Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family
Hi Shelley! My name’s Nicky and I am a mum of two toddlers, Milo (3) & Summer (1). I run a children’s martial arts company with my husband, Lee in the North West of England. Lee has studied martial arts since he was young and I have followed with his passion since we got together 22 years ago! We originally met at university in Preston where we both studied graphic design, which is our other passion.
What are your children’s favourite books?
Summer has just started to enjoy books, but at the moment she only understands the pictures and shouts out the words. She loves ‘Ten Wriggly Wiggly Caterpillars’ by Debbie Tarbett. It has raised caterpillars throughout that she likes to count and a fantastic pop-up butterfly page at the end. Milo understands a bit more now and we are starting to help him recognise the letters and words in books. His current favourite is ‘Dave’s Breakfast Blast Off!’ by Sue Hendra. The toilet humour makes him laugh every time!
Which book do you most like reading to them?
I enjoy reading them ‘Friendly Day’ by Mij Kelly. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is about being kind to everyone. I also love ‘The Koala Who Could’ and ‘The Lion Inside’ both by Rachel Bright. Again the illustrations are lovely and they have both got a great moral to the story.
What do you look for when shopping for a new book for your children?
I like to buy books that the children can get involved with, either pop-up or touch books for Summer and something like ‘There’s a Dragon in Your Book’ by Tom Fletcher for Milo, he loves doing all the actions when we read the book.
Do you have a favourite children’s bookshop?
I really enjoy spending time in a bookshop, they are so calm and engaging. Unfortunately the two bookshops that we used to have in Preston have both closed. We are now forced to buy books from the supermarket or online. I think this is a great shame as there really is nothing quite like spending a quiet hour browsing in a bookshop.
About Enso Martial Arts
Enso Martial Arts are passionate about passing on the knowledge, disciplines and benefits of studying the traditional martial art of Japanese Ju Jitsu. We achieve this through our classes in schools and the community, as well as through our online resource – The Digital Dojo
Our mission is to encourage our students, whatever their age or ability, to gain confidence, empowering them to push themselves further than they ever imagined. Using fun, discipline and teamwork to engage students, giving them the physical skills and mental toughness to take on any challenge they set themselves.
We are incredibly proud of all the work our team is doing to support children and their families, which we hope is making a real difference to local communities. We want to change people’s lives, so they can champion that change in other people.
Website: https://www.ensomartialarts.co.uk/
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