Keeping the Kids (and Yourselves) Sane and Safe Through Social Distancing and Self-Isolation with Bargain Books
With the situation as it is worldwide, the social distractions and activities in which we would usually partake are not the option that they were just a little while ago. People throughout the world are practising unprecedented levels of social distancing and self-isolation until we are all able to kick this thing and resume our typical lives.
Keeping the kids happy and busy will be one of the bigger challenges for a lot of us. Well, there’s never been a better time to get the kids reading reading reading! While we’re all doing our best to avoid contact with others and stay safe, a love of reading is by far the best way to keep those young minds engaged and learning, not to mention keeping that imagination active and the boredom at bay. At Bargain Books we have tons of affordable kids’ books to choose from, from hilarious series to important early life lessons. Check these out:
Priddy Wipe Clean Books
Let’s start with the basics. You’ll need to be keeping up with those essential early skills while the kids are out of school, so be sure to pick up these Priddy Wipe Clean titles that can be used over and over again for continued practice. These four books cover basic maths, telling the time, identifying colours and shapes, and handwriting, among other vital subjects. They’re especially robust and hygienic, making them ideal if you have multiple young children.
When I’m Feeling (Series) by Trace Moroney
This is another important one. This period in which we now find ourselves is likely going to give rise to more than the usual amount of emotional strain, so nurturing an early understanding of basic feelings and empathy is going to be very important for you and your kids. Happily, this firm-favourite series is on hand to make things simpler. With one lovely book per essential feeling, Trace Moroney’s beloved books are just the ticket for aiding an early education, and for teaching the youngest among us what to do with their strongest feelings. Plus, that bunny is really just the cutest.
Miles Kelly Computing (Wipe Clean)
Makes sense, doesn’t it? Not only is technology becoming a bigger and bigger part of young lives, it’s of even more importance at the moment. With these wipe clean work books you can help your kids to learn the basics of logic and data, algorithms and coding, basic digital skills and how best to use a tablet – all useful life and mathematical skills that will keep in handy (and keep them occupied) whether or not you reckon that a career in tech is on the cards. Like the Priddy books above, these are robust, reusable and hygienic. Aimed at kids of 5-7 years.
Enid Blyton
Yep. I’d say that having one of the world’s most beloved storytellers on your side is a no brainer while there’s a lot of staying at home to be done. And we all know why Blyton is so loved. The stories are magical and imaginative, inventive and adventurous, while remaining rooted in good values and wholesome messages. Here’s a selection of story collections that are ideal for the youngster who’s just starting to read on their own. They also make excellent read-alongs and bedtime stories, of course.
Captain Underpants and Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
Because, basically, there’s nothing that captures the imagination quite like a questionably clad superhero that accidentally becomes real and a graphic novel series that stars a half-dog, half-policeman canine crime-fighting legend… not to mention their increasingly outlandish and hilarious foes (who include just about everything from a mad scientist to a runaway toilet). They’re all hilarious and infinitely readable. Oh, and don’t worry if you can’t get every single one in the series… believe me they all make sense by themselves (which is to say, they’re not really trying to make that much sense in the first place!) Here are the ones of which we have the most stock.
Four Graphic Novels by Raina Telgemeier
These graphic novels, all by cartoonist Raina Telgemeier, are all great. Each of them tells part of the story of the author’s journey through middle and high school, including a smile compromised by the floor, the bickering and negotiation that forms part of any sisters relationships, illness, theatre, dance, love, coming out, confusion, boys and all the rest of it. They are admirably inclusive, delightfully frank, brilliantly drawn, entertaining and meaningful. You will want these for your early teens.
An Afrikaans Assortment:
We also have several of the Dagboek van ‘n Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney novels well in stock, plus a couple of David Walliams books and some Die Towenaars van Toeka by Cressida Cowell (of How To Train Your Dragon). These are authors who need no introduction. Literally everything they have written is endlessly funny, bright and lovely, imaginative and pure – in that sort of arty, nonsensical, brilliantly unhinged way. If Afrikaans in your household language, you can’t go wrong with these. Here are the ones you’ll want to get ASAP:
And Finally:
Goosebumps!
Because, obviously, nothing is quite so distracting and thoroughly riveting as a good spook-out creep-fest.