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parenting

Wildgrain Subscription Box: The First-Ever Bake-From-Frozen Subscription Box for Clean Carbs

Are you looking for clean and high-quality carbs for your family with ingredients you can actually pronounce? Enter Wildgrain. The first-ever bake-from-frozen subscription box for clean carbs.

One of my goals this year is to eat healthier focusing on foods with clean ingredients that also have nutritional benefits. That’s why I’m so excited that I discovered Wildgrain Box! Have you heard of them yet? Each Wildgrain Box includes ready-to-bake frozen breads, pastas and pastries all delivered to your door with FREE shipping!

Customers receive a Wildgrain Box by default every month, but you can change your delivery frequency at any time. You can also skip boxes and change the date your account is charged. There is no time commitment for your subscription and you can cancel anytime.

Look at how much food was included in my box! You can make 30+ individual meals with each Wildgrain Box. The best part? All new customers will receive FREE sourdough rolls in every box for the life of their subscription. Oh, and did I mention they always offer FREE shipping?

Go here to check out this awesome box for yourself. I am seriously impressed with it and am anxiously awaiting our next box to come in the mail. Use my code HEREWEEREAD to get $10 off your first box.

Your turn: Have you tried Wildgrain Box yet? Feel free to share in the comments and let me know your experience.

children's books

The Barefoot Book Box: A Book Subscription for Kids 0 – 9

Are you planning to gift your little readers or students with a book subscription box this holiday season?

I love monthly subscription boxes for kids because they offer unique educational experiences. Subscription boxes can give kids of all ages the chance to learn by reading great books, doing fun projects, crafts and activities. Many subscription boxes on the market today are designed to include everything you need to spend quality time together as a family or on your own.  Today, there are subscription boxes that appeal to all sorts of different interests and passions from books to beauty and everything in between.

Have you heard about the Barefoot Book Box yet? They currently have three book boxes available for kids ages 0 – 2, ages 3 – 5 and ages 6 – 9. You can choose their 3 month, 6 month or 12 month plan.

From their website:
“Each box is created by an independent children’s book publisher with nearly 30 years of experience crafting award-winning products. The publisher Barefoot Books is known for publishing beautiful books of the highest quality. They’re designed around a set of core values to help you raise caring, open-minded, global citizens who can think critically and creatively. Educators and parents know that if a book is from Barefoot, they can trust the language, storytelling and illustrations to be beautiful, age-appropriate, and engaging for kids.”

Each Barefoot Book Box includes books, gifts, an artist’s print and expert tips that are focused on a specific theme. The themes are rooted in their 5 core pillars of publishing:

  • Global Awareness, Diversity & Inclusion
  • Early Learning & First Concepts
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics
  • Social-Emotional Learning
  • Creativity & Imagination

My kids are currently ages 6 and 8 so we opted for the box for kids ages 6 – 9. Some of the things I love the most about Barefoot Books is their commitment to diversity and inclusion, their high-quality books, and how they incorporate real-life lessons, social/emotional learning and STEAM (science, math, engineering, art, and math) into their books.

Barefoot Books also gets bonus points from me for their consistent use of bright and vivid illustrations and I absolutely LOVE their commitment to green (eco-friendly) business practices. From sustainably sourced paper to vegetable-based ink, the materials that make up their books are ones that you can feel good about having in your classroom or home. Just look at the quality of their books!

Did I also mention they work with talented artists from around the world who illustrate each of our books by hand? As a part of your subscription, with every box you’ll receive an exclusive, collectable 8×10 inch illustration image, printed on sturdy cardstock. You can hang these on your walls, give them as gifts, use them as prompts to inspire your child’s artwork, or laminate them to create unique and colorful placemats. In addition to expert tips, the back of each artist’s print features information about the artist and their illustration technique. Talk about attention to detail AND adding even more value!

Keeping these prints within your child’s view not only adds beauty and whimsy to your home or classroom — it also reminds your child of their favorite books, reinforcing learning and prompting ongoing discussions.

The best part? Shipping costs are already included in your membership prepaid price! In addition, all Barefoot Book Box memberships are prepaid. Therefore, there is no need to cancel your membership if you wish to no longer receive a box. Your payment method will be charged only once at the time of purchase. No further charges will be made.

Lastly, at this time, the Barefoot Book Box is available for purchase in the United States, only. International shipping and shipping to Alaska and Hawaii are not currently available for online orders.

So, what do you think? Are you ready to check out The Barefoot Book Box? Pop on over to their website to start exploring! Happy Reading!

Your turn: Have you tried this book subscription box yet? Feel free to share in the comments if you care to share.

family fun

Bitsbox: How I’m Teaching My Kids to Code Before Middle School

Photo courtesy of Bitsbox

Are you curious about how you can teach your kids to code before middle school?

A couple of months ago I introduced you to a new subscription box called Bitsbox.  Bitsbox is a subscription box (designed for kids ages 6 – 14) that sends coding exercises to kids each month in order to help them learn coding. It includes app cards and coding themed toys to keep the kids interested in learning more month after month.  Kids can see the exact code and the results of their changes in real time!

As a Computer Programmer and lover of all things STEM, it’s important for me to expose my children to technology in order to help them build foundations for future academic and career success.  That’s why I’m a huge fan of Bitsbox!

Here are a few reasons why I absolutely LOVE Bitsbox:

  • It sends a clear reminder to parents that “coding is the new literacy.”
  • Coding experience is NOT required!  Remember, this is simple and it’s designed for kids.
  • You receive a cute “Apper Keeper” to store and organize all of the coding exercises.  Remember the old Trapper Keepers from the 1980’s?
  • Through repeated repetition, kids have the chance to play around and see how basic coding and functions work before they graduate to more complex learning.
  • It encourages children to learn design while fostering their problem solving abilities. Kids can change colors, add different backgrounds, songs and sounds to their creations.
  • It is specially designed for young children (ages 6-14) to give them a developmentally appropriate understanding of how coding works.
  • It helps teach children how to type and become more familiar with a keyboard.
  • Once you become a Bitsbox user you have access to the website for free, and can continue to use the cards and online apps for as long as the website is available for continued teaching and learning.
  • They offer different resources for parents AND classroom teachers.
  • It’s fun: My kids LOVE doing it – honestly! (And they are currently only 3.5 and 4.5 years old!)

The first box (Animal House) focused on the coding skill of coordinates.  The second box (Robo Boogie) taught the kids all about variables and action commands.  We learned how to make objects move, how to change them to a random size and position them on the screen.  Future boxes you receive after the first and second one feature more advanced concepts like working with variables and if/else statements.  Sound too complex?  Don’t worry, Bitsbox made this super simple to understand by including a handy explanation guide for kids (and grownups) with each box.

My kids and I have enjoyed creating these apps on our own for the past few months.  Since they are still both under age 6, I still assist them quite a bit with typing in some of the lines of code.  This is especially true for some of the longer and slightly more complex apps.  The kids are definitely becoming more comfortable with typing on the computer keyboard and memorizing where certain letters, numbers and symbols are which is great!

To get started coding with Bitsbox all you need is a computer with a keyboard (desktop or laptop) and a web browser. (It’s currently not available to use on a tablet or smartphone.)  You then go to the Bitsbox website and login using either a grownup account or a kids account.  (All of your work will be saved to your account so you can refer back to it later.)  Next, your child starts building  their own customized apps which can be downloaded to a phone or tablet just like any other app!

Ready to try Bitsbox for yourself?
Save 20% on a subscription with my discount code: WEEREAD20.  Here’s to hoping your family becomes a Bitsbox-loving family like ours!

Disclaimer:  We received free subscription boxes from Bitsbox in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

STEM

Bitsbox: Teach Your Kids to Code Before Middle School!

Photo courtesy of Bitsbox

We’re all familiar with the basic skills of learning also known as the three Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic. Now that we’re in the 21st century, I think in addition to knowing the three Rs children should also know and understand the basics of coding.  How about reading, writing, arithmetic and … html?  Or reading, writing, arithmetic and … Javascript?

As a Computer Programmer and lover of all things STEM, it’s important for me to expose my children to technology in order to help them build foundations for future academic and career success.  I want them to be as code-savvy as possible from a young age.  Online skills are becoming as important as reading and writing for the younger generations, so why not give them a head start?  Since they are both still currently under the age of 5, my main goals are making sure they know their way around a computer and teaching them the basics of coding.  They already know how to navigate smartphones and tablets better than many older adults.

When I came across Bitsbox on Instagram I was thrilled!  Did you happen to see their appearance on Shark Tank a few weeks ago?  Bitsbox is a subscription box that sends coding exercises to kids each month in order to help them learn coding. It includes app cards and coding themed toys to keep the kids interested in learning more month after month.  Kids can see the exact code and the results of their changes in real time!

Here are a few reasons why I absolutely LOVE Bitsbox:

  • It sends a clear reminder to parents that “coding is the new literacy.”
  • Coding experience is NOT required!  Remember, this is simple and it’s designed for kids.
  • You receive a cute “Apper Keeper” to store and organize all of the coding exercises.  Remember the old Trapper Keepers from the 1980’s?
  • Through repeated repetition, kids have the chance to play around and see how basic coding and functions work before they graduate to more complex learning.
  • It encourages children to learn design while fostering their problem solving abilities. Kids can change colors, add different backgrounds, songs and sounds to their creations.
  • It is specially designed for young children (ages 6-14) to give them a developmentally appropriate understanding of how coding works.
  • It helps teach children how to type and become more familiar with a keyboard.
  • Once you become a Bitsbox user you have access to the website for free, and can continue to use the cards and online apps for as long as the website is available for continued teaching and learning.
  • They offer different resources for parents AND classroom teachers.
  • It’s fun: My kids LOVE doing it! (And they are currently only 3.5 and 4.5 years old!)

The first box focuses on the coding skill of coordinates.  Remember plotting x and y coordinates on graphing paper for math homework?  This is the exact same concept except it’s done by typing code.  The coordinates tell the computer where to place an object on the screen.  Sound too complex?  Don’t worry, Bitsbox made this super simple to understand by including a handy explanation guide for kids (and grownups).

To get started coding with Bitsbox all you need is a computer with a keyboard (desktop or laptop) and a web browser. (It’s currently not available to use on a tablet or smartphone.)  You then go to the Bitsbox website and login using either a grownup account or a kids account.  (All of your work will be saved to your account so you can refer back to it later.)  Next, your child starts building  their own customized apps which can be downloaded to a phone or tablet just like any other app!

Remember handing assignments in on paper, or even via email?  Thanks to the push for computer science education and subscription boxes like Bitsbox, it seems likely that students of the future will be handing in their homework with hand-built websites and even smartphone applications.  How cool would that be?

Our family is now officially a Bitsbox-loving family!  I honestly think it’s a fantastic way for kids and grownups to learn to code together.  It’s fun and easy to use even if you have no previous computer coding experience.  I’m confident as the kids get older they’ll need less assistance from me – that’s how easy it is to use and understand.

Ready to try Bitsbox for yourself? Save 20% on a subscription with my discount code: HEREWEEREAD20.  We can’t wait to receive our next box and share our experience with you!

Disclaimer:  We received a free subscription box from Bitsbox in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Books for Adults

Book of the Month Club + An Instagram Giveaway!

Disclosure: I was chosen to be part of a campaign to promote literacy and the joy of reading by Acceleration Partners. Any opinions expressed are my own.  I received the products mentioned in this post for free from Book of the Month. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I’m so excited to finally try out the Book of the Month Club!  Book of the Month is a subscription box-style book club dedicated to helping avid readers find great new fiction and non-fiction titles. I love that it exposes me to a variety of new titles that weren’t previously on my radar.  They work hard to bring their members books that are truly worth reading—well-written, immersive stories that will transport you, give you thrills, and tug at your heartstrings—and they have been championing literacy for over 90 years!

Each month, their panel of Judges selects 5 great new books. Selections are announced on the first of the month, and members can choose which book they would like to receive. All plans include: 1 hardcover book of your choice each month, and free shipping.  Members can also add up to 2 books to their monthly box for an additional cost.  They also have affordable gift memberships available for easy gift giving to your fellow bookworms.

If you want to try it out for yourself, you can sign up now (using my referral link) and choose from the 5 best books of the month!  You can also enter my Instagram giveaway and enter to win one of five FREE 3-month subscription boxes I’m giving away (US residents only).  But hurry, the giveaway ends on Tuesday, March 7th at 11:59pm.  Good Luck!

Your turn: Are you a member of Book of the Month Club?  What’s the thing you like best about the club?  Feel free to share in the comments.

children's books

Holiday Gift Guide Series: The Ultimate List of Children’s Book Subscription Boxes

domestictourists

Are you planning to gift your little readers with a book subscription box this holiday season?

I love monthly subscription boxes because they offer unique educational experiences. They can give kids of all ages the chance to learn by reading great books, doing fun projects, crafts and activities. Many subscription boxes on the market today are designed to include everything you need to spend quality time together with your children.  Today, there are subscription boxes that appeal to all sorts of different interests and passions.  Below you’ll find a huge list of book subscription boxes for kids (and young adults) to choose from.  Enjoy!

Bear & Bud Book Club
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Books for young readers featuring diverse characters and themes that invite them to think, laugh, question, and learn about themselves and others.  Each box includes an activity and discussion guide, materials for two book-themed crafts and a snack recipe.  They have picture books (ages 3-5), books for growing readers (ages 6 – 8) and tweens (ages 9 -12).

Booklandia
booklandia

Booklandia delivers 2 Bilingual and/or Spanish books every month.  Your box choice will contain beautiful wonders of carefully selected books everyone will enjoy from babies to middle schoolers.  Choose from hardcover/paperback board books, picture books or chapter books.

Bookroo
bookroo

Bookroo makes reading exciting for kids and affordable and convenient for parents.  Each box contains either 3 board books or 2 picture books and the combined retail value of the books always exceeds the subscription price.  Bookroo is also in the process of rolling out a new Junior Box for kids ages 7-10.  Check out my review of this subscription box here.

Brown Toy Box

browntoybox
Brown Toy Box was founded to help parents of children of color find toys, books, gifts and games that reflect them culturally.  Each themed box contains fun and engaging toys, books and games that feature brown children in all their awesomeness.

Brown Treasure Club

An affordable, exclusive subscription box service catered to girls of color ages 6-12.  This box is designed to educate and celebrate little brown girls all over the world!

Early Literature

earlyliterature
Early Literature is an exclusive service that is geared toward helping educators experience an effortless and exclusive way to grow their classroom libraries every month.  Each month teachers and early learning programs will receive a box of 4-5 curated books. Books that are new, upcoming releases, and classics!

Gift Lit
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Geared for ages 2 through 12, literary experts choose the perfect books for your child’s age and reading skill. You pick the theme, including favorite fiction for boys or girls, fantasy, page turners, new releases, around the world, classics or historical fiction, and the literary experts can pick out the perfect book — or you can make your own substitutions.

Heritage Box

heritagebox

The first ever monthly subscription box specially curated to teach children ages 5  to 12 about Black History and geography of the countries of Africa.  Each month children can expect to receive a package alternating between Black History and African geography content! Each box will include exciting games, activities and a relevant book or souvenir for the African travel package. Check out my review of this subscription box here.

Hey Let’s Read

HEY! Let’s Read! has spent a lot of time researching and securing access to thousands of African American and Diaspora themed books. From classic children’s books, foam and board books, award winners to books written by newly minted authors, HEY! Let’s Read! relies on the expertise of a 36 year Education veteran to carefully curate and select books and resources for your child and classroom each month. Your monthly subscription will afford your children the opportunity to expand their imagination with books selected just for them!

Ivy Kids
ivykids

Ivy Kids is a monthly educational subscription box for children ages 3-8.  Have the tools at your fingertips to ensure your child has a solid foundation in math, literacy, and science. Help your child build confidence and be well-rounded in all disciplines to ensure future academic success. The activities in the Ivy Kits have been created by certified early childhood teachers with children of their own.  Each kit contains books, activities and a parent guide for each activity.

Just Like Me!
justlikemebox1

The Just Like Me! Book Box was built on the foundation of exposing children of color to literature, characters, authors and stories that are reflective of them.  Each box contains two to three age appropriate African-American books and other learning tools for your child.  Once the contents of the box are selected the final product is a complete Just Like Me! Book Box filled with fun books, educational tools and fun gifts to encourage positive child development.  Check out my review of this subscription box here.

KidArtLit

Each KidArtLit delivery includes a hardback picture book, all the high-quality supplies you need to complete a related, open-ended art project two times, and our mini magazine with easy-to-follow instructions & ideas for exploring the box’s theme. Plus, each box includes a Ready-Set-Go Pack that your child can interact with the moment you open your box.

Lillypost

lillypost
Lillypost is a monthly book subscription box that sends beautiful children’s books and other goodies to your door! Each month, tiny fingers will eagerly open hand-wrapped packages and discover carefully curated books, a lovely little note and stickers for fun! We offer two options so you can choose the box that best suits the age of your child. Our Board Book Box is perfect for ages 0-2 and our Picture Book Box is great for ages 3+.

Lit Joy Crate

litjoy

Each month you will receive a new release book (you may select a board book, picture book, or young adult novel) in the mail every month! But we are more than just a monthly book subscription…each month you will also receive 2-3 creative and quirky book-themed items to go with your new book!

Little Fun Club

littlefunclub
Each Little Fun Club box contains three age appropriate books for children ages birth – 12 years old.  The final product is a box filled with education, fun and opportunities for positive child development.

Little Proud Kid

littleproudkid
Little Proud Kid is a place to celebrate all people… one people.  They focus on bringing an array of multicultural toys, books, resources, greeting cards, and more to help you teach and celebrate the uniqueness in each and every child.

Outside the Box
cheekydaysbox

Outside The Box is a monthly subscription box for families with a focus on community and giving. Each box provides an opportunity for your family to connect, create and give to the community. Each box contains items based on the monthly theme: a children’s t-shirt or fun wearable item, a hand-selected children’s book, 2 – 4 crafts or activities that reinforce the monthly theme, community cards that inspire intentional ways to share Outside The Box, plus a spotlight on a different non-profit, community service or give-back company each month.

Owl Crate

april_owlcrate
Every month Owl Crate send you a magical box tailored to a chosen YA theme (e.g. paranormal, first love, dystopia.) Each box will contain one new Young Adult novel, as well as 3-5 other bookish keepsakes to help set the mood for your literary adventure.  They also offer Owl Crate Jr. book boxes for kids!

 

Splash on Literacy Box

splashonliteracy
A subscription box of books and art for infants – 6 years old.  Each box contains a book, a mini lesson plan and art supplies.

STEM Reads Book Club
stemreads

Launching November 15, 2016!!  A monthly book box that introduces children ages 4-8 to different topics in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).  I think this new STEM Reads Book Club is a great way to introduce children to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).  Club members receive handpicked STEM books in a monthly subscription box.  I signed up for a chance to earn 12 free months of membership and you can too!  Check this out by clicking on the link or image above to earn free books, too, or just to learn more.

The Story Box

join_story_box_sample_box_2
When you subscribe to The Story Box, your family will receive a monthly box that is curated by a nationally certified speech-language pathologist.  Each box contains 2 children’s books and a guide for parents.  Use the books and guide to make the most of your family reading time, enhance your child’s language skills, and improve your child’s chances of becoming a successful reader.  The books in their boxes are most appropriate for children between the ages of 1-year old and 7-years old.

A portion of each subscription fee is used to purchase books and other educational materials to benefit children with disabilities and children from low-income families.  Check out my review of this subscription box here.

Surprise Ride

surpriseride
Did you see this subscription box featured on Shark Tank?  Each box contains all the necessary supplies for two activities, a book and yummy snack, plus fun extras.  All the things your child needs for unplugged learning. Surprise Ride works with experts to design hands-on courses for kids ages 5+. Subjects include art, geography, history, science and more!

The Conscious Kid Library

The Conscious Kid is an education, research and policy organization dedicated to reducing bias and promoting positive identity development in youth. They partner with organizations, children’s museums, schools and families across the country to promote access to children’s books centering underrepresented and oppressed groups.  They also offer book subscriptions for board books and picture books.  With their new book-a-month subscription option families and teachers can sign up to receive a diverse board book or picture book each month.

The Little Reading Club
littlereadingclub

In the younger reader boxes there are three expertly chosen, age-appropriate books to keep your children engaged. Older reader boxes include two chapter books. Each month is based on a new theme.

Wam! Book Bundle

wam

Each book bundle contains a mix of 2-3 brand new hardcover and/or softcover diverse books as well an activity guide filled with great, informative tips. WAM’s book selections feature a wide range of multicultural, diverse characters and reflect stories that will engage and excite children everywhere!

Well Read

Well Read Inc. mission is to promote enhanced literacy in the African-American community by providing exciting and culturally relevant books to children ages 3-12 through our monthly subscription service.
A key part of our mission is to reduce the literacy gap in the African-American community.

Your Turn:  Do you have a favorite kids book subscription box? Is there an awesome subscription book box for kids missing from my list? Please let me know in the comments.

giveaways

Just Like Me Box Plus a Giveaway!

I’ve featured several literary subscription boxes here on the blog before like Bookroo, My Lit Box, Heritage Box and The Story Box.  Today, I’m introducing you to a new subscription box that was built on the foundation of exposing children of color to literature, characters, authors and stories that are reflective of them: Just Like Me Box.

After first-time mom, Tamara McNeil, grew frustrated with searching for books featuring black characters, she took matters into her own hands and created Just Like Me!.  By day, Tamara is a public relations director for a national nonprofit, and by night, she’s juggling the role of wife, mother, and newly minted entrepreneur.

The mission of Just Like Me! is to spark a lifelong love of reading and self-discovery with every box they ship. Each month they will send you a perfectly curated box filled with 2-3 African-American children’s books and other educational tools. Before making their selections they consider the subject, authors, awards, and prices of each item. Each book is read and discussed by their team before it is included in any subscription box.

justlikemebox1
Just Like Me! has access to thousands African American themed books. From classic children’s books, board books, award winning literature to books written by new authors sharing exciting new adventures, Just Like Me! hand picks items for your child each month.  Books are chosen based on educational value, merit, and awards.  The Just Like Me! team will search and identify the books that are perfect additions to your child’s reading list each month.

Our friends at Just Like Me! were kind enough to send us a sample of one of their boxes.  It came in a sturdy cardboard box and it was nicely packaged.  The theme of their July box was “Black Excellence”.  A beautifully designed pamphlet was included which contains a definition of what the word excellent means along with some inspirational words and tips that encourage children to achieve and maintain a high level of excellence.

Our box contained the following items:

1 copy of Sugar Plum Ballerinas Plum Fantastic by Whoopi Goldberg
1 copy of Marvelous Me by Lisa Bullard
1 copy of The Marley Adventures: Get to Know Marley by K. Alicia Bolton
1 copy of Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
1 copy of The Marley Adventures Activity Book

Just Like Me! is a simple subscription service with no strings attached.  You are free to cancel anytime.

Cost: $25 per month plus tax with FREE shipping (includes 2-3 books and other educational tools)

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Connect with Just Like Me Box!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
justlikemeboxabout
The Giveaway!
Just Like Me! was generous enough to sponsor a giveaway to receive a FREE subscription box!  Sorry international friends, this is only for US residents due to high shipping costs.  Good luck to all who enter!

Just Like Me! Free 1-Month Subscription Box

children's literacy

The Story Box: New Packages, Lower Prices & A Discount!

Great news!  In an effort to bring you more value and more affordable options, our friends over at The Story Box are celebrating their new book packages and they’ve lowered their prices a bit.  Hooray!

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Receiving a surprise package in the mail is always a thrill for me!  My daughter is at the age where she thinks getting mail is so fun too now that she recognizes here name in print.  It makes her feel special to open up a box with her name on it. That’s one of the many reasons why I think a kids’ monthly subscription box is a great gift idea.

Owned by speech-language pathologist (Holly) and her husband (Clint), the Story Box is a subscription box that is intended to be an inexpensive way for parents to grow their children’s personal library of books.   When you subscribe to The Story Box, your family will receive a monthly box that is curated by a nationally certified speech-language pathologist.

Each book is carefully selected to be fun and appealing to your little readers.  The Story Box family also takes great care in selecting books that will facilitate your child’s communication development and emergent literacy skills.  Just to name a few attributes, they love books that are colorful, have great illustrations, good vocabulary, good story line, rhyming, alliteration, and so much more!

We received the Family Package box in the mail which is perfect for our family!  Our box contained 1 picture book, 1 board book, a tip card and a parent guide.  The tip card contained a challenge to make reading a part of your child’s routine every single day.  This challenge isn’t hard for us since we’ve been doing this daily since both of my kids were born.  I think the parent guide is so helpful and full of excellent information including language concepts and example extension activities to go along with the picture book we received.

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Ok, sounds great.  Let’s hear about the new pricing structure and packages!

Board Book Package (Ages 0 to 2 1/2 years old)
Includes: 2 board books per month and the monthly tip card
Month-to-Month Plan: $14.99 per month
3 Month Prepay: $44.97
6 Month Prepay: $89.94

Picture Books Package (Ages 2 1/2 to 6 years old)
Includes: 2 picture books and a parent guide
Month-to-Month Plan: $19.99 per month
3 Month Prepay: $59.97
6 Month Prepay: $119.94

Family Package (Appropriate for families with children in both ages ranges)
Includes: 1 picture book, 1 board book, tip card and parent guide
Month-to-Month Plan: $17.99 per month
3 Month Prepay: $53.97
6 Month Prepay: $107.94

Shipping is always FREE for all plans!

The Discount: Here Wee Read readers get $5.00 off the first order! Just use coupon code SPRING at checkout!

Disclosure: I received this complimentary box for review purposes. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.

Connect with The Story Box!
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Your turn: Have you tried this fantastic subscription service for your little readers yet? Feel free to share in the comments.

children's literacy

Petit Mail Story Card Subscription for Kids + Giveaway!

If you follow my blog, you’ve probably heard me talk about a variety of different subscription boxes and services for both kids and adults.  I love kids’ monthly subscription boxes because they offer unique educational experiences. They can give kids of all ages the chance to learn by doing fun projects, crafts and activities.

Today I’d like to introduce you to Petit Mail!  Have you heard about these cute subscription story cards yet?  I met Alison, owner of Petit Mail,  last month on Instagram.  I saw a picture of the cards posted on her page and immediately reached out to her.  As a mom of two kids under the age of 4, I’m always on the hunt for different activities to do that incorporate both learning and fun.

petitmail

Petit Mail is a monthly story postcard subscription for kids, ideally suited for preschoolers and early readers.  Each month, a story card arrives in a bright, fun envelope, addressed to your child.  Story themes follow the adventures of characters Oliver and Olivia, and encourage imagination, creative play and family connection.  Currently, there are only two characters available, but there are plans to expand the characters to include more diversity.

Parents and children can read each story card together and use the monthly adventure as inspiration for family time activities. Oliver is putting on a puppet show? You can too. Story topics include science, nature, reading, art and more.

With so much of our days filled with technology, it’s a wonderful treat to receive paper mail – children LOVE finding envelopes in the mailbox addressed just to them.  (My children are no different.)  Some months include little bonus extras, like stickers or bookmarks and every story card includes a link to additional content for parents with activity tips and suggestions.

When our story cards came in the mail my kids were happy to see their names printed on the envelopes.  My son received the story card entitled ‘Oliver Loves Reading’ and my daughter received ‘Olivia’s Science Project’.

The activity on the back of my son’s story card was to go to your local library and have a library scavenger hunt.  We haven’t done this yet, but I’m looking forward to doing it!  My daughter’s activity on her story card was to mix two colors together to make a new color.  We had fun using food coloring to mix blue and red to make purple and blue and yellow to make green.

Untitled design

Parents and caregivers might find Petit Mail to be a very affordable gift subscription. Canada and US subscriptions cost just $6 per month (including postage) and international subscriptions are also available.  Subscriptions can be purchased for 3, 6 or 12 months, and make a great non-toy gift for kids.

Parents can find out more about Petit Mail at: http://petitmail.ca

Petit Mail Shop: http://www.petitmail.bigcartel.com

Sign up for the Petit Mail newsletter here!

Connect with Petit Mail!

Instagram | Facebook

Sounds great, is there a discount?
Yes, there is!  Here Wee Read Subscribers and readers can save $10 off a 1 year (12 month) subscription using code HEREWEEREAD until May 31, 2016!

How about a giveaway?
I’m glad you asked!  One (1) lucky winner will win a Petit Mail story card of their choice.  You can choose between the following themes:

  • Oliver Explores Art
  • Olivia’s Pen Pal
  • Oliver Loves Reading
  • Olivia The Superhero
  • Oliver Learns About Fossils
  • Olivia’s Science Project
  • Olivia Builds A Boat

Enter today!  Giveaway ends Thursday, April 28, 2016.  Good luck!

Petit Mail Story Card Giveaway

Disclaimer: I received two complimentary story cards in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Books for Adults

My Lit Box Subscription Box Plus a Giveaway!

Calling all book lovers…there’s a new subscription box in town: My Lit Box!  I had the pleasure of connecting with Sanura Williams, owner and founder of My Lit Box via Instagram a few days ago.  She recently launched this subscription box last week and I’m so excited to share it with you!

I’ve featured a few different subscription boxes before on my blog, but this is the first one geared towards adults.  Read on to learn more.

mylitbox

Q: How did you come up with the idea for this subscription box?

A: I had one of those Oprah “ah-ha” moments where I realized that life I was living wasn’t the life I SHOULD have been living. I knew this was largely attributed to the fact that I wasn’t passionate about what I was doing for a living.  My Lit Box is the result of my brainstorming on how to make my passion a bigger part of my life. I love to read but unfortunately, I found that I wasn’t doing it as often as I would like. Then I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if there was no guess work?  What if I could count on a new book being delivered to me monthly?  From this, My Lit Box was born!

Q: What can book lovers expect to be included inside of each box?

A:  Each month’s box will include a newly released novel by a writer of color as well as 1-2 quality bookish items that relate to that month’s theme. When it comes to the contents of each month’s box, you may open it and find journals, tote bags, candles, bookmarks, keepsakes, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Q: How are the items selected?

A: I’m constantly scouring the Internet for upcoming releases so I usually start with the novel. Once that is in place, and I’ve drawn a theme from the novel, then I begin to select products.  It’s extremely important to me that I not just throw a bunch of stuff in a box. I want my subscribers to feel as if they are receiving a box that has been carefully curated.

Q: Why writers of color?

A: I noticed that when I read lists compiling the greatest writers of our time, be it past or present, very few of the writers (1) looked like me or any other minority and (2) they weren’t any of my favorite writers. This is just my effort to shine light on an often overlooked segment of talented writers and put their works into the hands of book lovers worldwide.

Q: Ok, this all sounds great, but how much is it?

A: My Lit Box offers two month-to-month subscription options:

  • Full Plan ($25/month) – With this option you will receive one newly released novel as well as 1-2 quality bookish items
  • Book Only Plan ($17/month) – With this option you will receive one newly released novel monthly

Q: Is there a discount?

A: Here Wee Read subscribers can receive 10% off their first order by using promo code HEREWEEREAD at checkout!  Order your box today!

Connect with My Lit Box!

WebsiteInstagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest |Tumblr

The Giveaway!
I’m so excited to be hosting the very FIRST giveaway for this subscription box!  One (1) lucky winner will win a FREE subscription box courtesy of My Lit Box.  The box will ship on May 5, 2016.  Good luck!

My LitBox Subscription Box Giveaway

children's books

Introducing Heritage Box!

Calling all parents, teachers, and lovers of Black History and African/Caribbean geography!  There’s a new kid on the subscription box block: Heritage Box!  Heritage Box is the first ever monthly subscription box specially curated to teach children ages 7 to 12 about Black History and African/Caribbean geography.  Exciting, right?

heritagebox

Heritage Box is the brainchild of Trish and Herbert Lewis.  Originally from Africa, Trish has always had a desire to raise her three children with a solid understanding of their history and an open-minded world view.  Her husband, Herbert Lewis, is a Black History buff, so naturally he too wanted their children to have a deeper understanding of Black History.

However, doing this consistently proved to be very challenging for the couple.  They are both working parents so between homework and after school activities their lives just got too busy.  They knew they had to do better and be consistent so they made a plan.  They came up with the Heritage Box to provide an engaging way for both parents and children to continuously learn about Africa, African American and Caribbean history and geography.

Trish and her husband were both aware that children who have a good understanding of their family history grow up to be confident adults.  They wanted their children to be excited about learning about themselves.

Heritage Box provides families a tool that will keep children engaged YEAR ROUND, not just in February during Black History Month.  Each box is designed to build self-pride and enhance children’s understanding of their heritage.

What’s Inside the Box?
The starter box comes with:

  • An authentic Masaai Box made in Kenya to store future African souvenirs
  • A world map
  • A journal to record their thoughts
  • A postcard album to store postcards from the different countries/places families will visit together
  • A book with an overview of African American history
  • a bookmark for the books they will receive

The second month they will receive a “Travel” package.  This box will focus on one country in Africa and provide a souvenir, games, a book and other fun surprises!

The third month will feature a theme/ person in Black history.

After the third month, they will alternate the box contents with Black History content and African geography content. Each box will come with a relevant book!

Heritage Box is sure to be a treasured item for your child!  Every month they will receive a special surprise of cultural value to store in their Masaai Box.  These boxes are made of traditional shuka cloth and they are lined with Ankara fabric.  They also have a banana fiber base and intricate beading for the lock.

How are the items selected?
For the Black History themed box , they consult with teachers and educators on the content.  They make sure games and books are age appropriate.  And of course they consult with a special focus group of children!

The African Travel box with will contain appropriate souvenirs  from the featured country.  Their Procurement Manager, Chris is based in Kenya and travels all over Africa in search for the perfect souvenirs and African authored books!

Ok, this all sounds great, but how much is it?
Great, I’m glad you asked!

Month-to-month plan: $29.99 per month
6-month prepaid plan: $23.33 per month (a one time cost of $140)
12-month prepaid plan: $20 per month (a one time cost of $240 – Best value!)

Heritage Box will officially launch on January 15, 2016, but you can visit their website to sign up for their mailing list or read more about the company.

Is there a discount?
Just for Here Wee Read subscribers and readers you can get 20% off your order!!  Just use coupon code “HereWeeRead” at checkout. This code will be available for use starting tomorrow, January 15th!

Note:  Initially, I listed the discount as 50%, not 20% in error.  The correct discount amount is 20%.

Connect with Heritage Box!
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Your turn:  How do you teach your children about their heritage and culture?  Feel free to share in comments.

children's books

The Story Box: A Review Plus a Discount!

During my holiday gift guide series, I mentioned a new children’s book subscription box called The Story Box.  You can check out the original post here.

Owned by speech-language pathologist (Holly) and her husband (Clint), the Story Box is a subscription box that is intended to be an inexpensive way for parents to grow their children’s personal library of books.   When you subscribe to The Story Box, your family will receive a monthly box that is curated by a nationally certified speech-language pathologist.

thestorybox

Each box contains 2 children’s books and a guide for parents.  Use the books and guide to make the most of your family reading time, enhance your child’s language skills, and improve your child’s chances of becoming a successful reader.  The books in their boxes are most appropriate for children between the ages of 1 and 7-years old which includes: babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary students Kindergarten-2nd graders.

I LOVE the fact that a portion of each subscription fee is used to purchase books and other educational materials to benefit children with disabilities and children from low-income families.  What a nice touch!

The books were shipped in a flat brown box with a large bright green Story Box logo on it.  When I opened the box, the kids immediately started flipping through the books.

Here are the two books we received:  It’s Monday, Mrs. Jolly Bones! and Kiss the Cow.

thestoryboxbooks

There are several things I like about this subscription box:

  • the well thought out and organized parent guide which includes: tips & inspiration, vocabulary tips, language concepts, example hands-on activities you can do with your children that are related to the books you just read (this is by far my favorite thing about this box!!)
  • the variety in reading difficulty, rich illustrations, messages, and styles of the books
  • the relatively simple story lines, basic language, and cute characters also make these accessible books for early readers to explore independently
  • it would make a great gift because you could add a birthday card and you’re all set to go to a kid’s birthday party!

Overall, I was very impressed with this subscription service.  I think there is a lot of thought that goes into their book selections.  In addition, the great value, plus the nice presentation and personalization makes this a fantastic subscription for little ones!

The Subscription: The Story Box
The Cost:

  • Month-to-Month Plan: $21.99 per month
  • 3 Month Prepay: $20.99 per month
  • 6 Month Prepay: $19.99 per month
  • Shipping is always FREE for all plans!

The Discount: Here Wee Read readers get $10.00 off, good through January 19, 2016.  Just use coupon code HEREWEEREAD at checkout!

Disclosure: I received this complimentary box for review purposes. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate and/or referral links.

Your turn:  Have you tried this fantastic subscription service for your little ones yet?  Feel free to share in the comments.

hereweeread