“I’m borrrrrred!” screams your little princess. Quick! Grab these kids books!!!
Not only will you and your child gain the benefits of reading together, but she will be inspired to delve into imaginative play that will nourish her mind, and give you a moment to fish the Legos from the toilet that just “mysteriously appeared.”
Even Mr. Rogers, the king of children’s television believed in the power of reading. Listen to this quick, heartwarming clip of Mr. Rogers explaining the beauty of reading to children.
The benefits of reading to children include:
- Expanded vocabulary
- Improved comprehension
- Bonding with caregiver
- Stronger language skills
- Stimulated brain activity and critical thinking
- Increased imagination and creativity
- Social and emotional development
- Reduced stress
- Greater love of learning
- Increased attention span
The landmark Becoming a Nation of Readers report from 1985 concluded that “the single most important activity for building knowledge for their eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.”
Benefits of imaginative play
Reading from the below list of kids books can spur your child’s creativity and inspire them to try some imaginative play. These kids books can be great especially if your child is feeling “bored,” or you are trying to transition them off screens, or find an activity for Screen Free Sunday.
The many benefits of imaginative play include:
- Problem solving
- Language development
- Social skills such as taking turns, negotiating, and sharing.
- Practice at conflict resolution
- Self-regulation
- Independence
- Abstract thinking
- Emotional understanding
- Resilience
So, without further ado….
Kids books that promote imagination and play!
IMAGINE by Raul Colon
Imagine by Raúl Colón is a wordless kids book that celebrates the power of art to inspire creativity, imagination, and how a single museum visit can open endless possibilities.
The story follows a young boy from Brooklyn who skateboards to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. As he explores the museum, figures from paintings by artists like Picasso, Rousseau, and Matisse step out of their frames and follow him through the city. Together, they skateboard, perform in Central Park, and enjoy the sights of New York. After their adventure, the boy returns the figures to their paintings and heads home, inspired and full of imagination.
NOT A BOX by Antoinette Portis (one of my FAV kids books!)
“Not a Box” by Antoinette Portis celebrates imaginative play at its best! It features a small rabbit who transforms a simple cardboard box into various imaginative scenarios—a race car, a mountain, a rocket ship, and more. Each time an unseen narrator questions the rabbit about playing with a box, the rabbit insists, “It’s not a box!” This repetition underscores the theme that ordinary objects can become extraordinary through creative thinking.
NOT A STICK by Antoinette Portis
Another amazing kids book by Antoinette Portis! “Not A Stick” follows a young pig who transforms a simple stick into various imaginative scenarios, such as conducting an orchestra, painting a masterpiece, or slaying a dragon. Each time an unseen narrator cautions the pig about handling the stick, the pig firmly responds that it’s “not a stick,” emphasizing its imaginative potential.
I’M BORED by Michael Ian Black
“I’m Bored” by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi is one kids book you need on-hand for every time you hear those dreaded words! The story centers on a young girl who, feeling extremely bored, encounters a talking potato. To her surprise, the potato claims that it is bored because children are boring. Determined to prove the potato wrong, the girl demonstrates various activities—such as cartwheels, swinging, taming a lion, doing ninja kicks etc. Her attempt to convince the potato that kids aren’t boring will hopefully convince your child too, and help her to tune-in her imagination and get busy!
IMAGINE THAT by Jonathan D. Voss
”Imagine That: A Hoot & Olive Story” by Jonathan D. Voss explores the themes of imagination and friendship. The story follows Olive, a young girl with a vivid imagination, and her best friend, Hoot, a stuffed-animal owl. On a rainy day, they decide to embark on an indoor play adventure, but Hoot realizes that his imagination isn’t working. Olive tries various methods to help him, including a “head unscrambler,” earmuffs, and hypnosis, but none succeed. Eventually, Olive remembers the essential ingredient to imagination, leading them to give it another try.
A LIBRARY by Nikki Giovanni
”A Library” by Nikki Giovanni celebrates the transformative power of libraries. The story follows a young girl who, after assisting her grandmother with household chores, eagerly visits her local library. There she can immerse herself in various roles and adventures that reading offers.
KATY AND THE IMPRESSIONISTS by James Mayhew
Katie and the Impressionists by James Mayhew is absolutely my favorite kids book about art and imagination. While visiting an art museum with her grandmother on her birthday, Katie wishes to gather flowers as a gift. As she admires the paintings, Katie discovers she can step into them! This leads to magical adventures within several Impressionist masterpieces. She explores pieces by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas. This imaginative story serves as an engaging introduction to Impressionist art for young readers.
More amazing kids books!
My list of 10 Best books for kids
Great Halloween books for spooky season
Here’s one for the grown-ups: The only parenting book you’ll ever need!
Learn about Jonathan Haidt’s upcoming book for kids, tweens, and teens called “The Amazing Generation: How to Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World.” It’s the kid-friendly sequel to his book “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.”
Thanks for joining us at ScreenLessPlayMore.com !!!!
