Are Moss Ball Pets The Best Classroom Pet?
We are all enduring an unprecedented global crisis: COVID-19. While many people are juggling their version of the new normal, parents are dealing with the additional stress of finding childcare or making educational plans for their children.
Some parents have decided that the best approach to this issue is homeschooling! During a typical school year, only 3% of students are home-schooled (Pecor,2020). However, one survey showed that 47% of parents want to homeschool their children this year.
One anonymous parent shared this thought about homeschooling via FamilyEducation.com:
When my oldest daughter was four, I agonized over whether to homeschool or send her to kindergarten. I doubted my ability to teach her. When I asked Mel, a dad who home-schooled his five children, for advice he said, "You've made it through the sleepless nights of infancy and toddler-hood, taught your daughter to speak, feed herself, dress herself, and behave properly. You're finally dealing with a reasonable little human being, the real fun of being a parent is about to begin, and suddenly you think you're no longer qualified?" Well, she never made it [went] to [public school] kindergarten, and now, almost ten years later, I'm very glad I heeded Mel's advice.”
Pros and Cons of Homeschooling
Creating a flexible schedule, determining the curriculum, and getting to spend more time with their children are some of the benefits that parents enjoy when they choose to homeschool. It is no secret that the remote learning approach has been useful for parents who like to travel, want to incorporate unique extracurriculars (such as kite making or woodwork), and/or provide additional time for learning about subjects that excite their kids.
However, there are some requirements for teaching at home that may cause exhaustion, frustration, or confusion for parents. Many people are hesitant to implement a homeschooling curriculum because of the cost of learning materials, the amount of energy and effort needed to keep kids on task, and the struggle of providing enough opportunities for socialization.
Do You Remember Your Class Pet?
Did your Science teacher ever surprise your class with a class pet at the beginning of the school year or during a particularly interesting Biology unit? Pets make the classroom experience better-- it’s a well-known fact that pets make our lives better!
According to Pets In The Classroom, “Even kids with no exposure to animals or nature in their home environment can see, feel, touch and make connections to the wide world of animals [and plants]. Observing and caring for an animal instills a sense of responsibility and respect for life; [and] a pet brings increased sensitivity and awareness of the feelings and needs of others—both animals and humans.”
If you’re interested in viewing some research about the awesomeness of class pets visit this link!
How Do Pets Help With Homeschooling?
Pets can be distracting or they can help inspire your child in many ways. Whether it’s Math (“What is the circumference of your Moss Ball?”) or Science, (“How does your Moss Ball eat?”) Geography (“What part of the world do Moss Balls come from?”), or English (“What adjectives would you use to describe your Moss Ball?”) your kid(s) will show that learning all these subjects can be done with new enthusiasm and interest. Family and friends could virtually visit your classroom pet and your students can create special presentations about them.
Other important reasons to consider getting a class pet for your homeschoolers include their ability to teach your child how to incorporate pet care into their daily schedule, provide emotional support, and deepening social skills.
There are endless ways to incorporate your pet into your homeschooling curriculum. To find out more, Eva Varga has some listed here in her blog.
Now that you understand how essential classroom pets are to educational enrichment, you need to decide on which one would be the best fit for your family and your budget.
Are Moss Ball Pets The Best Classroom Pet?
There are a lot of reasons that people could be without a pet. Some of the things that prevent pets from finding a new home include landlord rules, jobs that require a lot of travel, allergies, finances and the list could go on and on.
Fortunately, Moss Ball Pets are the perfect pets for these unique situations. They don’t need to go out for a walk, you won’t have to ask someone to watch them when you’re on a weekend trip, and they won’t shed on your furniture. For those who already have a pet, a moss ball can still make a great addition to your family because they are so mellow, zany, and caring for them is unbelievably easy.
What Are They?
Mysterious. Magical. Marvelous. Mellow. These are some of the terms that people familiar with Moss Ball Pets might use to describe them. Not only are these sensational lovable little balls of algae great to look at, but they’re fun to take care of as well. Here are 6 reasons why you need to adopt a Moss Ball Pet today:
- If you are looking for a cost-friendly pet that you can completely trust your child with... consider Moss Ball Pets! They live for a long time (some of the oldest marimo have even lived for 200 years), require low maintenance, and don’t produce any dead matter.
Want to see what others think of their Moss Ball Pets? Read our reviews here!
- Moss Ball Pets are wonderful for fish tanks. Nitrates, byproducts of fish waste, can be toxic (and stressful) for your fish! Moss Ball Pets act like little sponges that suck up debris, ammonia, and phosphates.
- If your pet starts to get sick, it doesn’t cost a trip to the vet to restore it to its full health. Cleaning your moss ball is the easiest – just take it out and give it a light squeeze.
- For most people, when they think of a healthy plant, they know that it must grow new leaves while simultaneously losing the old leaves. However, this also means that you have to remove the decaying leaves from your plant from time to time. There is no need for that kind of maintenance with Moss Ball Pets! As long as you take care of them, they stay healthy, round, and intact.
- Cat and dog owners dress up their pets in cute ways for the holidays. But, can they utilize them as beautiful decoration pieces? Nope. This is one benefit of our Moss Ball Terrariums: you can place it on a shelf, counter, or desk to make that space aesthetically pleasing.
- Take your Moss Ball Pet with you as you go on adventures because they could bring you good luck along the way! They can go with you on any form of transportation (yes, that does include planes). For more tips on caring for a Traveling Moss Ball Pet click here.
Simply Put, Yes, Moss Ball Pets ARE The Best!
Even if we weren’t going through a pandemic, finding a way to provide educational fun and enrichment is not something that could be neglected. Classroom pets are beneficial in homeschool environments, just like they are for students who have to be in a traditional classroom.
Incorporating moss balls into your educational plan can provide your children with a multitude of opportunities to learn more about the world outside of their home and it won’t be as costly as a pet snake or hamster.
Since times are tough right now, here’s a list of some additional resources that may help as you embark on your homeschooling adventure:
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Making the Transition from Parent to Home-school Teacher
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How To Start Homeschooling During COVID-19
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8-Week Introduction to Home Education Course
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DeVry University’s Tips for Homeschooling
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Pets In The Classroom Grant Application for Public or Private Schools
Hopefully, these tools help and as we endure these ever-changing times, please don’t forget to take time to rest, practice self-care, wear your mask, and be safe.
Fun fact: Want more Moss Ball Pets content? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube, and now TikTok!
Author: Tierra C. Watkins
Tierra C. Watkins is a freelance content creator and the CEO of Watkins Writing. She has been the lead writer for Moss Ball Pets since 2017. Tierra is currently attaining her Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Independence University. She focuses on using her writing to highlight the unique aspects of authentic products or services so that small businesses can thrive. Follow her on Twitter @tierra_watkins or on LinkedIn.