Sharjah24: Gone are the days when kindergartens and primary classrooms had educational material made of paper stuck on the walls for early childhood teaching. Since they required careful handling and occasional replacement, early learning systems have now come up with more durable and eco-friendly alternatives. One such product made of 100% cotton or felt material is on display and sale at the 15th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) that is taking place in Expo Centre Sharjah.

An impressive set of educational panels and books are available from Kids and Teachers Publishing and Distribution-UAE at SCRF 2024. Seasons, modes of transport, lifecycle of a hen and frog, and human organ system, are among the panels that will elevate the learning experience for children through tactile and visual modes. The fact that they are washable and durable makes them a sustainable choice for parents as well as teachers.

Commenting on the UAE-based family business, Ali Elborno said that it has enriched the educational landscape for the past 18 years. “These are our exclusive products; we deal directly with factories and make them. They are popular with primary, middle and even high schools; hospitals and special education centres also value our material. The reason we use cloth is that it gives teachers flexibility as they engage children in mixing and matching exercises.”

Hand-held cloth books and toys are more popular among parents as they are perfect for individual education, he notes. “For instance, some are in the form of cubes and books. They tell a child how to tie a shoe lace or what bath time is.”

The Palestinian marketing professional added that they also publish original books in Arabic while they have rights to publish many story books in English.
The 15th edition, which runs from May 1-12, has the theme “Once Upon a Hero”. The 12-day action-packed festival for young readers, artists and creatives as well as their families showcases millions of books including latest releases in children’s and Young Adult literature from across the globe.