I love listening to my children when they engage in imaginative play. Over the years, these games have changed depending on what they’re interested in. Sometimes they have Pokémon battles, sometimes they play house and sometimes they go on adventures in the wilderness to save wild animals.
No matter what they are playing, they are completely engrossed in a world that only they can see. It’s amazing to witness; not only because I get to see a glimpse of what inspires and excites them, but also because I know that creative play and participation in the arts helps inspire creative thinking, problem-solving and emotional well-being. With that in mind, here are five stories to foster your kids’ imagination and love of the arts.
The first book is Lizzy Longlegs by Kai Lüftner and illustrated by Weibke Rauers. This story, which focuses on music and dance, is about a spider named Lizzy. She comes from a family of very serious musicians who play very serious music. Lizzy finds their restrictions stifling. While she loves to play the keyboard and dance, she doesn’t enjoy playing with her parents. So, she decides to show them just how fun music can be by hosting a dance party and inviting all different kinds of musicians to join her. This book is a great reminder that, no matter what style of music you enjoy, music should be fun. For ages 4 to 8.
The next book is A Tulip in Winter: A Story About Folk Artist Maud Lewis by Kathy Stinson and illustrated by Lauren Soloy. This story, which encourages children to see beauty all around them, is about a beloved East Coast artist named Maud Lewis. She was not like most people. In fact, because of her medical conditions, she was always about the size of a child and in perpetual pain. But in spite of her challenges, she saw beauty in everything and she loved to paint whimsical scenes—including putting spring blossoms into winter landscapes. For ages 4 to 8.
I don’t know about you, but I love learning random facts. I enjoyed learning all about the colour blue in Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond and illustrated by Daniel Minter. Brew-Hammond teaches you about the history of the colour: who was allowed to wear it, how it was made, why it was so rare and when it became common. Brew-Hammond doesn’t just focus on one culture; this book travels the world to teach you about the colour of the sky and much more. For ages 6 to 12.
If your children aren’t all that excited about playing musical instruments or painting pictures, but they like playing imaginary games, they might enjoy reading Pierre and Paul: Dragon by Caroline Adderson and Alice Carter. This book, which is told in both French and English, is about two young friends, Paul and Pierre, who have to take out the trash. However, they are not disappointed by the smelly chore before them, instead they use their imaginations to go on an epic quest and end up fighting a dragon, traversing a swamp and crossing a river. Pierre and Paul: Dragon is a great story to remind your children that they can find excitement in any task—they just have to look for it. For ages 4 to 8.
While it’s easy to say “you can find adventure anywhere,” maybe your children don’t want to slay dragons. Perhaps they would rather find fantastic creatures to befriend. If so, they may enjoy reading Fabulous Creatures by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Ruby Warnecke, and translated to English by Anna Schmitt Funke. This book is filled with mythical and magical creatures from around the world, like the Tumu-Rai’i Fenua, unicorn and shangyang. Each page teaches your child where these creatures are found, and what myths are associated with them. For ages 4 to 8.
I hope these books inspire your children to participate in some type of imaginative or creative play. It could be playing music that gets them to dance, wiggle and giggle. Or maybe you’ll get to watch as they turn an ordinary task into an extraordinary adventure where they meet, defeat or befriend mythical creatures.
