Once upon a time in the land of the Big Apple lived Princess Stephanie. Sadly, the princess was struck with a case of severe boredom. The Toy Fairy heard Stephanie’s woes and bestowed upon her the solution to all her hum drum days: Once Upon a Craft. The princess rejoiced, for she was never to be bored again.
Okay, so I may not be a princess (that’s really up for debate, though) and the Big Apple may be the furthest thing from an enchanted kingdom, but I stand by what I said about Once Upon a Craft. The new line from Educational Insights throws two of my favorite things together: reading and crafting.
Each box includes a storybook and two crafts that bring the story to life. The Once Upon a Craft line features eight different sets that carry classic fairytale stories, such as Rapunzel, The Princess and the Pea, The Gingerbread Man, The Ugly Duckling, as well as other popular stories. After kids finish their book, the set has two different crafts related to the story they just read. For example, The Gingerbread Man comes with a foam gingerbread man to decorate and finger puppets to craft and use on the finger puppet stage, while in the Rapunzel set kids can craft a braided crown and Rapunzel’s tower.
The Ugly Duckling was always a favorite of mine, so I decided to give this one a go. Its 24-page book included illustrations that were just as sweet as the story. I was able to relive the story with the first craft— a ready-to-color puzzle—that depicts a scene from the book. The second craft—a mirror— is a great way tor remind kids to love themselves. The kit comes with flower, leaves, butterflies, and other fun stickers to personalize the mirror.
The best part is, after kids read along with mom or dad, the crafts are so cute and simple (key word: simple) that they can work independently and “wow” everyone when their work of art is done. All of the crafts are designed for kids ages 4 and older, and as a result use simple parts, like stickers and cardboard. Additionally, with such a great collection of stories, Once Upon a Craft is perfect for any gender and fun for the whole family.
The new line from Educational Insights takes things back to traditional play. Parents and kids will get to revisit stories that they know and love, as well as get their creative juices flowing. Not only does Once Upon a Craft encourage kids to read, but it also allows them time to reflect on the story and its lessons while they craft away.
