We received a fantastic review for our Genealogy Kit for Kids this month from one of our customers. Before we show the review below, there's a backstory to the Genealogy Kids Kit that's worth sharing.
Many family historians, myself included, were bitten by the genealogy bug as children. It often starts with simple questions. Why do we have this last name? Where was grandma born? Why do we celebrate certain events? Why do we eat special foods in our family? How is this uncle related to us?
The Kids Genealogy Kit is an unusual product for us, not only in terms of the audience, but also because of the contents of the kit, which taps into this natural curiosity. It contains the following elements:
- Four-generation Fan Chart
- Interview Questions & Answers sheet
- Food, Festivals, and Languages sheet
- Sister/Brother/Cousin sheet
- Parent/Aunt/Uncle sheet
- Global Origins maps
Importantly, we did not envision the Genealogy Kit for Kids as an activity set that kids completed on their own. It really encourages children to talk with their parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents in order to better understand family history, origins, and cultural traditions. These conversations is where some of the best learning experiences can take place, revealing stories and clues that can become the foundation of family history in the years to come. It also helps to build family bonds through personal conversations.
When we officially unveiled the Genealogy Kit for Kids at the RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City a few years ago, Nicole and I got a LOT of positive feedback. Some attendees liked the fact that it wasn't yet another screen-based activity for children. A few educators were excited about the possibilities of including the kit in classroom activities.
The review we received last week (scroll down) was a personal story that really touched us:
I bought this for my 12-year-old niece, who has recently begun asking questions about her heritage and family history. It has made a wonderful introduction to Genealogy, and a great guide to asking the important questions of their older relatives. This Kit has passed the time at family gatherings and on car trips. It has gotten everyone involved in collecting and recording a gold mine of family information, stories, and anecdotes.
When we read that, we had a feeling of validation. The Genealogy Kit for Kids really is bringing families together, and is helping some young people develop an interest in family history that will last a lifetime.
