Top books for Thailand
When we travel to a new destination we find that reading different books about the destination helps engage the girls in local tourism and local culture before arriving. We have gone to Thailand a couple of times with the girls and they like to read through these books before arriving:
All About Thailand - Stories, Songs, Crafts and Games for Kids by Elaine Russel
Follow this book as Mali a 9-year-old girl from the countryside and Tawan is an 11-year old boy travel through Thailand visiting different villages and explore their land experienced its fascinating wildlife, beautiful handcrafts, sports, games, celebrations and, great Thai food. The girls really enjoyed this one as it is told by kids similar to their age.
The Hello Atlas by Ben Handicott
This book isn’t a Thai book or about Thai culture, but it covers different regions of the world and some interesting words to learn about each country. There is a section about Thai Language which the girls enjoyed practising.
A Day In Bangkok: City Explorer
This is a great quick read about the different landmarks in Bangkok, which gives an idea of the landmarks to be seen in case you are planning on taking them on a local tour
Sticker Picture Atlas of The World
If your kid is not a fan of reading factual books or guides, this sticker book has a whole section in South East Asia that helps the kids get a sense of location and surroundings. Ours were able to say they were going to a country near Malaysia and Singapore after doing this map, so I guess no losers here.
Peek! A Thai Hide and Seek by Minfong Ho
This is not a guide but a cute story about a Thai girl playing hide and seek with her father and encountering different Thai Wildlife in the way. It is a great option for younger toddlers who enjoy sounds and visuals.
Aya and Bobby Discover Thailand Land of Smiles by Christina Kristoffersson
Again this is a great option as a guide led by Aya and Bobby who are two kids who discover the bustling city of Bangkok travelling by Tuk Tuk and long-tail boat. They also spend time on one of the gorgeous beaches of Thailand and enjoy the activities and sites with ice cream, shark spotting and making new friends.
Thai Celebrations for Children by Elaine Russell
Also a great guide for older kids, has great visual representations of different festivals, holidays and traditions that help kids understand the Thai culture at a deeper level.
Really fun sound book teaching kids pronunciations in thai so they can arrive in Thailand feeling comfortable with some interactions.