BOOK NOOK

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African stories and traditional tales

To mark UNESCO’s African World Heritage Day on 5 May, which celebrates the continent’s unique cultural and natural heritage, we look at some books you can share with your little ones!

This year marks the 38th annual African World Heritage Day on Sunday 5 May – an opportunity to shine a light on and celebrate the vibrant cultural heritage that exists in the countries across the African continent, as well as highlight how these have evolved as they’ve merged with other cultures from around the world.

So, we’ve scoured for a range of picture and story books that children will be enticed to explore to generate activities and interests throughout the month of May and beyond!

Baby Goes to Market Atinuke (0-5 years)

Activity suggestions:

  • Provide mark making resources for children that reflect the colours of the fruit and veg in the story. – get real examples from supermarkets, for healthy snacks if possible!

  • Provide playdough for children to explore and create fruit and talk about the different features.

  • Set up a market in the roleplay area.

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We’re Going on a Lion Hunt David Axtell (1-4 years)

Activity suggestions:

  • Encourage children to join in with the repeated phrases: “We’re going on a lion hunt; we’re going to catch a big one...”.

  • Use playdough to add a different experience as you tell the story. Use your fingers and hands to make marks in playdough, for example, “swish, swash” (thumb pressed side to side), “splish, splash” (pinching), “squish, squelch” (squeezing) and “tip toe” (walking fingers along the dough). 

  • Go on a lion hunt! Ask children to think about what they might need to pack, set up an area for them to ‘hunt’ though swathes of fabric and large boxes as caves.

Handa’s Surprise Eileen Browne (2-4 years)

Activity suggestions:

  • Draw a map showing Handa’s route to see Akeyo and place on the floor. Then draw pictures that show the events taking place along the way. The children could even have a go at acting those moments out!

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  • The story is based in south-west Kenya. If you have families of Kenyan heritage, invite them in to talk about their culture, share stories or even prepare food together.

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Chicken in the Kitchen Nnedi Okorafor (3-5 years)

Activity suggestions:

  • Provide materials for children to make chicken masquerade puppets as they use their imaginations to create their own unique version.

  • Have fun with sounds and discover new words as you increase children’s vocabulary. Make chicken sounds, rhyme words and explore the idea of different languages.

Some books to enjoy with older children (4-5)

A Feast for Joseph – OD Bonny, Terry Farish

Anansi and the Golden Pot –Taiye Selasi and Tinuke Fagborun

The Water Princess – Susan Verde

The Princess and the Pea – Rachel Isadora

The Ghanaian Goldilocks – Dr Tamara Pizzoli

So why not pick up one of these books today and find some fun, inspirational learning about countries across Africa?