Zigglebee Innovation
What problem does the product solve?
Zigglebee allows children to reconnect with the arts. Traditional art is often an afterthought in a world full of technology and digital advancements. However, most of us know the importance of expression through art and how it can build mental stimulation and promote creativity. Zigglebee is bringing back the arts to children everywhere.
How can this transform the world or our day-to-day lives?
The amazing thing about Zigglebee is that it allows children to draw pictures of how they see life. Not only does the book promote creativity and the arts, but it also promotes inclusion and diversity by allowing children to create representations of themselves and things around them. Laila’s Gift and Zigglebee are on a mission to promote inclusion, emphasize the need for kids to tap into their creative side, and establish a brand that encourages diversity.
Lana Entrepreneur
Tell us about the founder. What is their background?
Lana is the now 8-year-old author of the Zigglebee book; she is filled with a passion for the arts. If it’s related to art, you name it, she’s into it. Lana’s twin sister, Laila, was born with a condition called Jacobsen Syndrome. Since birth, she has had difficulty eating, walking, talking, and engaging with other children. As you can imagine, this made it difficult for Lana to engage with Laila, especially since Lana is extremely energetic and playful. Zigglebee is a creative book written by Lana, inspired by Laila’s Gift, yet imagined by the beholder. It is a unique, creative book that is the reverse of a coloring book. Zigglebee already includes the storyline along with a blank canvas for the child to illustrate the images of each storyline.
What is truly special about this book is it allows children to picture each story based on their perception of life! This powerful tool not only erases all bias and stereotypes but also promotes diversity and inclusion on every page. A percentage of proceeds from book sales is donated to Laila’s Gift, a nonprofit established by Lana and Laila’s mom in honor of children with special needs and disabilities. The mission for Laila’s Gift is to celebrate the birthday of children with special needs and disabilities, recognizing their perseverance and determination in overcoming all obstacles they have faced and rejoicing in the courage, tenacity, and unique gifts they bring into their new year.
Shari Bailey (often referred to as Shari Bee for her association with Zigglebee ) is the woman behind both Zigglebee and Laila’s Gift Inc. Through her journey of raising a child with special needs, Ms. Bailey established the nonprofit Laila’s Gift to give back to the community by celebrating the birthdays of children with special needs and disabilities. This is especially important for the Bailey family as Laila had a very small chance of surviving past the age of two based on her medical condition. She describes Zigglebee as being the power behind bringing back traditional arts into the lives of children, while Laila’s Gift is a tool to help promote inclusion for children with special needs and disabilities. In fact, on the cover of the Zigglebee book, it notes that the book is inspired by Laila’s Gift. This is because Zigglebee was the bridge between Lana communicating with her special-needs twin sister, Laila.
How did they come up with the idea?
During the COVID-19 quarantine, Ms. Bailey encouraged Lana to keep herself busy by doing other things instead of watching TV, playing video games, and being on her device. With that, Lana started to draw and write stories. After she wrote a story and walked away for a few minutes, when she came back, she noticed Laila had picked up some of the crayons that she had placed on the floor and started scribbling on the story that Lana had written. Lana was ecstatic as that was the first moment she had seen Laila draw. Lana was so happy to finally connect with her twin sister in a way like never before. The next day Lana approached her mom and asked, “What if I create a book that’s only filled with stories, and children draw the pictures to my stories?” needless to say, that’s how the Zigglebee brand was born.
Zigglebee Reviews
What do customers love most about the product?
Customers love that the book is fun and unique and a great learning tool. Some reviews have mentioned that the book was a great tutoring tool as it helped some kids associate words with images and vice versa. In addition, the book allows children to reduce their screen time and enjoy an activity that allows them to exercise their imagination and broaden their creativity.
Where can people get this product?
The book can be purchased onzigglebee.com – Bookstore, Special Needs, Children Art Book or on Zigglebee’s Amazon storefront.
