Interactive books help engage creativity and logical thinking, and babies adore them.
There is no denying children love interactive things. Like in this video of a baby enjoying a musical greeting card, which became quite famous on YouTube.
Interactive books are very popular among children too, and they require participation and interaction by touching and feeling different textures, sounds, pop-ups, pull-tabs and more. As a growing child, I was obsessed with Where’s Waldo? (also known as Where’s Wally? in Europe) and searched for the little striped man in a sea of other objects on the page.
We all know books are great for children, but are these interactive books just as beneficial as a storybook?
The truth is, interactive books are beneficial in a different way. While books with words help increase vocabulary and understanding, interactive books help engage creativity and logical thinking.
Here’s how:
- Interactive books can give children the opportunity to take part in the storyline, helping them hone decision making skills.
- These books can contain animated sounds, actions and special effects, making the reading experience even more captivating and exciting.
- Books with sounds help children learn new words while perfecting pronunciation.
- Good interactive books can improve story comprehension.
- Interactive features can help children connect on a deeper level with the story.
When I was growing up, interactive books were tangible, but now with the help of technology and tablets, a whole new realm of interactive stories are available for children. Popular books have been created in e-book form with music, animation, and required interaction from children, bringing books to life even more. Although there is this great option now, the old-fashioned interactive books are just as good.
Here are some of my favorites for young children that my nieces and nephews love:
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book, by Eric Carle – A fun spin on a classic book includes pop-ups throughout the pages to make the story come to life.Bright Baby Touch and Feel: On the Farm, Baby Animals, At The Zoo and Perfect Pets, by Roger Priddy – Perfect for babies, the rhyming text goes along with hands-on storytelling to help associate animals with the sense of touch.
- Press Here, by Herve Tullet – This fun book requires children to press, shake and tilt the book as they embark on a magical journey.
- Open the Barn Door, by Christopher Santoro – Another classic book urges children to open flaps throughout the story to see what animals are making the noises as they read.
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What are your favourite interactive books? Give us your top three favourites.
