Discover new worlds in the world of books!
Kids are lucky to be able to invent new worlds in their minds all the time. Their imagination is endless and full of colourful details. By now you know that we’re all about harnessing this imagination into the things we make as well. Our PortaPlay range is inspired by popular fairy tales like Alice in Wonderland and our VertiPlay range draws from nursery rhymes like Jack and Jill and Old Mac Donald. There is so much wonder to be discovered through books, stories and poems so for kids to fall in love with the written word while they’re young is an incredible thing. Whether as an infant or an older child, books help stimulate the mind, improve language skills and are an excellent form of entertainment and self play.
As a parent, where do you start with bringing books into your child’s life? We made a list of ten imaginative favourites to read out to your children, or give them to discover for themselves. It’s a mixture of the classics, newer books and books that have been written specially for today’s generation. Each opens up new possibilities, some with magical worlds, some with eccentric characters and some with both! Click on the title of the book to buy it!
An old favourite, this bedtime story about a little bunny saying “Goodnight” to everything around him has delighted parents and babies alike for years now. Its simple poetry and illustrations create a whole new universe right within your child’s bedroom. In a board book form, it’s perfect for little hands to grasp as well.
As a parent, the world that Dr Seuss created is probably not new to you. This surreal book is perfectly written to make your child think all sorts of “thinks”! Whimsical characters and colourful illustrations draw young minds into the most unbelievable worlds.
A cute little story about a little girl who gets a scrape on her knee and as she walks home, she tells each friends she meets a different story about how she hurt her knee. From a snake to a dragon, this is a whole variety of tall tales!
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
There’s food falling from the sky in the town of Chewandswallow! From baked beans to soda to meatballs. It sounds like fun but what happens if the food gets bigger or you don’t like what lands on you? There’s so much to discover and imagine in this story!
A witty story that’s all about giving your creativity a chance. In art class, a character named Vashti makes a dot on her blank paper and it escalates into something unexpected as she discovers more about herself and just what one dot can become, if only you can imagine it.
This is a collection of poems that pushes the limits of imagination. From a boy who turns into a TV, to a place where shoes fly, diamonds are planted in gardens and shadows are washed to a crocodile that goes to the dentist. For a whole book of unbelievable worlds, look no further!
The Monster At The End Of This Book
A furry blue monster narrates this story and ‘lives at the end of the book’. It directly involves kids and is written in a light, humorous way, constantly begging them not to turn the page because the monster is right around the corner. Adults love this book too!
A young boy uses a large, magic purple crayon to draw his own adventure, entirely from imagination. It all starts with wanting a moonlit walk, but there was no moon, so he drew it. From there, his mind runs wild and your child’s will too!
A modern day fairy tale to empower little girls! Prince Ronald is kidnapped by a dragon and burns Princess Elizabeth’s clothes. She wears a paper bag and takes off to defeat the dragon and rescue the Prince. Much like the stories of real-life superwomen in Rebel Girls, this is a great book for little girls to change the world!
Floyd gets his kite stuck in a tree and throws a variety of objects at it in the hope to bring it down. But everything he throws gets stuck too! A pot of paint, his shoe and even a whale. An entertaining story with great illustrations and a hilarious ending!
Also, don’t forget the classic fairy tales and nursery rhymes that generations have grown up with. As your kids get older, they will need less stimulation from the books themselves and be able to dive into new worlds of even real-life characters and stories on their own. From Enid Blyton’s timeless stories to the magic of Harry Potter, there’s something for everyone.
What are your kids’ favourite books? When did they start reading and do you have a bedtime story tradition? Leave a comment and let us know! Happy reading!