EASTON, Pa. — Famous actors, authors, scientists, the U.S. poet Laureate and more will take part in Crayola's Crayola Creativity Week, the iconic crayon maker has announced.
Actors Matthew McConaughey, Henry Winkler, Jennifer Aniston, Quinta Brunson and Phillipa Soo, will paricipate, as will Poet Laureate Ada Limón, Crayola announced.
The program will featuring a virtual program that has notable guests from around the world illuminating learning around the world.
The big event, set to run from Jan. 27-Feb. 2, will focus on Imagination in Action and provide parents and educators with tools to nurture creativity in children across a spectrum of subject areas.
Parents and other interested parties are welcome to sign up on the event portal now, where they also can learn about the program.
The 2025 lineup for Crayola Creativity Week will have the celebrities and notables showcasing how a dash of imagination can benefit just about everyone.
Participating in programming for the week will be:
- Monday, Jan. 27: Life Lessons with author/actor Matthew McConaughey and illustrator Renée Kurilla
- Tuesday, Jan. 28: Change & Collaboration with author and actor Henry Winkler, author Lin Oliver and illustrator Dan Santat
- Wednesday, Jan. 29: Abstract Thinking with children’s author-illustrator and artist Mo Willems
- Thursday, Jan. 30: Confidence Soars with author and actor Phillipa Soo, author Maris Pasquale Doran and illustrator Qin Leng
- Friday, Jan. 31: Flows Like Water with NASA scientists, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón and illustrator Peter Sís, plus a global school assembly that includes actors Jennifer Aniston and Quinta Brunson, 14-year-old musician Nandi Bushell, surfer Maya Gabeira and more
- Saturday, Feb. 1: Bee-lieve in Your Future with author and 19-year-old entrepreneur Mikaila Ulmer
- Sunday, Feb. 2: Conquer Fears with author and actor Max Greenfield and illustrator James Serafino
'A really great lineup'
Crayola Senior Marketing Manager Kailee Baylor said, “We are very fortunate that every talent that participates is really passionate about supporting children's education and creative learning.
“So everyone that participates is donating their time for free to the program and is doing it because they're passionate about it.
"We're really excited to have incredible stars like Matthew McConaughey, as well as some really great voices like Ada Limón, the U.S. poet laureate, who's going to be paired with NASA.
"It’s a really great lineup this year that we're proud of.”
During the week, educators and parents will be able to access free content that Crayola states are engaging and inspiring.
“Crayola Creativity Week gives children the tools to bring their ideas to life, encouraging imaginative expression and innovative thinking,”Cheri Sterman
It will include hands-on educational activity videos, downloadable handouts to "follow and create along," daily prizes, and a livestream virtual school assembly that connects children around the world to celebrate creativity.
“Crayola Creativity Week gives children the tools to bring their ideas to life, encouraging imaginative expression and innovative thinking,” Crayola Senior Director of Education Cheri Sterman said.
“We’re proud to introduce this year’s event that continues to foster creativity in the classroom and at home and builds children’s confidence as they see the role creativity plays today and in their future.
"Partnering with educators and parents helps everyone nurture and celebrate these moments of discovery.”
Following Creativity Week, all hands-on daily activities and celebrity video events, including the live-streamed virtual assembly, will be available for viewing free, on demand.
A list of collaborators
Crayola Creativity Week launched in 2022, and now serves as part of the company’s Campaign for Creativity, which advocates for “igniting new dialogue about the importance of developing childhood creativity.”
More than 6 million children participate in the program across six continents and 100 countries, and those figures continue to grow, Crayloa said.
Collaborators for Crayola Creativity Week include official sponsors MFS Financial Management and Audible, along with support from NASA STEM and the U.S. Census’ Statistics in Schools.
Also, Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, Space4All, Random House Children’s Books, Penguin Young Readers, HarperCollins, Norton Young Readers and Abrams Kids.
Also, Hidden Pigeon Company, Khan Academy Kids, GoNoodle, Highlights Magazine, Martin Guitar, Walmart, School Specialty, Office Depot, Kroger and more.
Educators and parents who post student artwork on social media using the tag #CrayolaCreativityWeek will have a chance to win books, art supplies, technology, guitars, creative space and teacher lounge makeovers, an all-expenses-paid trip to Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex and more.
According to Crayola, the activities included in Creativity Week align with various educational standards, including the AASL National School Library Standards, and can be completed in a single class period with minimal preparations.
Impact is clear
Downloaded resources for the programs are available in multiple versions for different ages. They meet the standards for 15 countries and are translatable into eight languages.
“It's been incredible to see students around the globe doing these activities together and feeling like they can share their individuality, but also feel connected to one another as part of a global education community,” Baylor said.
“We find that teachers around the globe are collaborating with each other. They're sharing notes about what their favorite parts of creativity week are and sharing their students’ artwork.
"So it's really bringing people together in a really exciting way and transforming the way they think about how they can engage their children in everyday core subjects.”
“It’s really exciting to see that it's helping students build their self-confidence, but also feel confident in the ability to lean into that curiosity, lean into that creativity, and celebrate the ways that they individually are creative,”Kailee Baylor
Baylor said the impact is clear: 83% of educators who partook in Crayola’s January 2024 program said their students felt a sense of confidence they previous had not had, and felt more comfortable sharing and presenting in class.
“It’s really exciting to see that it's helping students build their self-confidence," Baylor said.
"But also feel confident in the ability to lean into that curiosity, lean into that creativity, and celebrate the ways that they individually are creative."
