Let’s go Shopping Peppa

Master C can be a bit funny when it comes to books. Certainly reading with him is so very different from what it was like with his sister at a similar age. He doesn’t have quite the same concentration span and rather than want a huge range of books he often gets stuck in a rut of just wanting the same book over and over again (a bit dull when all it is is pictures of vehicles!) and then also sits and insists on turning the pages at speed meaning you’re not really able to do much reading unless you’ve had opportunity to memorise the book first!

All this seemed to change though when a review copy of Peppa Pig: Let’s Go Shopping Peppa arrived. Now Master C likes Peppa and her brother George, but at the same time he doesn’t actually watch it that often on TV – he just likes it when it is actually on. I wasn’t sure how he would engage with a Peppa book but he surprised me by instantly taking hold of it, flicking through the pages and asking me to read it to him. He thoroughly enjoyed that first reading and now goes and finds it regularly throughout the day and brings it to me to read in addition to asking for it at bedtime. And Let’s Go Shopping Peppa is actually a pleasure to read to him.

I’ve seen plenty of arguments online before where people are saying that Peppa Pig doesn’t teach children anything and even going as far as saying that the TV programmes should be banned, but I actually disagree, especially where this book is concerned. The premise of the story is relatively simple in that Peppa asks Daddy Pig over breakfast as to what they are going to do that day. The answer is go shopping for the food they need for their lunch. Hence the whole family takes a trip to the supermarket and the concept of a shopping list is introduced. There’s lots of opportunities for children to count up to four (ideal for most toddlers and pre-schoolers) as they find the tomatoes and onions they need for their lunch. The process of paying for things at the checkout is in there, along with Daddy Pig also going “off list” to buy a large chocolate cake too.

OK, it may not be the works of Shakespeare or anything, but it does describe well an everyday event that thousands of children do with their parents – and that they often enjoy doing too. It’s a great example of getting the children involved in the shopping and meal planning rather than just dragging them round the supermarket passively. In that way the book actually reminded me a bit of the Topsy and Tim style stories in educating children about day to day things.

We’re now big fans of Peppa books here and Master C is already asking if he can have more of them – something I’ve not really heard him do before and very welcome in this book-mad house! I just hope the rest are of the same high standard.

Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of Peppa Pig: Let’s go Shopping Peppa for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.