In a vibrant blend of imagination, artistry, and education, students at Fort River Elementary have created their own trading card game, Rainbow Pets. Developed and led by Mx. Daniel, the school’s dedicated art teacher, brought together every grade level and both the Explorers and Caminantes programs in a school-wide celebration of creativity and collaboration.
The game, which debuts this week at Fort River, featured hundreds of student-created cards. Families were invited to test the game, admire the student artwork, and join in the celebration of a project that proved that learning can be both deeply academic and wildly fun.
A Game Born from Passion
Inspired by a lifelong love of Pokémon, Mx. Daniel designed Rainbow Pets as an accessible and inclusive game that every student could enjoy. “My goal was to share with students the joy of playing, collecting, and learning through trading card games, without the restrictions of cost or accessibility,” they explained.
Rainbow Pets is a color-mixing, head-to-head battling game that challenges players to use painter-themed strategies to move their imaginative creatures, Rainbow Pets, from their palette to a canvas. Designed to suit all developmental levels, the game is playable by kindergartners, sixth graders, and everyone in between.
Student-Driven, Start to Finish
What makes Rainbow Pets especially remarkable is that every card was designed by a Fort River student. Students chose their own artistic media, wrote the card descriptions, and for the older grades, even organized into teams to work on graphic design, testing, and refinement. Kindergarten and first-grade students collaborated with older mentors in grades five and six to bring their colorful creatures to life.
“I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from students on the game,” said Mx. Daniel. “One student said, ‘It’s really fun, like Magic, Pokémon, and Uno mixed together.’ Another asked if we’d sell booster packs at a local game shop!”
The project emphasized artistic growth, collaboration, and finishing work to a high standard. “We discussed what it means for artwork to feel ‘finished’ and practiced techniques like filling white space, creating strong sculpture attachments, and framing compositions for dynamic visual impact,” Mx. Daniel shared.
“The Rainbow Pets card game project is a joyful reflection of creativity, collaboration, and student voice,” said Dr. Xi. “Seeing students of all ages come together to imagine, design, and bring this world to life reminds us what’s possible when we center joy and belonging in our classrooms.”
A School-Wide Effort, A Community Triumph
Producing Rainbow Pets was no small feat. With over 380 student designs to finalize, Mx. Daniel spent weeks checking in with students and triple-checking files for accuracy before sending them to print. To make professional-quality card production possible, students helped raise over $350 during Fort River’s annual Chili Night, selling handmade stickers, placemats, paintings, and even crocheted plushies.
Mx.. Daniel said. “I believe in this project with all my heart.”
Superintendent Dr. Xiomara Herman, known affectionately throughout the district as Dr. Xi, praised the initiative:
“This project embodies everything we hope to nurture in our students: creativity, collaboration, persistence, and pride. Rainbow Pets is more than a game; it’s a living example of student-centered learning. I’m so grateful to Mx. Daniel and the Fort River community for bringing this dream to life.”
What’s Next for Rainbow Pets?
This was the second year Mx. Daniel produced the game with Fort River students, and they hope it will continue to evolve and grow in future years. Their long-term vision includes expanding the game’s reach to other schools and educators.
“I’ve learned that it is actually possible for elementary students to stay engaged in a 9-month process if they believe in the goal,” said Mx. Daniel. “They had a hand in everything, from brainstorming and card art to fundraising and gameplay. And it was all real. That made the difference.”