According to the survey of 2,000 parents and their children, two-thirds of children said reading an adventure book makes them want to be more adventurous.
The study also found that adventure books were the favourite genre for children, followed by fantasy and mystery. Consequently, nearly half of the parents polled encourage their youngsters to read books that will motivate them to explore the outdoors.
The research showed children love to read about beaches, islands and woods, and half of those polled have made visits to locations based on their reading. These have included Forest of Dean from Harry Potter as well as Ashdown Forest, which inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.
“Books open young minds to new experiences encouraging them to push boundaries” said Michelle Evans, a spokesperson for PGL. She added that books can create a desire in children to try things and as a result this can improve their confidence and self-assurance along the way.
Why not test your knowledge on children’s books with this fun quiz?
Helen Dodd, Professor of Child Psychology at Exeter Medical School, added: “Reading plays a crucial role in fostering curiosity and creativity. Books introduce children to new ideas and concepts, expanding their world beyond what they already know.
“This not only sparks their imagination, but also encourages them to approach the world with a sense of wonder and exploration.
“Providing children with opportunities for adventure, where they can step outside of their comfort zones, helps them learn to recognise and cope with feelings associated with anxiety, such as the sensation of “butterflies” in the stomach.”
Over two-thirds of children usually read or listen to someone reading to them at bedtime, while just under half enjoy opening a book at school. More than a third prefer to read to themselves this is 10 per cent higher than those who prefer when their parents read aloud to them.
The majority of parents have passed down their favourite books to their children, with Winnie-the-Pooh, Treasure Island and The Jungle Book, being the most popular.
Professor Helen added: “If children can experiment with different ways of coping with these feelings in a safe, fun environment, they can build resilience over time. It also strengthens relationships when done with others, fostering a sense of connection and shared experience.”
TOP 30 ADVENTURE BOOKS THAT INSPIRE CHILDREN TO GO OUTDOORS:
- Winnie-the-Pooh – A.A. Milne
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – Michael Rosen
- Treasure Island Robert – Louis Stevenson
- The Gruffalo – Julia Donaldson
- The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Famous Five – Enid Blyton
- Look What I Found in the Woods – Moira Butterfield and Jesus Verona
- The Adventures of Robin Hood – Roger Lancelyn Green
- The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis
- Frankie’s Magic Football Series – Frank Lampard
- Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak
- The Explorer – Katherine Rundell
- Running Wild – Michael Morpurgo
- The Last Bear – Hannah Gold
- Fantastic Mr Fox – Roald Dahl
- Peter Pan – J. M Barrie
- Harley Hitch and the Iron Forest – Vashti Hardy (Author) and George Ermos (Illustrator)
- Wild Child: A Journey Through Nature – Dara McAnulty
- The Ice Monster – David Walliams
- The Railway Children – Edith Nesbit
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – JK Rowling
- The Faraway Tree – Enid Blyton
- Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
- The Hobbit – J.R.R Tolkien
- Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
- The Sky Beneath the Stone – Alex Mullarky
- Gulliver’s Travels – Jonathan Swift
- The Boy Who Met a Whale – Nizrana Farook
- Sabotage on the Solar Express – M.G. Leonard (Author), Sam Sedgman (Author) and Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator)
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