I have a confession to make. I still play with dollhouses. Well, I build them and love decorating them. I recently got into book nooks thanks to a friend. We actually ran a mini course for our students in February where the kids (and we) created our own book nooks. We had a kit for the box of the book nook but then we mostly made everything that went into it. We did take the kids to Michael's for supplies so some bought furniture or decor. However, many made them completely out of things like clay, cardboard, popsicle sticks, and fabric. Some of them were amazing!! I actually made two. I did a backyard one with bird feeders and a tea shop one. They were so fun! In fact, I think I like creating my own things better than the kit ones. Today I get to share an activity book for kids who love to create and build. Instead of a dollhouse they get to build an entire town with this book! It is My First Town: A Building Block Book created by Merrill Rainey. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
From the Publisher:
Pop out a world of wonder! Watch as young minds come alive as they pop out pieces, then fold and glue together buildings, vehicles, and friendly faces. Making a bustling town encourages hours of imaginative play--perfect for little architects and builders who love the tactile joy of building blocks and Lego-like toys.Crafted by beloved children's book illustrator and author, Merrill Rainey, My First Town: A Building Block Book is where fine motor skills flourish and creativity awaits. Spark your child's imagination as they construct their very own settings and characters, fostering endless fun.
From Me:
This is a book I would have loved as a young kid. Hazel would have too. You can pop out the various buildings, vehicles and more and then fold and glue them together. After all the building there are also people to put together as well as signs and decor to set up your own town and play! So, this book entertains kids while building the various parts and then they have it to play with for however long they want, and they can keep rearranging it and making up new stories! This is a dream come true for many kids.
I love the concept of the book and love the ease of the book. I also love that it gives kids a place to use their imaginations in how they set up their town and how they use it. When Hazel was young, she loved making up stories with her various action dolls and dollhouses. I can see her having loved this book and all the amazing stories she would make up. She used to spend hours on the phone with my father telling him stories about her dolls as she played with them.
I love how diverse the people are and there is a range of building fronts as well as vehicles. There is an ambulance, a police department, an ice cream truck and an ice cream store. There is an apartment building and a school as well as a coffee shop and a garage. I also love that there is recycling bins and even a little free library to add to the town. There are so many ways to go and then there are pages to actually set up your town with streets and grass on them!
This book is such a fun one. Kids are going to love it! It would make an amazing birthday gift or get well soon book. If you are invited to a birthday party for someone in the range of 4 to 8, this book is sure to be a hit. Or if you have a child in your life in that range, be sure to check it out. The younger aged kids will probably need some help with the actual building of the pieces. I can see loads of imagination and creative play without screens! I know I am going to gift the copy sent to me to a child who is heading to the hospital for treatments. Happy building!!
