Back-to-school season is almost upon us. It may look different for a lot of families this year, but it's still important to be prepared. As those supply lists start coming in the mail, BIC Kids has you covered with its coloring line, available for the first time in the US at Walmart stores and online.
BIC Kids has created high-quality and affordable kid-friendly products. This year, it's important for kids to be able to express their creativity and have fun while doing it. Markers, crayons, and colored pencils are available for budding artists to run wild with.
Tia Mowry has partnered with BIC Kids to celebrate the coloring line and back-to-school season. In an interview with LittleThings, Tia opened up about how she gets creative with her own kids, 9-year-old Cree and 2-year-old Cairo. She also raved about how much her kids have already enjoyed their new coloring supplies.
Tia Mowry has partnered with BIC Kids to celebrate its coloring line, available for the first time in the United States in Walmart retail stores and online at Walmart.com. The coloring line features markers, crayons, and colored pencils made for artists of all ages to explore the page with. The line has been a big hit in Tia's household through quarantine art projects and into the new school year.
Like many families, Tia's family is unsure of what the new school year will look like for them. "I think the good news here is we are in the same boat. We're all in this together, so you don't necessarily feel so isolated and alone. I will take that to be some sort of comfort," she noted.
"But of course there's some anxiety right now. In California, private schools and regular schools, we are on the waiting list, so there's a lot of uncertainty."
"We don't know if the kids are going to be able to go back to school or not. So, there's that, but I will say this. I do have some sort of faith because I'm going to prepare myself the best way that I can," Tia continued.
"I'm going to prepare my family as if they are going back to school. I've already checked some things off my to-do list for [9-year-old] Cree: backpack, lunch box, BIC Kids coloring line, which is incredible and awesome. You don't even have to wait to go back to school to enjoy their amazing products."
Making art has been a popular pastime with the family since quarantine began.
"We've been using the markers, the pencils, and the crayons in the house just to keep the kids on a schedule and keep them engaged and unplugged. It's been very beneficial," Tia noted.
"It's making back-to-school even less stressful and more fun. I'm taking everything a day at a time and being very grateful for what's in front of me," she said of the uncertain year ahead.
"I'm going to prepare myself the best way I know how to. The thing that brings me peace is that we've experienced this already with distance learning. I've been very grateful and lucky to have such a great school that Cree goes to where they didn't throw all the responsibility on the parents, which was nice."
"As his classes progressed, they found what was working, what was not working. They even added a PE course to keep the kids moving. They helped with the math lessons, having the teachers there and present, which was awesome," she raved.
"I know that's not what happened with everybody, so I'm very grateful and that gives me some sort of peace of mind."
When it comes to getting creative at home, everyone gets in on the fun. "We are definitely a very creative family," Tia said.
"My son, in particular, he's so great at art. He's so good at it that a lot of his teachers at his school always ask to showcase his art."
"What's been so amazing during this time in quarantine is being able to spend that quality time with him and actually do artwork with him," Tia shared.
"What's so great about BIC Kids coloring line is the versatility they have within their line, from having splinter-free pencils to markers that can go left uncapped for up to a week and still be usable to break-resistant crayons. We've been able to sit down, color together, and make awesome artwork at the house."
Tia also likes to show her little artists how much she appreciates their work by showcasing it.
"I'm very passionate about showcasing their work. When my daughter [2-year-old Cairo] and my son do their art, I put it up on the wall in their playroom."
"I'm also that mom that has that big folder that you can put all their artwork in from throughout the years," Tia admitted.
"I can't just throw it away. This is them. This is their mind. This is their way of expression."
Tia's found a way of getting through this time. She reminds herself that these memories are precious and lasting and allows herself to just be in the moment.
"I've been having a lot of fun with Cree. One time, we were sitting down and doing artwork and I was just using a marker. He goes 'No mommy, you can use all three.' He had the crayon, the marker, and the pencil in his hand and was getting all creative with his art. It was so cute."
"It's the perfect time to get the kids to sit down, to get creative, to be unplugged, to become engaged, and to forget what's going on outside. I think it's very beneficial for our family, and I'm sure it'll be beneficial for other families as well."
Tia shared some advice for families that are looking to foster creativity in their kids regardless of what the school year holds.
"Be present with them," Tia said. "Put your phone down. Put your to-do list down and just really spend that quality time with them."
"During this time that we're in, you really, really realize how short life is. Anything can happen at any moment that you cannot control," she reflected.
"So what you can control is sitting down, spending quality time with your family, with your kids, and getting creative so that you can build memories and have memories together."
"Your kids and your family are going to remember these days, 10, 15, 20 years from now. Why not create them? You can't get yesterday back. You really can't, so really be present and in the moment with your kids. They grow up so fast, just enjoy them."
We also asked Tia to share one of her own favorite back-to-school memories. "I do this with my son. Hopefully, he'll answer the question the same way," she prefaced her story.
"My favorite memory is going shopping with my mom at the store and picking out new supplies and new clothes. This was the time of year where everything was new."
"I truly believe that going to school is a blessing, and when you present yourself in a way where you're ready to learn and excited to be there, it gives you a great perspective on things," Tia explained.
"It gives you confidence. That's what kids need when they go to school."
"My mom, she would get us new clothes. We didn't have a lot of money, but you would go to the swap meet, which was still new clothes. She would take us to the store to get new backpacks, notebooks, new pens, all the stuff I was talking about earlier."
"I loved having those memories. She made it fun. That's what the BIC Kids coloring line is all about as well, is just making the experience a great and fun experience. That's what I like. Everything I do, it has to be fun and I have to make it a great experience. At the end of the day, that's what matters, your memories."
You can pick up the BIC Kids coloring line at Walmart and Walmart.com. The line features break-resistant, unwrapped crayons designed to keep children happy and focused on their art. A 24-pack of crayons runs just $1.67.
The markers have vibrant colors and strong tips and can go up to a week uncapped without drying out. A two-pack of 10 assorted color markers is just $6.97.
Last but not least are the break-resistant colored pencils. These vibrant pencils feature resistant barrels that won’t splinter if broken, offering long-lasting performance while remaining easy to sharpen. A 12-pack retails at $1.92, and a 24-pack runs $2.96.
