As a teacher and children's book blogger, I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting products that classroom teachers and homeschooling parents could use while teaching. I recently received a promotional subscription box from Barefoot Books to take a look at and see if it's something my readers could use. After opening the box and investigating its contents, I can honestly say that YES this subscription box is something my readers can use while teaching. It'd be perfect for teaching geography and other social studies skills. So... what's in the box? Keep reading and find out!
(This is an unpaid review of a Barefoot Books subscription box. I was given a promotional subscription box in exchange for my HONEST review.)
Product Description from the Barefoot Books Website
The Barefoot Book Box is a one-of-a-kind subscription designed to help you raise caring, open-minded, global citizens! Your 6-9 year-old will be captivated by each monthly delivery of 2-3 beautifully crafted books and gifts themed around:
- Global awareness, diversity & inclusion
- Feelings, friendships, and life lessons
- Science, technology, engineering, arts & math (STEAM) & problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Creativity & imagination
What's in the Box?
Opening my subscription box was a fun experience. Everything... including the box itself... was bright, cheerful, and positive. The underside of the lid was covered with inspirational words and phrases. I spent a few minutes reading the lid alone! Inside the box, I found a deck of activity cards, a world atlas, an artist's print, and a catalog. Everything in the box was brand new and in good condition. The book even had that 'new book smell.' I have absolutely no complaints about the items that came in the subscription box and I had a positive first impression.
There was only one thing that confused me at first glance. The product description for the subscription box specified there would be two or three books in it. I only received one. However, the product photo for the box showed only one. If we go by the product photo... I received everything. If we go by the product description... I'm a book short. Something for me to look into later. For now, I'm chalking it up to a website typo.
In any event... let's look at each of the items that I did receive... because there were some really nice items in that box!
Learn more about Barefoot Books
Global Kids Activity Cards
The first item I found when I opened the subscription box was a deck of Global Kids activity cards. Their product description on the Barefoot Books website says:
Discover Global Kids, your new favorite tool for raising global citizens both inside and beyond the classroom! Developed by global education expert Homa Tavangar and the creators of Barefoot Books’ bestselling Mindful Kids deck, Global Kids includes 50+ hands-on activities divided into 5 categories to teach children about crafts, food, games, festivals, and ways of helping others around the world. Bright artwork by Sophie Fatus, illustrator of the bestselling Yoga Pretzels deck, make the steps on each card easy to follow. With its sturdy and flexible deck format, Global Kids offers educators, librarians, parents, and caregivers alike an interactive, powerful resource for raising the next generation of global citizens.
When I opened the Global Kids activity deck, the box was sealed and in excellent condition. The deck was advertised as having 50+ cards of activities that include games, crafts, recipes, and more. So... I counted the deck to see if there really were 50+ cards in it. I'm glad to report... there were exactly 50... yay!
I'm also glad to report that the cards are well made and will hold up well to repeated uses. They are printed on thick card stock and have a glossy coating on both sides. If paint, glue, food, or drink get on the cards they can be wiped down with a damp cloth. This is especially important for teachers and parents of young children.
The deck was sorted by colors: purple (arts-n-crafts), blue (games), green (recipes), red (festivals and celebrations), and orange (community helpers). The fronts of the cards include the name of the activity, where the activity is from, a cheerful illustration of children engaged in that activity, and a small tidbit of interesting information about it. The back of the cards contains detailed directions and a list of any materials needed for the activity.
I like these cards a lot and can easily see elementary school teachers and homeschooling parents using these activities when writing their lesson plans. Many of the activities on these cards would meet some of the social studies requirements we need to teach. The activities in this deck are suggested for children 5+. Younger children would need adult supervision for many of them, but older children would be able to a lot of these activities on their own.
World Atlas
The World Atlas (written by Nick Crane and illustrated by David Dean) was the item in the box that I was most looking forward to opening. Ever since I was a child I had been fascinated by maps and... now as a teacher... I get to share that fascination with my students. I had high hopes and expectations for the World Atlas... and I was NOT disappointed in the slightest! Product description of the World Atlas:
Explore our world as never before! Find the countries featured in our global stories and discover the animals, architecture, and activities that make them special. Laid out by geographic region, our colorful World Atlas celebrates cultural diversity and highlights the ways different people care for this planet we all call home. Features a pull-out map and fold-out booklets and panels, all hand-painted by award-winning illustrator David Dean.
Barefoot Books didn't go skimpy on the quality of the World Atlas. There are 48 pages in all, including an index, a table of contents, a glossary, and a list of sources for more information. The pages are thick with a slight gloss to them, giving them a bit of extra durability... which is important when you work with children... children aren't always gentle when turning the pages in a book.
You can tell the author and illustrator of the World Atlas took their time and put a lot of thought into what they were doing. The facts they added in the text and illustrations were interesting and presented in a kid-friendly way. I like how they don't dumb down the information for the readers or give them sensory overload with too many facts, too many illustrations, and details that would be way over the readers' heads.
I was pleasantly surprised by the interactive features of this atlas...
Many of the pages fold out and contain additional information...
There are little flaps scattered throughout the book...
Tucked away in a pocket at the end of the book is a full-color, pull-out atlas that can be hung on a wall or bulletin board...
Artist's Print
At the bottom of the box... almost as if it were waiting patiently for me... was an attractive print by one of the Barefoot Books illustrators, Sofie Fatus. The print I received is called 'The Wishing Tree.' It's a full-color illustration that could easily be framed and hung in a child's bedroom. It would also look nice on a multicultural classroom bulletin board.
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