This post is brought to you by Nuffnang and Lonely Planet Kids (with all opinions my own!)
When I think back to what sparked my wanderlust and what spurred my deep need to explore and discover, I am certain it was the numerous books that have found their way into my hands. It started off with the Famous Five series before moving into non-fiction and travel books. Lots of travel books. It wasn’t long before my mum purchased a crate, and then another and another to hold them all.
The Lonely Planet travel guidebooks have always been a favourite. After deciding on a country I want to explore and purchasing that title, I find that I can immerse myself within the pages and devour almost every fact I need to know about that location when I’m travelling. Thanks to the Lonely Planet Italian Phrasebook, T became a favourite at a number of restaurants (every time he tried to say something the waitresses would giggle, grab his cheeks, and giggle more).
Both my kids are prolific readers who enjoy learning about the world through the books we choose together. Master R already knows most flags of the world from his reading and, through a fold out map I’ve stuck on the wall, they both can locate almost all countries when asked. I’m always looking for opportunities to expand on this so was super excited to hear that Lonely Planet has launched Lonely Planet Kids and they were sending me a package of titles in the mail to explore with my family.
We received three titles: Lonely Planet’s Amazing World Atlas (RRP $29.99), Adventures in Famous Places (Sticker and Activity Book) ($12.99), and Travel With Children (RRP $29.99) – which isn’t a part of the Lonely Planet Kids range, but a special gift for me!
Miss N jumped on Adventures in Famous Places straight away. There was no stopping her as she poured over the contents before starting the activities. Kids + Stickers = fun times! This activity book is actually recommended for children aged 3 – 5. At 7, Miss N was able to complete the tasks independently. I would suggest younger children would require an adult to read the instructions and provide some prompting.
There are 250 stickers (the reusable type so you can do the activity again!) included in the book, each designated to specific pages within the book. This is perfect for filling time and especially great for travelling (I think a whole Sydney to Melbourne plane trip could be spent doing a few of these pages!). Through the book you are transported to the United Kingdom, Iceland, Mexico, India, USA, Japan, South Africa, Australia and Dubai where you learn interesting facts through some fun puzzles and activities. Miss N keeps going back to it for more.
Master R preferred the Lonely Planet Kids Amazing World Atlas, which includes more than just maps. It is a mix of history, culture and fascinating facts. Every morning over breakfast he now tells us a random fact that he has learned from his reading the night before.
Some interesting facts we learned:
- Number plates for cars, motorbikes and snowmobiles in the Northwest Territories of Canada ar ethe shape of polar bears.
- In 2012 a 39,000 year old wooly mammoth was found deep frozen in the soil of Siberia
- There are three killer lakes in Central Africa. which may explode or leak deadly gas into the air.
Master R’s only complaint was that the Lonely Planet Kids Amazing World Atlas only features one double page spread of Australia. He LOVED that he could download the supporting app on his iPad.
Books provide the perfect vehicle to kick-start our children’s love for travel. Their natural curiosity can be used to teach them all about our world and prepare them for your family adventures. Of course, when we started reading the atlas I saw it as the perfect opportunity to start increasing Miss N’s map skills. With a few counters, we played “spot that country” (simply call out a random country and the child places the counter on its map location).
Love the sound of the books? Please check out the Lonely Planet Kids website www.lonelyplanetkids.com and new social media pages https://www.facebook.com/lpkidstravel and https://twitter.com/lpkids for information about the entire range of Lonely Planet Kids books including books and an app. We’ve ordered Adventures in Smelly Places just so we can see what’s inside!