1. Overview & Disciplines The HOMER Early Learning Kits is a 6-month subscription line dedicated to hands-on early learning from HOMER by BEGiN for ages 3+. Each kit focuses on specific, developmentally appropriate skills and topics across: reading, math, social & emotional learning, creativity, thinking skills, and more.

I was responsible for the graphic design, additional illustrations, production coordination, as well as the management of the in-house character illustrators.
2. Research to ConceptI was brought onto the team in the middle of the design process of boxes 1 and 2. However, I was directly a part of the ideation and prototyping phases for boxes 3-6. The team and I began the process with gathering market research, insights, and data; setting the product timelines; and identifying the learning goals. We then set up a team creative retreat and spent extensive amounts of time developing multiple concept kits for each box and presented every one to stakeholders, who were then prompted to pick one box concept for each month. Each kit comprised of activities, different play patterns, and learning tools for different learning goals at the target age range.
3. Prototypes to ExecutionWe created concept art, prototypes, and graphic design drafts of each child component and parent material while refining tech packs and pricing. From the kit concepts, we dove straight into building out the products and production assessments. I worked with the in-house illustrators while designing the printed material to execute production-ready artwork adhering to the schedule. Pre-production sampling and safety testing also played a big role in finalizing artwork and figuring out what was and what wasn’t working with the manufacturing constraints at hand.
4. Final ComponentsEach kit includes unique packaging and packaging inserts, instructions for the parent, one pen-to-paper activity-filled workbook, one pretend play item, one embroidered sticker patch, and one bigger or two smaller hands-on activities.
5. Challenges and Takeaways This project was incredibly fun and I learned a lot not only about child development and early learning, but also the more technical aspects of QA, safety guidelines, and materials in the young children’s product industry. Something that is more challenging about designing for a younger age group is carefully figuring out how to simplify activities and products but keep them as engaging as possible in a multitude of ways. This could range from simply how something looks and functions to what value the play pattern gives for the child’s entertainment and development while also considering the parent impact. 
CreditsGraphic Design: Eura Bang
Creative Direction: Jacque Lamkin
Product Design: Jacque Lamkin, Eura Bang, Kaleena Newman
Illustration: Dan Hood, Cassandra Berger
Illustration Support: Eura Bang
Learning and Curriculum: Shana Mojica
Sourcing: Anna Kim, Jen Chang
Product Photography: Joy Coakley
. . . and many others!