We are closing in on Memorial Day weekend, to be followed by a glorious two and a half months off from school for my boys. (Not that I'm counting or anything. Talk to me at the end of August. I'm sure I'll be just as eager for them to go back.) I don't know about you, but for us that means the season of car and/or plane trips is about to begin. We have a summer beach trip planned, a second possible Disneyland/Southern California trip (to celebrate a family member's birthday) and we always take a few trips down to visit family and friends a few hours away. All of these trips add up to a lot of time in the car (not to mention a lot of time away from our usual stable of toys and games). We of course bring lots of books along to keep the boys entertained. They always select a few picture books and our current read aloud to bring along, but I also make sure our bags our well stocked with "puzzle" books, search and finds and other books that offer interactive elements that keep kids engaged and entertained. In other words, books that are more than just a story.
(Some books from our personal collection.)
I have loosely grouped these interactive books into a few categories (some overlap): search and finds, maze books, puzzle books and counting books.
Search and Find Books
Oh, you know which books I'm talking about. Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick's "I Spy" series is a good, popular example of a search and find. If you are unfamiliar with these books, each double page spread contains a photo collage packed with tiny items. The accompanying poem, or riddle, lists objects in the picture that the reader must find. Even without the riddles, the pictures alone keep my kids occupied as they look at all of the tiny objects packed into the pictures.
The "Look and Find" series (populated by licensed characters such as Disney Princesses and Thomas and Friends) by Publications International is similar in concept but the visual clues make these a better choice for pre-readers if an adult isn't able to read clues aloud.
(Below is a comparison between an I Spy book and a Look and Find book. The I Spy book uses textual clues while the Look and Find series employs picture clues.)
3 Comments on When a book is more than just a story..., last added: 5/13/2010
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We had endless fun with the I Spy Book. I think we still have it!
Many thanks for your comment in my blog on neat Zen rooms. You know, combining 'I Spy' & 'de-cluttered rooms', maybe an 'I Spy' game will serve well as a playful way of getting kids tidy up their rooms. :-)
Love all the suggestions. I think I will order a few.
"Cars and Trucks and Things that Go" was a favorite around here years ago. When my son left for college, I made him sit with me so I could read it to him again. "Where's Goldbug?"