Young children learn by doing things, and not just by watching or listening. This is why we are thrilled to share a few examples of how some of our Book Dash books inspire real-world application at ECD centres. The stories stimulate imitation, and act like launch pads for interactive, physical activities and extension work.
We would love to hear more stories about how our books are used, so please reach out to us at team@bookdash.org if you have a good example you can share.

Le Furile, a Gauteng-based organisation, hosted a tea party for their ECD children, inspired by the Book Dash title Tlotlego's Tea Party. This short video on Instagram shows how they did it: yum yum and fun!

Read the book here: https://bookdash.org/books/tlotlegos-tea-party/

Siyakwazi hosted a family picnic for the ECD-aged children with disabilities in their programme after reading Toast. At the picnic there were discussions about foods and healthy eating, and caregivers and kids alike really enjoyed the event.

Read the book here: https://bookdash.org/books/toast-by-jennifer-jacobs-helen-moffett-and-alex-latimer/

Masikhule ECD drew inspiration from The best thing ever: “We have used this book to inspire many creative art projects from recyclable things.”

Read the book here: https://bookdash.org/books/the-best-thing-ever/

Before lockdown, the Book Dash team visited a few ECDs in KZN supported by Singawkenza. We were amazed at how interactive storytime could be! At this ECD, the teacher read SHHHHH!! and the children imitated all the sounds (good for phonological awareness), and gestures (which helps to develop motor skills). Here they are pretending to bang pots together, like the brother in the book. So noisy, but so fun!

Read the book here: https://bookdash.org/books/shhhhh-by-alex-latimer-anita-van-der-merwe-sam-wilson/

Child Welfare SA Grahamstown read My Little Garden (a wordless title) with children aged 18-24 months, and used it as a hook for some outdoors activities: “They have a theme in the year where they learn about veggies and fruit and this is combined with going outside and learning the basics of gardening. This book fitted in so well with that theme!”

Read the book here: https://bookdash.org/books/my-little-garden/