Theme of the Month: Where The Wild Things Are…

by Suzanne Milne on 09/10/2013

From the savannahs of Africa and the jungles of South America to the beaches of Australia or the forests of Canada, the world is full of wild things that inspire our children’s imaginations – many times before they have seen these beasts at a zoo or even in photographs or pictures.

A child’s imagination transforms the animals of our world into exuberant personalities, well worthy of the thousands of books featuring them

TRAVEL Of course, in person these animals are awe-inspiring; we truly are part of the animal kingdom, and to see a lion, elephant or even a hedgehog in its natural habitat is a life-enriching experience irrespective of age. Which is why we meet the entire alphabet of wild things in their natural habitat in our Travel feature: An A-Z of Where The Wild Things Are. Whether it is an Alpaca in Peru, a Bear in Canada or a Cheetah in Africa, this feature is designed to inspire a lifetime of wildlife spotting – and perhaps a budding National Geographic photographer to boot.

INTERIORS After a wildlife safari, you obviously want a trophy to remind you of your adventures, so we proffer one of the persisting interior trends for children’s rooms in 2013 – The Loveable Trophy Head. Fortunately these are adorable, not deplorable, trophy heads made from paper, wool, even fabric offcuts, depicting everything from deers and tigers to zebras and elephants.

BOOKS In our Books channel, we review the wonderfully informative, evocative and beautifully illustrated Can We Save The Tiger? written by conservationist Martin Jenkins and illustrated by Vicky White. It’s the perfect book to spark some big discussions with your child about the animals on our planet and what we can do to ensure they are still around when they get to be Mummys and Daddys too.

PRODUCTS But when it comes to actually being ‘where the wild things are’, you can’t really do better than camp out overnight. Whether it’s a ‘wild’ festival you are attending with a toddler or a serious Duke of Edinburgh-style adventure with your teen, there’s a lot of gear to consider. So we take a look at 12 Essentials for Family Camping (albeit with a glamping edge), from tents and torches to campfire recipes and games.

TOYS And we take a look at 10 Adorable Animal Toys that your child will love to ‘go wild’ with, from giraffes in their cradle, to bears needing their artistic flourish.

Enjoy, and register to have our monthly Theme delivered direct to your mailbox…