The Laundry Literacy Coalition – comprised of the LaundryCares Foundation and Too Small to Fail – has partnered with Lakeshore Learning and Scholastic to offer new Family Read, Play & Learn kits, developed specifically for vended laundries.

The kits are uniquely designed to create safe, fun and engaging spaces for children and families to read and learn together within a laundromat setting. Each kit is equipped with literacy-rich materials to support children’s early brain and language development, and are a meaningful way to serve your community and customers.

Research has shown that these literacy kits significantly enhance children’s access to print and time spent on activities that support school readiness, such as talking, reading, singing, writing and playing. In addition, customers have had high praise for the new spaces and said they felt greater loyalty to the laundry businesses that featured the kits.

“The kids are so excited when they walk through the door and see a space just for them,” explained Lisa Johnson of Giant Wash, based in St. Ansgar, Iowa. “I don’t know why an owner wouldn’t put one of these spaces into his or her store. As laundry operators, we’re a vital part of our communities, and these kits help facilitate that connection we have with both the children and the parents in the neighborhoods we serve.

“In fact, at one of our locations, we actually removed some washing machines to make room for a literacy space – and we’ve since seen an increase in revenue at that store. Having these spaces shows you care about the families in your community, and it certainly sets you apart from other laundromats that don’t have them.”

Johnson noted that they have installed the literacy kits in four of their nine laundries, with plans to add them to the rest of their locations as soon as possible.

The Family Read, Play, Learn kits come in four sizes and can be easily customized to fit any vended laundry space and budget. Each kit includes:

• A 50-book inventory
• A 20-book-per-month subscription
• “Wash Time is Talk Time” posters
• Exterior window signage
• Interior signage
• Free shipping
• Connections to local literacy organizations
• Inclusion on a Laundry Literacy Coalition locator map
• Social media exposure
• Marketing and press opportunities

The kits will ship within seven to 10 business days.

For details, visit: https://laundrycares.org/family-read-play-learn-space-kits/.