Effective teacher preparation needs to equip future primary teachers with the confidence to design learning environments in which children feel engaged, capable and respected. Such confidence is strengthened when university learning includes forms of practice that reflect the realities of primary education. In this context, animative pedagogy provides a pathway for pupils to participate actively in lessons, communicate ideas freely and see their contribution recognised. This study examines how Abner’s animative pedagogy model supports the professional development of student teachers in that direction. Forty student teachers, part-time learners in the final year of their Bachelor degree in Preschool and Primary School Education at Burgas State University, took part in the research. Their professional readiness was evaluated before and after a period of structured practical training based on the model. Twenty participants, forming the experimental group, worked through its three sequential stages during coursework, while twenty others continued with the standard university programme as a control group. The evaluation focused on indicators such as confidence in organising creative classroom activities, awareness of pupils’ strengths and perceived ability to support active participation. The results revealed a clear improvement among those who experienced the model directly. They reported increased assurance in planning and leading animative tasks that allow children to express their abilities and collaborate productively. Development in the control group remained limited. These findings suggest that when student teachers encounter animative pedagogy through practical experience, they gain a stronger and more realistic basis for applying such approaches in school. Including structured animative preparation in university programmes therefore supports the formation of confident and competent beginning teachers who are prepared for contemporary educational demands.