Kids Collect
Amazing Collections for Fun, Crafts and Science Fair Projects
By Dan Hubley and Mary Hubley

The Joy of Collecting

Guidance for Packrat Kids and
Their Equally Addicted Parents

     Kids Collect is not a statement; it's a title. It's a title that states the obvious. Because I once owned collectible gift stores, I know-without the benefit of formal research-that most humans are genetically coded to be packrats. Our history shows that we were once hunters and gatherers with the emphasis on the gathering. Though we also saved the efforts of our hunt, at least the parts we didn't eat. We saved and used the bones, the quills, the fur, the teeth and tusks. It's in our bones, so we might as well know how to turn that fact to our advantage.

     It's much easier to train our children to be effective collectors instead of trying to break them of a habit that is only the outcome of their natural curiosity. Dan and Mary Hubley's book, Kids Collect, will do that.

     As a former teacher, I especially liked the chapters on using collections for science fair projects and the teacher's guide. There is another that serves as an aid to parents and an excellent index as well.

     As the author of two books based on my own genealogy, my very favorite chapter is on collecting family history. This one will not only encourage a child to organize all the photos and souvenirs her family has collected but may also be a source for journaling or creative writing projects in the future. I cannot help but wonder how different my Harkening would have been if I had preserved treasures from my childhood.