WonderHuddle Episode 6: The WonderHuddle of Books

Welcome to WonderHuddle. In this episode, we explore the importance of the WonderHuddle of Books — a space where stories spark imagination, words unlock new worlds, and every page invites curiosity and connection.... Remember!

From magical adventures and fascinating facts to beloved characters and meaningful conversations, books help us discover new ideas while better understanding ourselves and others. Through reading and storytelling, we build communication, empathy, creativity, confidence, and critical thinking skills that stay with us for a lifetime.

So let's think back, open our minds, and huddle back into that WonderHuddle of Books.

And remember…

You haven’t lost your curiosity —

you just need to huddle back into it.

Music Credits:

Did you know? (Curiouser and curiouser)
by Fabian Measures (Free Music Archive) (CC BY)

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Wonder Huddle is a podcast that dives into the childhood activities that sparked joy, creativity, innovation, and allowed us to escape when needed. Each episode explores how games, activities, and our imagination shaped our skills, knowledge, and passions. Through hands-on activities, educational research, and insight from educators, parents, and listeners, Wonder Huddle uncovers the hidden lessons in the things we loved as kids and how they continue to inspire and drive us today. Hello everybody, welcome back to Wonder Huddle. It's Kelly, and I'm so happy to be back this week, and we're just working on just listening to you, and we're getting lots of feedback from everyone, which is so fabulous. And one of the things I've loved most since launching this podcast is hearing from listeners about their own wonder huddles, the activities that capture their attention, sparked their imagination, and helped shape who they are today. So many of your stories have reminded us why this conversation matters. We know everyone has a wonder huddle. We believe childhood wonder isn't just something we simply grew out of. It's something we should remember, believe in, protect, and recognize for the important role it plays in shaping healthier, more creative, and more connected lives. Because play was never just about keeping children busy. It was helping them become who they are. Over the past few episodes, we've been exploring some of the simple activities that are often right in front of us. Blocks, sand, water, cut and paste, the dramatic play area or activities and imaginative experiences that many of us took for granted as children. Today we're turning the page to another powerful wonder huddle. The Wonder Huddle of Books. For some children, books are an adventure. For others, they're a safe place, a source of comfort, a doorway to new worlds, or a chance to understand themselves and others a little bit better. So why are children so drawn to books? What happens in the brain when they read or listen to a story? How can we support a love of reading? And what do many adults who spend hours lost in books as children find themselves doing today? Let's explore the wonder huddle of books today. Why is it that the Wonder Huddle of Books is a place where just so many children want to be? What is that magic? It's not just the reading, not just the stories, but that feeling we had as kids when we opened a book and suddenly the world around us disappeared. We could feel the pages, we could hear the spine of the book just crack a bit. Why was that so amazing? And for Sam, of course, still is. Why did a stack of paper and a few printed words feel more exciting than so many things that were real? As children, books felt like magic. Not the kind with wands and spells, the kind that transformed ordinary moments into extraordinary adventures that we just jumped into the book and was a part of every move or every mystery. A rainy afternoon became a treasure hunt. A bedroom became a pirate ship. A school bus became a journey through time. All because of a story. And the incredible thing is that we didn't question it. We opened a book and willingly stepped inside. We believed, we imagined, we wondered. Books gave us something children crave more than anything else. And I'm gonna repeat that. Books gave us something children crave more than almost anything else. Possibility. Every book was a doorway. Behind one cover was a hidden world. Behind another was a mystery waiting to be solved. Behind another was a friend we hadn't met yet and who we love so much, like Winnie the Pooh. And every time we turned a page, we discovered something new. As kids, the world still felt big. There were questions everywhere. How does life work? Who will I become? What else is out there? Books didn't always give us answers, but they gave us permission to explore, and that felt exciting. Books also made us feel powerful. A child might not be able to travel the world, but they could visit castles, jungles, distant planets, and ancient kingdoms before bedtime. Just before and after, or whenever they brushed their teeth. A child might not understand every emotion they felt, but they could find characters who felt the same thing fear, joy, loneliness, hope. Books quietly told us you're not the only one. And that mattered more than we realized at the time, because books weren't just entertaining us, they were helping us grow. They were building our imaginations, teaching us empathy, expanding our understanding of people and places we'd never seen. They were helping us become who we would one day be. And perhaps the greatest wonder of all was that books trusted us. They didn't show us everything. They invited us to imagine. We created the voices, the pictures, the faces, we built the worlds inside our minds, in ways every child becomes a co-author while reading. And that's the kind of magic that never really leaves us. The wonder huddle of books we know is important. And books do something extraordinary to the human brain, especially when we're young. Before we fully understand the world, books begin quietly building the architecture of how we think, feel, imagine, and connect. Every story strengthens pathways in the brain. Every page exercises attention. Every character teaches empathy. When children hear stories, their brains light up in remarkable ways. Not just the language center, but the emotional and sensory parts too. It's almost as if the brain is really experiencing it, experiencing the story rather than just simply hearing it. That's powerful because books teach children how to imagine beyond what's directly in front of them. A child listening to a story is learning how to visualize, predict, wonder, question, and emotionally connect all at once. Books grow vocabulary, yes, but they also grow inner worlds. And maybe most importantly, books teach focus. We need that. In a fast-moving world full of swipes and notification, reading trains the brain to slow down, stay present, and think deeply. I think we forgot that we need to do that. And books remind us every day that we just need to open up as many books as we can. And everything we need is on every page that we turn. I often get asked, how do I create that perfect nook? That great reading place. How do I encourage reading at home? Because we want to create a place where imagination can stretch its legs, curiosity can wander, and stories can come alive. So it's very simple, and here are the top five things to create that wonder huddle of books. Number five, a cozy corner. Every great reading adventure begins with a place to settle in. A canopy, a blanket fort, a sheet, draped over chairs, a small tent, anything that creates a warm little nook. Why? Because books aren't just read. They're experienced. And there is something magical about stepping into a space that feels separate from the rest of the world. A space that says, this is where my imagination has no limits. Number four, pillows and comfortable seating. Big pillows, small pillows, floor cushions, bean bags, anything soft and inviting. Comfort matters because the best books have a way of making us lose track of time. One chapter becomes two, two becomes five, and before we know it, we've traveled across oceans, explored distant planets, and solved many mysteries. Comfort helps us stay in the story just a little longer. Number three, lights. A flashlight, a reading lamp, a book light, fairy lights strung across a corner. Lights don't just help us see pages, they create an atmosphere. Think about reading under the covers with a flashlight. Think when the warm glow of a lamp on a rainy day lights turns reading into an experience. It adds a little bit of magic. And every Wonder Huddle deserves a little magic. Number two, paper, pencils, and crayons. Books inspire ideas, questions, dreams, drawings. Sometimes a story sparks a picture. Sometimes it inspires a new adventure. Sometimes it simply makes us want to doodle or draw. Having paper, pencil markers, or crayons nearby gives imagination somewhere to go after the book is closed. Or that great idea just pops into your head. Because reading isn't the end of creativity. It is the beginning. Number one. Books, lots and lots of books. Big books, small books, picture books, chapter books, funny books, adventure books, any kind of book. Books that make us laugh, books that make us think, books that make us wonder. Just lots of books. I hope today's episode is another gentle reminder of how important and simple books are. And when I say books, I mean real books, not anything on a tablet. And supporting books doesn't always require something grand. Sometimes it begins with very small things, reading to a child before bed, giving books as gifts, taking kids to a library, letting stories become part of everyday life. Our lives have gotten so fast. We live in a time designed for speed, fast scrolling, fast reactions, constant stimulation. Books offer us a way out of this. They teach us patience, attention, and depth. So remember, don't forget the wonder huddle of books. I know you remember it, and you're either thinking about jumping in that book today or remember how it really was. So so happy you listened today and find your wonder huddle of books today. In our next episode, we will continue to explore our childhood activities and how many of us annoyingly seek them out as adults through work, hobbies, and moments of escape. Until next time, pay attention to what still brings you a sense of wonder and joy, and give yourself permission to find your one to huddle. And remember, your curiosity didn't disappear. You just need to huddle back into it.