Across Wiltshire, libraries will be hosting their own special rhyme times and distributing free books to celebrate BookTrust’s ‘Pyjamarama’ running until Friday 7 June.
Pyjamarama is all about encouraging families to have fun reading together, anywhere and anytime and to share the magic of books, particularly at bedtime.
Across Wiltshire there will be a range of activities including teddy bear sleepovers, pyjama rhymetimes plus stories and fun activities. In Westbury on Friday 7th June there will be a special ‘Pyjamarama’ transport-themed rhymetime at 10am-10.30 for babies and from 11am-11.30am for toddlers.
Over 1 in 4 children in the UK aged between 0 and 5 are not read to regularly. This means they are missing out on the vital benefits of regular reading in the early years – which is why we wish to make sure every child has an equal opportunity to have a bedtime story.
To help, Booktrust the UK’s largest children’s reading charity is giving out free copies of the picture book Car, Car, Truck, Jeep by Katrina Charman and Nick Sharratt (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) at libraries and other locations.
Diana Gerald, chief executive of BookTrust said, “It’s so important for parents and carers to find the time to read with their children and introduce their little one to the magical world of books. Reading for pleasure has a dramatic effect on many life outcomes for children such as their wellbeing, confidence, creativity and educational achievements. Quite simply, those children who read for pleasure are more likely to be happier, healthier and do better in life than those who don’t.”
John Thomson, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for libraries said, “This is a wonderful opportunity for libraries to showcase how important it is to celebrate books and reading with young children, we hope to see lots of children at our special Pyjamarama activities.”
If families are unable to make it along to their local event they can join in the fun at home, with plenty of PJ-themed arts and crafts on the BookTrust website: booktrust.org.uk/pyjamarama-books/.
