BookTrust packs in Hartlepool: sharing stories in nurseries
Published on: 24 October 2024
Pam Readman is Senior Outreach Worker for Hartlepool Council. Here's how she uses Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler packs during nursery visits to excite and inspire families to read stories together.
Supporting children who are missing out in Hartlepool
"In Hartlepool, we have a lot of children with speech and language difficulties," says Pam. "You see children coming into nursery at two years old with very little speech. There is such a big waiting list for support - the need is so great."
Pam has developed an approach to incorporating the Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler packs into her outreach work for Hartlepool's library service. She offers up her storytelling expertise to nurseries in the form of interactive story time sessions.
Her aim is to help families experience the enjoyment of sharing books, and all the benefits this brings to a child's development in their early years, including their speech - and to help build their relationship with their local library, too.
"The Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler packs have been invaluable for families who are missing out," she says. "It makes such a difference to bring parents into nurseries, to go through the BookTrust packs together, and get them involved in story time sessions.
"We've never really had resources to offer this age group before. I don't know how else we would do it."
Bringing the BookTrust packs to life
Pam's method for engaging families with the Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler packs involves going into each nursery to deliver story times them for four consecutive weeks.
"Each week, I'll read a story, and we'll do a craft activity around that story, and sing songs and rhymes that go with it too," she says. "I take a box of about 60 extra library books with me. Children can then borrow a different story to take home each week to read with their parents throughout the four weeks – like a lending library.
"On the final week, I'll usually save a book in the Bookstart Pre-schooler or Toddler pack to read during the story time. Parents will come in that week, and we'll discuss the BookTrust pack, open it up, and then parents get to take that home.
"Giving out the pack finishes the last of the story time sessions off nicely; it's like a finale. It means they've got something physical to keep."
Pam also makes use of the online resources that come with the Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler packs. "I've used BookTrust's Storyteller Hub again and again," she says. "The resources on there enhance each story. There are quick and easy activities to print out that go with each book in the packs, and rhymes that are recommended to go with each story. I also use the videos of the authors telling the stories to get some ideas. All the resources on there just help bring it all together."
Pam adds: "We were originally doing six consecutive weeks of story times at nurseries with the Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler packs. I found I didn't have enough time to fit in all the nurseries and schools that wanted us to come in.
"Instead, we now offer it for four consecutive weeks to settings in Hartlepool with the highest number of Early Years Pupil Premium places first - so that we can reach even more of them. The offer has been snapped up. I'm booked up for the rest of this year."
Building a connection with the library
Pam also gives nurseries the option of hosting story times in the library itself for the four weeks – gifting the BookTrust packs at the end. "It means parents get to see how much their children enjoy the library environment, and how it may be different from what they thought," she says.
"Some parents who come into the library for the sessions say, 'I didn't even know you were here!' and they've lived round the corner for years. We then give them all the information about all the other activities and services we've got going on."
Pam adds: "Hopefully the BookTrust packs are eye-opening for any families who think that sharing books comes later in a child's life. And hopefully, they just enjoy it and realise it's such a lovely thing to do together."
- BookTrust's Storyteller Hub is full of ideas and inspiration for bringing the stories and rhymes in the Bookstart Toddler and Pre-schooler packs to life – take a look!
- Share your storytelling moments with the BookTrust packs with us on social media with #StorySharerWeek
