Did you grow up on Highlights™? For over 70 years the company has been providing high-quality, developmentally appropriate magazines and more – that engage kids’ brains and imaginations. In fact, their motto is Fun with a Purpose®.
For this review, I received Highlights™ products that are perfect for young kids pre-school – 2nd grade. All of the products are educational and of high quality, and all work well in a homeschool setting.
Highlights™ My First Write-On Wipe-Off Board Books (for kids 3-6)
In these books, Highlights™ combines their Hidden Pictures® puzzles with number, letter and word activities to help kids develop essential math and writing skills.
The dry-erase, wipe-clean pages encourage kids to practice writing and solving puzzles over and over again, because after all, practice makes perfect. 🙂
The books are made of heavy board stock, each book is approx. 8.5″ X 11″ and they are the perfect size for young hands. The board book pages are so sturdy, kids can play on them anywhere, without needing a desk. And they come with their own marker.
There are three different selections in the write-on wipe-off board book series. They include My First Hidden Pictures, My First 123, and My First ABC. Each of the three selections is 28 pages in length.
This book contains pre-school friendly Hidden Pictures® puzzles, words to trace, drawing and counting activities, dot-to-dots and more.
See page pics below. Cute, right!?!
My First ABC 123 and My First 123
So, what’s the best way to get kids to practice writing numbers and letters? By making it fun. My First ABC and My First 123 activity books do just that. Simple Hidden Pictures® scenes, matching games, mazes and more combine with alphabet and counting activities to make the books entertaining and educational.
I’ve included pics of both books below.
Highlights Product Review – What do I like about these three books?
- I like the physical qualities of the books – the size, the thick board pages, the fact that the entire book is wipe-able (not just the cover – pages too), that there’s a compartment for the marker and more. I LOVE the whole wipe-on/wipe-off concept for learning.
- I like the content of the books – especially the puzzles and the colorful pictures. Plus, the activities in the books are educational, and they build fine-motor skills.
- The books teach kids that puzzles/brain teasers are fun. I like this because I think brain teasers are incredibly educational.
- I LOVE that my kids enjoy the books and learn while also having fun.
- These are really wonderful books for young kids just learning about puzzles, numbers and letters.
Highlights™ Write-On Wipe-Off Fun to Learn Activity Books (for kids 3-6)
These books are also for kids ages 3-6, but in my opinion, are the next step after the board books. Whereas my four year old likes the board books, my six year old prefers these books.
As with the board books, kids can write, draw, and complete puzzles (they come with a marker) – so they can practice essential skills – over and over again. The pages are thinner and taller than the board books, and these books have a hidden wire spiral binding that lets the books lay flat. Each book is approx. 8″ X 11″ inches and has 56 pages.
There are three different activity books to choose from: Highlights Write-On Wipe-Off Let’s Trace, Write-On Wipe-Off Let’s Write Letters and Highlights Wipe-Off Let’s Write Words.
This write-on wipe-off book makes mastering the fine motor skills of pen control a fun activity for young children. The thick, dotted lines and wide paths are simple to trace and follow, and pre-schoolers can progress from tracing straight lines to tracing simple geometric shapes.
Very cute, don’t you agree?
Each write-on wipe-off page uses colorful, imaginative puzzles, mazes, and more to help pre-schoolers learn the alphabet. Kids have an opportunity to identify letters, trace existing letters, write letters from scratch, and add letters to finish a sentence.
See the pics below.
This activity book helps kids learn sight words. Each 2-page spread has a puzzle on one side and related words to copy on the other. I really like this 2-page layout.
Again, you can check out the pics below.
Highlights Product Review – What do I like about these books?
- I like the physical qualities of the books – the cover and the pages are wipe-able, the books lay flat when they’re open so they’re easy for young kids to work on, the marker fits nicely in the binder, and more.
- I like the content of the books. They contain a variety of puzzles (Hidden Pictures® scenes, matching, mazes, etc.), that make it fun to learn to write and read sight words.
- I like the interactive qualities of the books. As with the board books, kids can write, draw, and puzzle all over the books – and they can keep practicing essential skills – over and over again. As mentioned previously, I LOVE the whole wipe-on/wipe-off concept for learning.
- The books help build writing confidence as well as fine-motor skills.
- Each book has an All About Me page which I appreciate. I want my kids to have ownership of their work.
- There are no start and finish pages to the books – kids can start anywhere/select activities that interest them the most.
- I LOVE that my kids enjoy the books and learn while also having fun.
Highlights™ Big Fun Workbooks
These books have the appearance of traditional workbooks. Each is approx. 8.5″ x 11″ and 256 pages in length. Although they look like traditional workbooks, they are chock full of imaginative puzzling, humor, and charming illustrations that engage children and help them build academic confidence. Each book includes a certificate of completion at the end, as well as simple tips to help parents guide their children through the activities.
There are four different workbooks for ages pre-k through 2nd grade (3-8 years old). The four workbooks include: Big Fun Preschool Workbook, Big Fun Kindergarten Workbook, Big Fun First Grade Workbook, and Big Fun Second Grade Workbook.
Big Fun Preschool Workbook helps kids practice essential skills for academic/homeschool readiness and success.
Mazes, matching games, dot-to-dots, scavenger hunts, find-the-differences and Hidden Pictures® puzzle activities make it fun for preschoolers to practice the following skills:
- ABCs
- Sight words
- Colors
- Shapes
- Numbers
- Patterns
- Sorting
- Opposites
- Math concepts
- Sequencing
- And more
Pictures follow:
Matching games, find-the-differences, scavenger hunts, That’s Silly™ scenes and Hidden Pictures® puzzle activities let kindergarten-aged kids practice the following academic skills:
- Alphabet
- Reading
- Writing
- Sight words
- Colors
- Shapes
- Numbers
- Patterns
- Sorting
- Opposites
- Math concepts
- Sequencing
- Comparing
- And more
This workbook includes essential skills practice – along with puzzle play, to help kids grow into confident learners. With this workbook, kids practice:
- ABCs
- Word recognition
- Digraphs and consonant blends
- Homophones
- Colors
- Shapes
- Numbers
- Addition and subtraction
- Sequencing
- Beginning science
- And more
The Big Fun Second Grade Workbook helps kids learn in a way that’s fun, by blending lessons with puzzles. Grade-appropriate exercises are incorporated into Hidden Pictures® scenes and other enjoyable activities Lessons include:
- Cursive writing
- Vocabulary
- Reading
- Addition and subtraction
- Multiplication
- Map skills
- And more
Highlights Product Review – What do I like about these workbooks?
- The pure size of the workbooks – 256 pages – that’s a lot of academic practice/learning!
- The workbooks help kids recognize vowels and consonants, learn sight words, build their vocabulary, and increase their reading and writing skills.
- The workbooks introduce early math and science concepts, which I really appreciate.
- In addition to academics, the workbooks build concentration, attention to detail, and critical thinking skills. What a bonus, right!?!
- The combination of activities, puzzles, and skills practice helps kids feel academically confident.
- Answers are included.
- Wipe-able covers (important in my house).
- I appreciate the Extend the Learning helpful tips at the back of the books.
- And more. 🙂
Highlights™ Learn On The Go Practice Pads
This product offers a travel-friendly activity pad where kids can learn the alphabet, numbers and handwriting skills anywhere, anytime. There are 4 pad options. The pads include Tracing and Colors and Shapes (pre-school), and Writing Numbers and Writing Letters (kindergarten). Each pad is 6″ x 9″ and contains 64 pages.
Tracing helps kids ages 3-6 develop fine motor skills and pen control through tracing prompts, Hidden Pictures® puzzles, mazes, and more, all in a travel-friendly activity pad format.
Colors and Shapes offers a unique blend of shape-tracing and color-identification activities with age-appropriate puzzles that also build fine-motor skills.
This pad helps kids ages 3-6 with number recognition through tracing prompts, Hidden Pictures® puzzles, counting activities, etc.
Writing Letters offers kids ages 3-6 a unique blend of alphabet activities with age-appropriate puzzles that increase writing confidence and build fine-mot0r skills.
Highlights Product Review – SO, what do I LOVE about these products?
- They’re Highlights – a name I loved as a child, and trust as an adult.
- Colorful illustrations and achievable puzzles make learning loads of fun.
- My kids and I love the colorful pictures and the variety of puzzles.
- I like the easy-to-go portability – these are great for the car.
And FYI – here is a link to all the Highlights products.
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- Highlights Product Review
