We are so super excited to begin stocking some absolutely incredible animal themed books and games here at MiniZoo and we can’t wait to show them to you!

Reading is such an important part of childhood development, language and learning, whether your little ones have reached reading age or not quite yet - everyone benefits - even adults! Looking through these books myself, I’ve learned so much already about some very interesting creatures.

Reading is also the perfect way to have some quiet, calm time, whether they’re old enough to do so independently or not. Kids are busy little beings and stimulating their thoughts with factual and engaging prompts, like a good book, can provoke their curiosity towards some natural discovery and discussion.

Knowledge is power and as we learn more about all kinds of creatures with whom we share our planet, we can become equipped with the information we need to protect and coexist with them peacefully and with respect. Children naturally have a thirst for understanding the processes of our world and are amazed by animals, so reading resources which foster this might hugely benefit the future of our Earth.

If you’re a regular reader of the MiniZoo blogs then you’ll know I’m also a big advocate for engaging and incorporating visual literacy into playtime. Reading alongside MiniZoo model animals is the perfect way to help bridge the learning gap for little ones who can recognise images (or animals) but not yet words. Assisting them to link these processes can be readily possible through reading and game play with animal figurines, books and activities. So shop around on the MiniZoo website and let us help you to provide an interactive reading experience for you and your little ones - they won’t even know they’re learning!

We have a few different types of books, providing a little something for everyone.

Reading Books

We now have books specifically to learn about all things ‘animal’ including collective nouns for animal groups, A-Z animal lists, counting animals, informative encyclopaedia’s for children, baby animals, animals who hold world records, as well as endangered and extinct animals. We are also stocking books on more specific animal groups such as cats, dogs, horses, birds, sharks, bugs, butterflies, whales, marsupials and more.

Board Books

Young children can still be learning reading ettiequte and how to treat books with respect (i.e. not being too rough and ripping precious pages), so board books are an excellent option. We’re now stocking There are 101 Animals In This Book, as well as the Dinosaur and Ocean adaptations as well for young readers so that they can still enjoy and experience the excitement of finding the animals listed, and learn about their habitats through lift-the-flap pages. These books also feature activities like search-and-find hiding animals, and matching creatures with their environments. With activities emphasising colours, creatures and counting, these interactive board books are perfect for early learning.

Sticker books

If your kids are anything like mine, stickers are a major win. So these animal themed sticker books will really get them excited - especially when its time for some quiet, independent (or semi-independent) reading and learning. Based on the Big Book range by Yuval Zommer these sticker books offer a range of activities for little ones to complete and play alongside your model animal figurines in order to enhance their imaginary play and improve animal recognition, fine motor skills, creativity, matching and visual literacy.

Bingo and Memory Games

As well as this growing range of books, you really ought to check out these impressively illustrated games. We do already stock some seriously beautiful games and puzzles from Modern Monty featuring exquisite watercolour animal artworks, but we now also carry the expansive range of animal Bingo from Laurence King which includes endangered animals, deadly animals, birds, bugs, cats. dinosaurs, dogs, monkeys and ocean creatures. The same publishers also offer some matching and memory games featuring Australian animals, butterflies, animal tracks and fossil bones (the last two in particular are great if you have older children who love a challenge). Each game box also includes an educational booklet detailing each species’ characteristics and how they live. Whatever your preference or play focus is, you’re sure to find something perfect.

Board Games

This category is really just beginning, starting with the I Saw It First: Jungle game. This beautifully made finding game offers you and your most competitive friends and family the opportunity to attempt to search for 300 jungle animals. Be the first to locate your jungle favourites including the leopard or hippo, but then try finding the eyelash viper or the giraffe weevil in this fast-paced game, ensuring it’s perfect for both children and adults.

I hope you are as excited as we are to watch this space as it grows. Let us know which books or games are your favourites and share how you incorporate reading into your model animal play through our social media outlets including Facebook, MiniZoo VIP, Instagram, or through emailing jenna@minizoo.com.au. Do yourself a favour and go and check them out!

Jenna @ MiniZoo