I Can't Wait to Play! is an enriching Australian picture book that celebrates the world of play, and every child's right to it.
Commissioned by Play Matters Australia and written by children's author Dannika Patterson, this bright, joyful book was created for families with young children. From dressing up to pulling faces, from building cubbies to dancing down the grocery aisles, it showcases the kinds of play that cost nothing and can happen anywhere. The point is deliberately practical: to give parents and carers inspiration for finding incidental opportunities to fit more play into ordinary days.
The illustrations use bright, high-contrast design intentionally developed to appeal to children in the 0–5 age group, making this a book that works from babyhood through to the preschool years.
Play is the foundation of children's brain development. It's the gateway to learning and growth, and the state of mind in which children (and adults!) find joy and connection. With the first 1,000 days of a child's life recognised as a critical developmental window, and play scientifically demonstrated to support brain development, I Can't Wait to Play! puts an important message into the hands of the people who need it most, in an accessible and playful way. As the book says: "Play is the work kids need to do!"
An ideal read-aloud for children aged 2–5, and a natural fit for early childhood educators, playgroups, kindergartens, maternal and child health services, family day care, and new-parent gift baskets.
Themes include play-based learning, imagination, early literacy, child development, connection and everyday joy.
I Can't Wait to Play! is an enriching Australian picture book that celebrates the world of play, and every child's right to it.
Commissioned by Play Matters Australia and written by children's author Dannika Patterson, this bright, joyful book was created for families with young children. From dressing up to pulling faces, from building cubbies to dancing down the grocery aisles, it showcases the kinds of play that cost nothing and can happen anywhere. The point is deliberately practical: to give parents and carers inspiration for finding incidental opportunities to fit more play into ordinary days.
The illustrations use bright, high-contrast design intentionally developed to appeal to children in the 0–5 age group, making this a book that works from babyhood through to the preschool years.
Play is the foundation of children's brain development. It's the gateway to learning and growth, and the state of mind in which children (and adults!) find joy and connection. With the first 1,000 days of a child's life recognised as a critical developmental window, and play scientifically demonstrated to support brain development, I Can't Wait to Play! puts an important message into the hands of the people who need it most, in an accessible and playful way. As the book says: "Play is the work kids need to do!"
An ideal read-aloud for children aged 2–5, and a natural fit for early childhood educators, playgroups, kindergartens, maternal and child health services, family day care, and new-parent gift baskets.
Themes include play-based learning, imagination, early literacy, child development, connection and everyday joy.
