I'm a big fan of Kickstarter and I like to keep myself updated with new campaigns as many of them are really really great, like Walk-in-Books! I have a toddler who loves to read, she loves to read so much she sleeps with her books, literally. I love this about her. She will ask me to read her a book, but then she takes the book from me and tells me she's going to read it to me instead. It's so important to encourage reading from a young age. It sparks imagination and allows children to create their own world of fun. When I came across Walk-in-Books, I was a big fan right off the bat! I want to introduce you to Story and give you an opportunity to help get their vision off the ground!
Read below to find out more about Walk-in-Boots!
STORY presents a new way for children to explore and learn about storytelling through imaginative play with walk-in-books.
A ‘walk-in-book’ is a book that has been pulled apart so you're left with just the important bits—the character, a map, a mask (to become a character!) and STORY cards to get you started. The first walk-in-book Adventure to the Woods, is available exclusively via their Kickstarter campaign at bit.ly/wearestory running until March 20.
A simple spark can fire up imaginations; with a series of simple beginnings, and the map of an imaginary world, children – especially those who are less confident with the written word – can become authors of their own stories.
STORY cards give children the beginnings of different stories, acting as the launchpad for them to create their own adventures. For children who might find the open-ended nature of STORY more challenging, there are five ‘quest’ cards, which provide additional prompts to help the child on their way to amazing adventures.
Mother of two and creator of STORY, Melanie Smith, says, “Spaces and places that foster young children’s creativity and imagination go against the grain of modern life – they no longer occur naturally; they need to be designed.”
Walk-in-books aim to encourage children to read and write more by teaching them the thrill and joy of creating their very own stories. Despite the literacy drive in primary schools, literacy continues to be a problem in the UK and around the world.
STORY’s walk-in-books address the decline in creative thinking and free play amongst children by combining storytelling with play – making literacy and self discovery fun for children, especially those who struggle with traditional learning techniques.
Though the age range for walk-in-books is 5-9 years old, parents of younger children (from 2) can use it as a prompt to make up stories for their children - so even if the child isn't old enough to read or understand the concept, they can enjoy the character, map, and box whilst their parent makes a story for them.
For further information and images please contact the STORY team via email hello@wearestory.co.uk or on (0)20 7514-2344