all different educational subjects. Biology lessons can involve direct observation of a pet's habits and lifecycle. Measuring food portions and calculating the cost of pet supplies can teach math skills. There are endless ways to involve an animal in a teacher's lessons.

Additionally, animals are natural incentives that encourage children to read. Pets are not judgmental; they do not laugh or criticize, and they allow children to read at their own pace.¹

Emotional Growth & Responsibility

Caring for a pet offers many benefits. It can boost a student's self-esteem, reduce in-class tension, and foster a sense of responsibility. If the animal can return the affection, it offers a sense of pride for the student. Shari Young Kuchenbecker, a research psychologist at Loyola Marymount University, says, “The child who cares for a pet knows that what he does matters, and so he’ll want to do more of it. The more successfully he feeds, walks, or emotionally bonds with the pet, the more confident he’ll feel.”²

Classroom pets also contribute to students' emotional development. Interacting with a pet provides a sense of calm and reduces anxiety in many. This can be particularly beneficial in a learning environment. The bond between a pet and a child strengthens social skills, which can benefit them in and out of the classroom.

Pets in the Classroom

One notable initiative is "Pets in the Classroom," which is also an APPA Gives Back program. Pets in the Classroom is an educational grant program that supports teachers in having a small animal in their classroom. It allows children to interact with a pet, an experience that can help shape their lives for years to come. Some stats below on their impact:

• 246,704 Pets in the Classroom Grants issued to teachers
• 9,800,000 students impacted through the Pets in the Classroom grant program
• 500 dogs in the Classroom dog therapy team school visits

You can learn more about the program here: https://petsintheclassroom.org/.

1. Child Health & Development. https://habri.org/research/child-health/
2. Benefits of Classroom Animals. https://petsintheclassroom.org/benefits-of-classroom-animals/