Why is Convertible Fire Engine an award winner?
In case you haven't heard, Convertible Fire Engine won GOLD in the Made for Mums Awards 2022 for best Baby & Toddler book!
Now, if you've never seen one of our Convertibles, you may be intrigued to find out what is so great about them – so let us enlighten you...
It's a Playmat
Once you have opened your copy of Convertible Fire Engine, you will be truly amazed to watch it unravel into a super long playmat, made up of seven panels. The playmat is covered in a continual illustrated scene by talented children's artist Simon Abbott.
You will notice that it is road route through different settings and scenarios that require the help of a fire engine. There are so many details to spot and talk about as children follow the story with their own toys and interact with the illustrations.
It's a sit-in vehicle
Flip the playmat over and you will notice more illustration. 'What is it?' you ask, well, this is the main event. Once your child has finished having fun using the playmat, the book can be folded up and transformed into an actual fire engine to sit in.
Simply stick the velcro tabs together to connect the panels and watch a fire engine appear before your eyes. I'm sure you can understand why this is the most popular aspect of our Convertibles. Children love to make houses, castles and dens from cardboard boxes and get inside, and with this book, they have their very own fire engine to climb inside and role play.
It has a steering wheel!
Our latest Convertible Fire Engine has been upgraded from the previous model and now has a steering wheel! Now children can really take on the role of a firefighter and pretend to drive by turning the steering wheel a full 360 degrees!
Despite being a book, when the book is folded up into a fire engine you will notice that there is a door in one of the panels. Children can easily access their fire engine by opening and closing the door behind, which also adds to the feel of a real vehicle.
It's compact
Although the book is so much fun you may be thinking about the size of the book and where you will put it away at the end of the day, especially if like most parents, space is limited in your home. Don't panic! When you are finished, undo the velcro connections and fold the concertina book back to its original square book form. It can stored away pretty much anywhere – it fits perfectly under the sofa in my house!
Children learn through play
Many child psychologists and professionals believe in the Montessori principle of learning which in more modern terms is described as 'Learning through play'. This is where a child is allowed to explore their environment independently and be allowed the freedom for imaginative play rather than being rigidly taught.
Hear what one parent thinks about our Convertibles on this Instagram post...
Our Convertibles are the ultimate learning through play book. Offering a playmat and the opportunity to role play, children can learn key concepts through playing and exploring – making their learning experience more valuable and helping them to associate learning new things with fun.
We hope you enjoyed learning about our Convertible Fire Engine. Check out the entire series here.
