If you know me well, you know just how much I love putting together creative gifts for kids. I don’t know what it is… I know I could just pop into a store, buy something fun that’s all ready to go, wrap it, and be done, but putting something special together for a particular kiddo is just so much more fun. I love it.
Some of our go-tos? Play dough kits, science kits, tackle box craft kits, and portable LEGO kits. Basically, all types of KITS – hah! We’ve given each several times and they’ve always been a hit {well, at least I think they have…} What I think I love most about putting together custom play kits for kids is that they’re not just another toy to sit on the shelf. Each one inspires creativity, open-ended play, and exploration. Each one is made with the little one’s interests in mind.
When putting together a gift for one of our little friends, I usually just ask the parent what their kiddo is into at the moment. From there, Miss G and I come up with something fun and unique.
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Well, rewind to last year when I co-authored a book… {Remember that?!} If not, it’s called Exploring Books Through Play: 50 Activities Based on Books About Friendship, Acceptance, and Empathy and it’s essentially a collection of awesome book-inspired activities to go along with ten super awesome children’s books focused on KINDNESS.
Here are the books the activities are based on {and I absolutely adore each one}:
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman
Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni
The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
Penguin and Pinecone by Salina Yoon
Okay, now back to gifts. Well ever since Exploring Books Through Play came out, I’ve dreamt of giving putting together the ULTIMATE gift for kids’ book lovers… Our book chock full of activities, plus ALL of the picture books that go along with it!!
It’s obviously not something you’d give just everyone… It’s a BIG gift and it would have to be for someone who loves kids’ books like we love kids’ books, but wouldn’t it be a great gift from parents to their children? Or grandparents to their grandkids? Or from a class to their teacher {as a group gift}? Or even to a book-loving birthday boy or girl from all of their party guests?! I’m 100% biased, but I totally think it would.
Not only would the recipient be getting 10 amazing picture books, but they’d be getting 50 activity ideas to go along with the books too {5 per book!}, which when you’re a serious book lover, is pretty awesome.
Here’s a sneak peek at what the inside of the book looks like…
You guys, I loooooove the activities. They’re all rooted in play and support growth in literacy, mathematics, science, social emotional development, artistic expression, sensory exploration, or motor skill development and are adaptable for children ages 3 through 8 – whether at home, at daycare, or at school.
They’re seriously good.
But can I be really honest for a minute? Like brutally honest?
I wouldn’t buy the actual book.
Ack. {I said it.}
The truth is, I just don’t think it’s worth it.
The actual book is lovely, but it’s smallish and since we self-published it, we get no say in the price – Amazon gets to price it and at $27 on Amazon.com and $35 on Amazon.ca, I just think it’s too much for a book of its size and price.
The truth is, when we began writing it, we never intended to publish an actual book. The plan was always to write a downloadable e-book that would be affordable and easy for people to get their hands on. But then when we saw how awesome the ebook was and got excited and ended up self-publishing a print version just for fun. And though it’s sort of cool to have a print version? The price point is just too high for a paperback book of its size and length.
So here’s what I would do instead. Along with the 10 picture books focused on kindness, I’d buy Exploring Books Through Play – the ebook version {the actual ebook purchase page is here}. Then I’d print it out {or have it printed out for me} and either have it coil bound at an office supply store or print shop, OR I’d put it into one of these awesome presentation books with the plastic inserts {CAN} to include with the gift. Up to you!
Either way, how awesome would it be to receive this gift?! I know Miss G would go absolutely nuts.
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Encouraging children to read and engage in creative activities is beneficial for all children, including those with autism. My sister has a daughter with autism, and we found that introducing her to books that encouraged creative thinking and imagination helped her to express herself in new ways. She particularly enjoyed books that involved interactive storytelling and imaginative play. I came across some helpful tips for interacting with children with this situation on https://happyessays.com/free-essays/autism/, though they are student works, I found the advice to be valuable and applicable in real-life situations. It’s heartening to see that the younger generation is becoming more aware of the unique needs and strengths of children. Incorporating creative activities into a child’s routine can be challenging, but the benefits are immeasurable. Not only does it foster imagination and creativity, but it also helps children develop essential life skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-expression. By providing children with autism opportunities to engage in creative activities, we can help them develop the skills they need to thrive and succeed.