Swirl by Swirl, Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman (£11.99, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)A simple and elegant book, linking together many different facets of the natural world through a common pattern of swirls. From snail's shells to entire galaxies

Nature Adventures by Mick Manning and Brita Granström (£7.99, Frances Lincoln)A finely detailed guide to the natural life that can be found in various habitats from town to country. The evocative illustrations and comprehensive listings of various

11. Peepo! by Janet and Allan Ahlberg (Puffin, £5.99)First published in 1981, this wonderful boardbook appeals rather like The Very Hungry Caterpillar – you simply can’t beat a hole in the page for toddler enjoyment. In Peepo!, a baby glimpses his small domestic world through a l...

DIGITAL NATIVES: That’s the term coined for children when it comes to computers and technology, because living in a digital age comes so naturally to them.That is also why there is now a raft of funky multi-media learning handheld devices

with one small chocolate bar to eat all by himself." Why we love Charlie* He's a sweet-natured, unpretentious lad from a poor working class family - the sort of folk that Dickens would consider the "deserving poor."* In Dahl's world of brilliantly eccentric

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Puffin, £5.99)Not many children’s books achieve worldwide sales that would humble a U2 album, but Eric Carle’s classic picture book about a caterpillar munching his way to becoming a beautiful butterfly

illustrated (he is adverse to calling it a children’s book, as he believes its appeal is ageless), it was a nerve-wracking process. "I dealt with the text and the publisher, and we went backwards and forwards for six months. It was a real collaboration," he

-looking elephant, the pretty-in-pink Rose. Children familiar with the original books’ affable characters and vivid illustrations will find even more to love – and explore – here, in the interactive app’s customisable narration, enlargeable images and handy

access, activities and equipment, excursions and children’s clubs. Be sure to ask about these details when booking an all-inclusive holiday. Another option is to travel off-season. Our summer is South Africa’s winter, but it’s also the best time for game

.Of course, the very best way for children to learn is to visit the country itself and hear the language being spoken naturally – especially by children their own age. And encouraging your child to ask for something when you’re in a shop or café is all