Maidenhead & Windsor

Stories, songs, music and dance will keep babies, toddlers and youngsters on their toes in Maidenhead Royal Borough libraries, thanks to a programme of events to get under way on National Bookstart Day (Friday October 6),

Bookstart aims to promote the importance of books and reading for every child from an early age and the Maidenhead borough's programme is for children from birth to nine years old, celebrating words and music with the help of regular library guests who believe that reading should be fun.

National Bookstart Day will be marked at the new Ascot Durning Library – opened recently by the Countess of Wessex – where Lyn Thomson from Music Matters will lead a session of songs, stories and dancing for children up to five years old, starting at 10.30am.

Watch out for further Bookstart events as follows:

* Friday October 13 – Yvonne Cobb from Sign and Bond will be at Maidenhead library at 10am for a reading session using sign language for three-five-year olds. The stories will be both signed and read to the children who will then be able to take part in signing games.

* Monday October 23 – Jo Jingles (Jackie Thornton) will be at Ascot Library for a Bookstart Plus session for three-five-year olds, with songs, stories and dancing at 10.30am.

* Thursday October 26 – Jo Jingles will be leading a session at 10.30am for four-nine-year-olds at Ascot Library with songs, stories and dancing.

* Monday November 13 and Monday November 27 – Lyn from Music Matters will be returning for Bounce and Rhyme sessions with dancing and singing for babies and toddlers from birth to three years old at Windsor library starting at 10.30am.

Bookstart works with libraries, health visitors and early years professionals to give free books to every child at around eight months, eighteen months and three years old, along with guidance materials for parents and carers.

Bookstart seeks to promote the importance of books and the benefits of early book-sharing, such as parental bonding and promoting emotional intelligence, as well as building good communication and listening skills, and helping to lay the foundations of early literacy. Bookstart also aims to foster a love of books through a range of fun activities like Bookstart Rhymetimes and the Bookstart Book Crawl.

The books are chosen by Booktrust, an independent charity that encourages people to discover and enjoy reading.

The aim is for every baby in the UK to receive a Bookstart pack – Bookstart Baby pack, Bookstart + (for toddlers) and My Bookstart Treasure Chest for pre-schoolers.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead