With our exclusive Creative Reads Kits, you can provide a themed, hands-on experience to complement story time and introduce kids to project-based learning. Designed for Pre-K through 3rd grade, each kit comes with an award-winning book and a standards-aligned lesson plan that ensures success in project-based learning programs. The lesson plan includes tips, ideas, questions & prompts to support a deeper learning.
Instead of being a passive listener to a story, children are now part of the learning experience! Hands-on learning is not only highly effective, but also incredibly enjoyable. Kids appreciate the opportunity to take control of their learning, and they can with our new Creative Reads™ Kits. All books are hard-cover award winning books that are beloved by teachers and parents.
Each kit comes with:
- 1 Book
- 24 White Journals to color
- 24 Craft Projects (some kits come with 48!)
- 24 Markers (or materials for decorating)
- 24 Motivational Job Well Done Pencils
- Lesson Plan Guide
The project length for these book kits can be adjusted based on grade and ability. The story and craft in these kits can be completed in an hour or less. Each child receives a journal & pencil to further encourage extended exploration! Thoughtfully selecting and introducing more open-minded instruction allows for endless possibilities for these kits.
These Kits are perfect for:
- Classrooms
- Before and After School
- Libraries
- Story Hour at any recreational program or community event
- Summer Programs – Arts & Crafts with a theme / purpose
Below are our 8 Creative Reads Kits options! Shop ALL here >
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
This beloved favorite nursery rhyme and storybook has been used to develop children’s speech and language skills for generations. The predictable rhyming language of the text encourages children to chime in and read along. Little ones will love giggling along with those naughty monkeys! The kit comes with ready-to-decorate pre-stuffed 10″ Color Me™ Monkeys.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This award-winning classic book has been used to develop children’s speech and language skills for generations. The predictable language of the text encourages children to chime in and read along. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” also teaches children about the days of the week, counting, the life cycle of a butterfly, and the benefits of proper eating habits. This kit includes a Caterpillar Note Holder Craft Kit plus ready-to-decorate Flying Butterflies!
Be Kind
The award-winning book “Be Kind” conveys the message of kindness and empathy. Books on kindness help children interact and engage with the world around them in compassionate and empathetic ways. Help your students imagine how others feel during intolerant or difficult situations. Actions, or in this case pictures, speak louder than words! This kit features our popular Color-Me™ Be Kind Magnets.
Planting a Rainbow
In this hardcover classic by author Lois Ehlert, children learn the colors of the rainbow and grow an understanding of how to plant bulbs, seeds, and seedlings, and nurture their growth. Comes with compostable flowerpots and a sweet bird plant marker to mark the flower in the garden. All supplies (seeds. pots, markers, instructions, and soil pellets) are included in the craft kit.
Plant growth times vary by season & location.
Yasmin the Superhero
Award-winning superhero Yasmin has the cape. And mask. Now she just needs a villain to defeat! While Yasmin is looking for one, she meets lots of friends and neighbors who need her help, but no villains. Then Yasmin discovers that she might not need a villain to use her superpowers! This kit comes with Superhero Velvet Art projects and ready-to-decorate Superhero Masks.
Owl Moon
A young girl and her father go owling for the first time on a cold winter night. Along the way, they encounter a great horned owl. It is gentle yet adventurous, quiet yet full of sound. This award-winning book teaches students about patience and appreciation for nature. The kit comes with Scratch Art Owls and ready-to-decorate Owl Masks.
I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More!
In this hardcover classic by author Karen Beaumont, children witness outside-the-box, creative thinking and a fun read-aloud guessing game in which kids will delightfully participate. What will the child paint next? “So I take some red and I paint my . . . HEAD!” Silliness paired with the ruckus read-aloud appeal will have every reader begging for repeat reads and begging to paint! This kit includes Canvas Panels and Mini Easels for displaying, and acrylic paint strips with brushes.
The Snowy Day
Award-winning “The Snowy Day” is a wonderful book to read aloud to children to help with communication skills like story recall and phonetics. The story has lots of repeating words helping to develop children’s speech and language skills. Keats’s intention in creating “The Snowy Day” was to break down barriers. He wanted a book that would “lead all children to genuine self-acceptance.” In this kid, kids can design their own Snow Globe!
Benefits of Hands-On Learning
It’s Effective
Years of research across a multitude of studies have led us to the same conclusion, children learn more effectively when they have the opportunity to interact with materials related to a learning objective. Here Instead of being a passive listener to a lecture or a book, they are now part of the learning experience, which is invaluable in any subject.
It’s Enjoyable
Engaging in bodily-kinesthetic learning (aka hands-on) is not only highly effective, but also incredibly enjoyable. Kids appreciate the opportunity to take control of their learning, and that’s exactly what they can do with these activity kits.
IT PROMOTES PROBLEM-SOLVING
Hands-on learning provides an environment where children are required to solve problems. They must think critically about how they should use the materials provided to them and put those thoughts into action.
Children will inevitably make mistakes in the process, and that’s a good thing. Research tells us that making mistakes is an important aspect of learning success. It requires children to develop perseverance and ask themselves questions about how to be successful next time.
In the world of children, play is work. It’s how they learn about the world around them.
Family Engagement Events
Family Engagement is essential in promoting healthy physical, cognitive and social-emotional development, and academic achievement of children and youth from pre-K to high school. Research shows that when families are meaningfully and continuously engaged in their children’s learning and development, they can positively impact their child’s health, development, academic, and well-being outcomes into adulthood.
Our Creative Reads Kits are great for the classroom for teachers and students, but also for including family members in Family Engagement events like a Family Engagement Night. Set up a Reading Station and read the book as a group. Each student gets a journal, craft kit, pencil, and makers and you can discuss the book as a group.
