Reading time: 2 min

Leap and Hop is a series of travel books for children written by Isabelle Demenge and illustrated by Emilie Sarnel. A wonderful way for kids to be conscious travellers, to absorb facts and history about the countries they visit, in an interactive,  playful way.  

Facing the difficulties of traveling with small children in Cambodia, Isabelle decided to write for her kids the book that she was looking for. With the idea of creating a book series that would turn a “grown-up” trip into a fun adventure for children, she created not just an interactive book but she gave children the curiosity to discover new places and learn about other cultures through interesting information as well as games and activities.

Her guides ask young readers to take selfies in front of famous landmarks, to draw the country’s currency and list their favourite and worst national dishes. Other sections supply historical information. Demenge spends months doing research before getting her children to test out the games and quizzes on holidays.

For the parents, the books provide an ideal way to stick to a grown-up itinerary with a focus on cultural sites, and create an unforgettable travel experience for their kids. As they play along by drawing, writing, and collecting items of interest throughout the journey, they’ll find themselves creating a very personal souvenir as the book is transformed into a travel scrapbook for them to keep.

All destinations currently included in the series are located in Asia :

Cambodia engages the kids in an “I-Spy” game in Angkor Wat, a treasure hunt in the Bayon, and teaches how to distinguish apsaras from devatas in the Khmer temples.

Sri Lanka focuses on the Cultural Triangle in the center of Sri Lanka where children can spot the differences between buddhas in Dambulla’s cave temples, learn about the tea production, and identify different dagobas in Anuradhapura.

India revolves around Agra and Rajasthan. Kids learn to distinguish between the history and the myths surrounding the Taj Mahal, and read about the intrigues at the Mughal court, among others.

Hong Kong takes the kids to various neighbourhoods scattered around Hong Kong. They will learn about the Hong Kong skyline, practice their observation skills by spotting the differences on a nine-dragon wall, draw the Big Buddha, and go on a scavenger hunt in one of Hong Kong’s many shopping malls.

I have been told that Bali and Paris are next on the list…stay tuned!

Follow Leap and hop on Facebook here.

Order books from Amazon here.

About the author :

Isabelle Demenge is a native of Paris who moved to New York City to start a family. She has lived many lives: corporate finance lawyer, mother of three boys, amateur photographer, world traveler and writer. Her books help families move from kid friendly destinations to places that are culturally richer in a way that all will enjoy with information hand-picked for children and interactive games.

 

Finally, check out the video, self explanatory!