Encouraging a love for reading in young children is one of the best gifts you can give them. But did you know that having a reading buddy—especially one that’s interactive—can make reading even more engaging and help build essential literacy skills? Whether it’s our BendyMates slinky fidget toy or animal costumes collection, these fun companions can transform storytelling into a hands-on, immersive experience that sparks creativity and builds confidence in young readers.
Fun Ways to Use a Reading Buddy for Storytelling
1. Bring Stories to Life with BendyMates
Our BendyMates slinky fidget toys aren’t just fun to play with—they can also become characters in a story! Here’s how:
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Pick a book where the main character matches one of our BendyMates animal designs (Ludo the Lion, Bruno the Bear, Roxy the Rabbit, or Felix the Fox).
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Have your child use the fidget toy for storytelling by ‘acting out’ parts of the story as they read.
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Encourage them to give their BendyMate a special voice or personality.
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Create their own short story featuring their BendyMate fidget toy as the hero!
This activity not only builds creativity but also improves comprehension as children engage more deeply with the plot.
2. Dress Up and Dive into Stories with Animal Costumes
Our cardboard animal costumes turn kids into their favourite storybook characters! Here’s how you can use them for interactive reading:
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Choose a story with animals and let your child wear a matching animal costume including a T-rex Dinosaur, a kangaroo and a crocodile / aligator.
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Encourage them to ‘perform’ the story, making sounds or movements to match their character.
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Ask questions like, “How does Mr. T-rex feel in this part of the story?” or “What would the Kangaroo do next?” to encourage deeper thinking and comprehension.
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Have them create their own adventure using their eco-friendly cardboard costume!
This method strengthens storytelling skills for kids, encourages empathy, and makes reading time a lively, interactive experience.
Encouraging Independent Storytelling
Beyond reading books, kids can use their reading buddy to create their own stories! Try these fun prompts:
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“What adventure did your BendyMate go on today?”
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“If your lion could talk, what would it say?”
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“Make up a bedtime story about your costume character.”
Storytelling activities for kids are a key part of early literacy development, and giving kids the freedom to invent their own tales strengthens vocabulary, sentence structure, and creativity.
Final Thoughts: Learning Through Play
Reading should always feel like an adventure, and a reading buddy—whether it’s a fidget toy for reading or a fun cardboard animal costume—adds an extra layer of excitement! By making reading interactive, expressive, and hands-on, you can nurture a lifelong love for storytelling and literacy in your child.
So, grab a book, pick out a reading buddy for kids, and let the storytelling fun begin!
For more fun, educational toys and activities, visit www.paperpops.com.au.