Encourage Reading With Ivy Kids Kits #HolidayGiftGuide

I was on the hunt this year for the perfect gift idea that would encourage reading for our eight year old son. He struggles so much in this subject area. The monthly kit I found has me super excited because your child will not only get a new book but a bunch of fun activities to go along with it! 

*I received the product below in order to facilitate this Holiday Gift Guide feature. All opinions are my own. see disclosure.

Ivy Kids has the perfect gift to encourage reading through fun activities centered around an age appropriate book delivered right to your door every month. This company began when a Mom of two, Taseea, noticed that finding educational games for her kids was difficult. Being a certified early childhood teacher, she went to work coming up with activities to encourage learning centered around a treasured book. Her creativity eventually lead to a team of Ivy Kids' Moms developing monthly kits for children from ages 3-8 in two different levels Little Ivy (ages 3-5) and Junior Ivy (ages 5-8). 

We received the Junior Ivy November kit, and it featured the book A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni. Our box arrived filled to the top with the book, a bookmark, 2 Chameleon fact boards, and all the needed crafting supplies and materials to complete 10 activities. Each activity in the Ivy Kids Kits include a detailed guide that lists the materials provided, directions, tips for variation based on your child's age range, questions to scaffold learning, and what learning goals and developing skills that specific activity will cover. 

The activities for the November kit we received are listed below along with their learning goals and developing skills they cover. 

1. Chameleon Collage- which includes the foam chameleon, a bottle of glue, sequins, googly eyes, and the 2 Chameleon fact boards. (Art: Collage, Science: Learning about chameleons)
2. Crystal Exploration- provides a crystal, suction cup, string, also uses the 2 chameleon fact boards. (Science: Exploration of a crystal, light reflection, making rainbows, and discovering how chameleons change colors.)
3. Lizards and Leaves Frame- contains a frame, foam leaves, lizard stickers, magnet and glue. (Art & Creativity: Creating a frame, Fine Motor: Muscle development)
4. Wooden Chameleon- includes the wooden chameleon, watercolor paints, and brush. (Art: Painting, Science: Learning about a chameleon's body, Imaginative Play: Uses the chameleon for imaginative play)
5. Letter Snatch- this fun spelling & math activity is packed full with foam letters, long tongued chameleons, and 8 sight word cards. (Literacy: Identifying letters, phonemic awareness, reading and spelling words  Math: Counting the letters caught)
6. Catch a Match- provides your child with number cards, insect cards, and long tailed sticky lizards. (Math: Identifying numerical symbols, associating number symbols to quantities, counting, and matching.)
7. Chameleon Friends- combines art and literacy using chameleon friends board, oil pastels, and watercolors. (Art: color and painting, Language Arts and Literacy: Converting an idea into words, phonemic awareness, language development, and vocabulary building.)
8. Find Your Buddy- is a fun board game that includes the board, lizards, and die (Math: Counting with one-to-one correspondence, directionality, and colors) 
9. Camouflage the Chameleon- Uses the included chameleon cards and the oil pastels. (Art: Coloring with oil pastels, Science: Learning about camouflage, Math: Dividing into halves and thirds, Fine Motor: Muscle development)
10. Find The Chameleon- this activity uses a transparent chameleon. (Science: Learning about chameleons and camouflage)

Can you believe all the fun activities that are included in just this one kit? With one book the Ivy Kids' team has come up with 10 activities to extend the story and learning. By completing them your child will have accomplished goals in science, literacy, art, math and more! 

Even though you will only need to use a small amount of crafting supplies, I was impressed by the fact that a 1.4oz bottle of glue, full size water color paints and oil pastels are included. As a busy Mom knowing everything I need for the craft or game will be right there in the kit is wonderful! You will most likely be able to use these supplies on many other projects with your child too since Ivy Kids sends more than enough to complete the activity. 

Ivy Kids go above and beyond to keep learning fun, and you already know when it comes to educating our kids that is what I look for in a product. I highly recommend these educational and activity filled kits that encourage your child to read and so much more as a wonderful gift idea this year and for every month too! 

The Ivy Kids Monthly Kits are available for purchase through a few different monthly subscription options, and they even have previously offered kits available for purchase in the Ivy Kids Store. Right now new subscribers can save 20% off their first kit using the Promo Code: IVY20 Bonus- New subscribers will also receive a free gift & a monthly personalized item for their child! 

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What's your favorite part about these fun kits from Ivy Kids? Who would you gift one to this year? I would love to hear your thoughts below.