I was raised in a home where education was paramount to pretty much everything. I have cassette tapes of my dad quizzing me like I was on a game show. I was 2. I’ll bet that in a lot of immigrant households, it’s the same. Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Bahamian American mom and star of Nickelodeon’s sitcom “Instant Mom” is the spokesperson for the kindergarten readiness program Beyond the Backpack.
The Nick Jr. Beyond the Backpack kindergarten readiness initiative helps parents and caregivers prepare their preschoolers for success in school. The campaign airs across Nickelodeon’s TV and digital platforms and features Tia Mowry-Hardrict alongside beloved preschool characters, including Dora, Wally and Blaze. The campaign includes a dedicated web site, www.beyondthebackpack.com and bilingual (English/Spanish) educational materials. There’s even an option of a customized learning plan. For immigrant families, especially those who are bilingual, this is fantastic. For parents on the go, there is a mobile program that parents can opt-in to by texting “BACKPACK” to 91757 that provides tips and information each week.
“Nick Jr. Beyond the Backpack provides parents, who may not know where to start, with a customized learning plan from experts in the field of early childhood education, that will provide a solid foundation for preschoolers preparing to attend kindergarten,” said Mowry-Hardrict. “As a mom of a preschooler, I am thrilled to partner with Nickelodeon on such an important issue.”
For more information on the Beyond the Backpack toolkit, educational games, interactive videos and printable activities for your preschooler, visit www.beyondthebackpack.com.
