At the Book Arsenal event, UNICEF Ukraine launched 'Sparks of Superpowers,' a collection of educational stories aimed at children aged two to six. This initiative aims to help children understand emotions, interact with others, and explore their surroundings while developing essential skills through relatable fairy tales.

Empowering Young Minds

The book features 16 stories with characters called the Sparks - Mio, Pum, Bryn, and Zhuzh. These characters use their 'superpowers' - a metaphor for knowledge and skills - to navigate everyday situations. As children engage with these stories, they acquire similar skills and expertise.

Each story in the book addresses crucial developmental aspects such as sensory perception, emotions, creativity, safety, independence, and responsibility. Activities and exercises are added to these stories to enhance the learning process further.

Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF's Representative to Ukraine, underlined the value of sustaining early childhood development despite the disruptions brought about by conflict, emphasizing UNICEF's dedication to offering substitute educational resources to educators, parents, and caregivers.

The book is available in print, computer, and audio formats to suit various preferences. Free printed copies will be distributed to parents and teachers in frontline areas during the summer reading period, while the electronic and audio versions can be accessed on platforms like the NUMO platform, UNICEF Ukraine YouTube channel, Yakaboo, MEGOGO, Listen, and Abuk.

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UNICEF supports inclusive education and works with the Ukrainian Government to ensure accessible educational environments. The electronic version of the book adheres to accessibility standards, using the Barrier-Free font and the Cyrillic Inclusion UKR font for children with dyslexia. The audio version features narrations by well-known Ukrainian parents. The stories were written by Maria Artemenko, Nastia Muzychenko, and Halyna Tkachuk, with psychological and pedagogical guidance from experts Svitlana Royz and Solomiya Boykovych.

Supporting Preschool Development During Crisis

'Sparks of Superpowers' is part of the NUMO preschool development initiative, implemented by UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. This initiative provides various free educational tools, including puppet theater, coloring books, cartoons, and fairy tales, to support the development of preschool children, particularly during times of war. The goal is for continuous development and education for children despite the crisis.

According to an all-country survey done in January 2023 by UNICEF and the Sociological Rating organization, two out of every three children between the ages of three and six are not enrolled in kindergarten. Most responders (76%) cannot send their children to kindergarten, which is most noticeable in frontline regions. Furthermore, almost 75% of families who have been evacuated do not send their kids to kindergarten. The shortage of shelters, shuttered preschool facilities, and fear of insecurity are among the causes.

The NUMO platform offers practical tips and exercises for preschool skills, an offline application with interactive games, an online kindergarten with educational videos, and a chatbot planner available on Viber and Telegram. In 2022, over 5 million people utilized NUMO services, demonstrating the program's significant impact on preschool education in Ukraine.

Serhiy Shkarlet, the Minister of Education and Science, emphasized the importance of maintaining accessible, practical, and engaging education through remote technologies, including the NUMO kindergarten, a public platform with necessary educational materials for parents and teachers.

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