I received these stories from people who have
contacted me....
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Hey ! .... Here's a little story about the power of creepy crawlers. This summer I taught corrective reading in summer school. These third graders had failed our standardized FCAT test and were going to have to repeat the third grade. They got one more chance with summer school. After 4 weeks of corrective reading they took another test and if they passed that one they would go to 4th grade at the beginning of the year. Normally I teach science and let me tell you this corrective reading is mind-numbingly boring. But it is essential practice for these struggling readers. My class of ten consisted of the lowest scoring readers. At the end of each day they all got to pick something from my Magic Bag if they kept on task and I could hear them when we worked together as a group. Of course the most popular things were the creepy crawlers. Anyway, I was so proud of them. They were the only class that stayed on schedule and on task throughout the summer. When they took the test 3 of them passed (the only ones in our summer school!) and 2 others were just points away from passing. Now I know they had the capabilities but I don't know if they would have lived up to them if it weren't for the reward of the creepy crawlers. I am enclosing a couple of pics of them. Now that school has started and I am back in my science lab (Thank God!) we will use the creepy crawlers to talk about energy and the properties of matter. They will enjoy making their own and they will learn these lessons much more than if they read about them in a book. ... John Giles
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I just found your website and saw the link about kids and learning. I had to share with you how your toy brought education to me. I had to do a science fair project and at the time I wasn't into big reports and exhibits. After a few pink mice and worms I got the idea to make realistic bugs and write facts about them. I learned alot about the different bugs and animals. It was fun using multiple colors and trying to make them as real as possible. I got a red ribbon and I think I still have it tucked away in my childhood keepsakes. Thank you.
Kathy Woods
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Hey ! .... Here's a little story about the power of creepy crawlers. This summer I taught corrective reading in summer school. These third graders had failed our standardized FCAT test and were going to have to repeat the third grade. They got one more chance with summer school. After 4 weeks of corrective reading they took another test and if they passed that one they would go to 4th grade at the beginning of the year. Normally I teach science and let me tell you this corrective reading is mind-numbingly boring. But it is essential practice for these struggling readers. My class of ten consisted of the lowest scoring readers. At the end of each day they all got to pick something from my Magic Bag if they kept on task and I could hear them when we worked together as a group. Of course the most popular things were the creepy crawlers. Anyway, I was so proud of them. They were the only class that stayed on schedule and on task throughout the summer. When they took the test 3 of them passed (the only ones in our summer school!) and 2 others were just points away from passing. Now I know they had the capabilities but I don't know if they would have lived up to them if it weren't for the reward of the creepy crawlers. I am enclosing a couple of pics of them. Now that school has started and I am back in my science lab (Thank God!) we will use the creepy crawlers to talk about energy and the properties of matter. They will enjoy making their own and they will learn these lessons much more than if they read about them in a book. ... John Giles
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I just found your website and saw the link about kids and learning. I had to share with you how your toy brought education to me. I had to do a science fair project and at the time I wasn't into big reports and exhibits. After a few pink mice and worms I got the idea to make realistic bugs and write facts about them. I learned alot about the different bugs and animals. It was fun using multiple colors and trying to make them as real as possible. I got a red ribbon and I think I still have it tucked away in my childhood keepsakes. Thank you.
Kathy Woods
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When my daughter was in Kindergarten back in the late 80's,
I volunteered to give a bug party in the classroom after a
unit study of insects was completed in her class. I had a
great idea! I had my original Creepy Crawler set from the
60's that I received as a Christmas present when I was 7. I
decided the class could make their own bugs at the end of
the party. Unfortunately, at that time, there was no goop
in the stores available to purchase to go with the set and
no Internet in order to find goop. I called Mattel and
talked to their history department about finding goop. They
no longer had the goop available anywhere.
Shortly after that time, I notice the new Creepy Crawler
sets in the toy stores. Unfortunately, they didn't have the
goop available for my daughter's school bug event, as it
would have been a great finale to the party. It would have
been a perfect ending to a bug party if we could have made
bugs with the Creepy Crawler set at the party! I can't tell
you how disappointed I was that the children didn't have the
thrill of making their own insects to bring home at that
time. I just wanted to pass that idea along for anyone who
wants to make a great memory at a bug party.
Paige Hill