By Melissa Grant
Kids love exploring the Great Ocean Road.
The iconic touring route offers so much for children to discover, from stunning attractions to wondrous wildlife.
And now there’s a children’s activity book dedicated to the destination.
The Great Ocean Road Activity Book is the brainchild of mother of three and teacher Samantha Kenna.
It features 28 pages of engaging, educational activities that feature a sight or attraction along the drive.
Samantha came up with the idea during one of her many adventures along the Great Ocean Road with husband Joe and children Louis, Harry and Lola.
Samantha and Joe had ventured into the Lorne Information Centre to search for something to keep their two eldest kids busy in the hope they could have a bit of a breather.
“I was looking for an activity book and I wanted it to be on the Great Ocean Road,” the Warrnambool resident said.
“They didn’t have anything. I started looking around and I couldn’t find anything.
“I couldn’t believe it. The Great Ocean Road is one of the most iconic destinations in Australia and there was no fun resource like that out there for children.”
In the weeks after that trip, Samantha started to think about how she could create a fun and educational activity book for kids to take along the tourist route.
“I sat there feeding my baby with one hand and jotting down the ideas with the other,” she said.
“I wanted it to be something kids could do independently and also have tasks they could do with the family.”
Samantha, a teacher at St Patrick’s Primary School in Port Fairy, said the aim of her book was to educate children about the Great Ocean Road, including its attractions, history and wildlife.
“I think the more children know and learn about something the more meaning it has, the more they will enjoy it,” she said.
The book features activities aimed at children of kindergarten and primary school age.
Activities include animal sudoku, design your own surfboard, join the dots and colouring in pages.
The book also includes information on how the Great Ocean Road was built and the historical significance of Loch Ard Gorge, the site of a famous shipwreck.
There’s even a scavenger hunt that kids can do from the back seat of the car.
Samantha’s two eldest children, Louis, 6, and Harry, 4, have enjoyed doing the activities.
Hundreds of other children have too.
Samantha has sold more than 600 copies of the book since its launch in November.
“It’s been wonderful,” Samantha said, adding her book had been sold out at some outlets.
“I’ve received lovely messages from people saying how much they enjoyed the book.”
The Great Ocean Road Activity book is available from the following stores: Anglesea News and Lotto, Collins Booksellers Warrnambool, Port Fairy Information Centre, The Bookgrove in Ocean Grove, Torquay Books, Lorne Beach Books, Kafe Koala at Kennett River, Apollo Bay Visitor Information Centre, Twelve Apostles Kiosk, The Port O Call Port Campbell, Peterborough Licensed Grocers and The Book Bird in Geelong.
The book is also available online at wonderingclassroom.com
You can follow Samantha on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the_wondering_classroom
