10 Beautiful Books that will Spark Your Child's Imagination and Creativity (preschool - early elementary school)
Children who are imaginative and creative engage in rich play themes, solve problems, and more easily handle life’s little bumps. If your child struggles in this area though, s/he may benefit from occupational therapy (OT). During OT your child will be challenged to be a flexible thinker, For ex. s/he may be asked to come up with multiple ways to move across a glider swing or to pretend to be various animals who need to move across the bridge. At home, books can help to continue to expose your child to the idea of being a creative and flexible thinker. Here are my top 10 recommended books for sparking your child’s imagination, creativity, and ability to be a flexible thinker.
Amelia Bedelia, by Peggy Parish and Fritz Siebel. Chaos ensues when words have a double meaning. Ex. what should Amelia do when her list says, “draw the curtains.”?
Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson. This picture book is a classic for a reason. With just a purple crayon, Harold manages to draw himself an entire adventure. Where will your child’s drawings take him/her?
How to Catch a _______, by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton. This series of books takes making traps to a whole new level! In this series children try to catch everyone from mermaids to dinosaurs. There’s sure to be a version that your child will enjoy.
If the Dinosaurs Came Back, by Bernard Most. A little boy who loves dinosaurs imagines the great good dinosaurs would do if they came back.
It Looked Like Spilt Milk, by Charles Shaw. After reading this book you will see clouds - and spilt milk - in a whole new way.
Not a Box and Not a Stick, by Antoinette Portis. Because a box isn’t always a box. And a stick isn’t always a stick.
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. I guess there really are two sides to every story!
They All Saw a Cat, by Brendan Wenzel. They all saw a cat, but did they see a friendly pet or a sleek predator?
Who Took the Farmer’s Hat?, by Joan L. Nodset and Fritz Siebel. No one on the farm saw the farmer’s hat. They did see a strange bird and a flower pot, but no hat. It is the ending though that makes this book really special.
Windblown, by Edouard Manceau. This creative book comes complete with a mystery and a challenge!
