This article was written by Dr Ly Chu, principal researcher at BookTrust
There are so many ways children can explore books, bring stories to life and make them their own through play. Young children move easily between the everyday and the extraordinary. Stories give their imaginations somewhere new to go.
We know that the benefits of reading are transformational. Reading with children from birth changes lives. It supports cognitive development, bonding, attachment, emotional wellbeing, creativity, school readiness and community connection. Building children’s enjoyment of reading from the earliest moments in childhood is a vital part of giving them the best start in life.
That is why the theme of this year’s Play Week, “Books and beyond – bringing stories to life through imaginative play”, feels so important. Books and play are sometimes treated as separate activities: books for learning and toys for fun. But for babies and young children, books can be part of play too.
Many families already share books and stories together in playful ways. BookTrust’s recent National Family Survey found that 69% of families with children aged 0 – 5 use different voices, tones, expressions, or actions to tell the story when sharing books, while 20% use puppets, toys, or objects to act out the story[i].
Books can be part of play
The physical features of a book can invite children to do much more than listen. Flaps create games of hiding and finding, mirrors turn expressions and recognition into a shared game, and tactile or moving elements encourage children to explore and take part.
As one parent told BookTrust: “Instead of just sitting there reading the book, you can actually do something with the book.”
At BookTrust, we choose books and resources that make playful sharing easy, inclusive and rewarding for both children and adults. These range from tactile, rhythmic and visually engaging books to puppets, character cards and simple prompts that build confidence, invite children to lead and give families enjoyable reasons to return to the story.
Play can open the door to books
Young children do not need to sit still and listen quietly for book-sharing to “count”. Babies may pat, grab, chew or turn the pages backwards. Toddlers may wander away and return, focus on one picture or insist on making the same noise every time. These are not distractions from reading; they are ways of exploring and participating.
What matters is the shared exchange around the book. A child points to the same tiny detail again, lifts a flap before the adult reaches it, or supplies the roar that always comes on a favourite page. When the adult follows that lead, pauses and responds, the child sees that their attention and ideas can shape what happens next.
That sense of participation can make books feel more familiar and inviting. The book is not simply something being read to the child, but something they help create. Over time, books can become associated with enjoyment, closeness and the feeling that “this is for me”.
Stories can spark new adventures
The story does not have to end when the book closes. Picture books can become starting points for creativity and self-expression as children act out characters, change what happens or invent new adventures of their own. A story about a journey might gradually grow into a shared play-world of cushions, maps and imaginary destinations.
And we do not need elaborate resources or special storytelling skills to make this happen. By joining in, following the child’s ideas and letting the story change, we can create space for imagination, confidence and connection to grow. This Play Week, let’s celebrate books not only as stories to be read, but as invitations to play, explore and make meaning together.