Hayley’s story
I have always loved books with beautifully developed characters and stories that unfold slowly, drawing you into another world. The best books don’t end when you close them, they stay with you, shaping your thoughts and imagination long afterwards. At Timberplay we design spaces to foster children’s imaginations. Children instinctively turn places into stories.
A rope bridge isn’t just a rope bridge, it’s a crossing over crocodile-infested water. A tower isn’t only something to climb up. It’s a lookout post, a castle or the top of a pirate ship. A wooden playhouse becomes a shop or an ice-cream parlour. A pile of sand becomes a construction site or an entire miniature world.
The more I’ve thought about that, the more I’ve realised how closely play and reading are connected. A child absorbed in a book is doing something really similar to a child at play. They’re exploring new worlds, trying out ideas, meeting different characters and imagining possibilities beyond what they can see.
Sometimes those worlds spill out into gardens, parks and playgrounds, as stories become games and imagination becomes action.
I still remember the books that inspired my own adventures as a child. Those stories followed me into carefully constructed dens, along pathways through fields and into the games we played in parks and playgrounds.
Reading and play both help children discover – and test – who they are and how they relate to the world around them. They nurture curiosity, encourage creativity, and build confidence, resilience and empathy. Which is why at Timberplay, we are supporting the National Year of Reading: championing the power of reading alongside the power of play.
This year we will be celebrating the connection between books, imagination and the places where children play. We’ll invite landscape architects, designers and partners across the UK to share the books that shaped them, exploring how stories influence the people who create places to play.
We’ll also bring storytelling into playgrounds, encourage families to discover books through play, and launch a community book drive to donate children’s books to organisations across Sheffield, where we’re based.
“Looking back, I realise that the biggest influence on my reading journey was simply having access to books and adults who encouraged me to read for pleasure. No one told me what I should enjoy; they just gave me the freedom to discover stories that captured my imagination.”
Hayley, Timberplay, Sheffield
Every great place to play begins with imagination… and every book has the power to inspire.
Volunteers
Help someone discover the joy of reading
A little of your time can open up whole new worlds for someone else. Find out how you can support learners and be part of the National Year of Reading across 2026.
