Children in Wales enjoy the benefits of bilingual rhymes, poems and songs as BookTrust Cymru’s annual Big Welsh Rhyme Time returns

Published on: 07 February 2025

BookTrust Cymru, the children's reading charity, is encouraging families, schools, and early years spaces across Wales to join in with Big Welsh Rhyme Time, a week-long national celebration of sharing bilingual rhymes, poems and songs with thousands of children in their early years.

Developed with the support of the Welsh Government, Big Welsh Rhyme Time invites families across Wales to experience how rhyming and sharing stories bilingually can be incorporated into everyday life – be it at home, at an early years setting, or within their local community.

More than 500 settings across Wales have signed up to take part in Big Welsh Rhyme Time, which takes place from Monday 10 February - Friday 14 February 2025. Participating settings include nurseries, primary schools, children and family centres, libraries, childminders, community groups and charities.

By encouraging children to enjoy rhymes during their early years, Big Welsh Rhyme Time raises awareness of the positive effects of sharing bilingual rhymes out loud with children.

Reciting rhymes lays the foundation for developing children's speech and language, as well as their future relationship with reading. It can also be a fun, affordable bonding activity for families, which in turn helps support children's emotional development and self-confidence.

To support this year's campaign, poet and dancer Krystal S. Lowe has written and performed the actions to a wonderful new bilingual poem. 'Tyrd Gyda Fi! / Come With Me!' is a celebration of language, movement and nature, and is available along with accompanying resources on the BookTrust Cymru website.

Other contributors this year include writer and teacher Lesley James, who is inviting children to sing along with the birds and learn to recognise their sounds in Welsh and English with her rhyming song 'Canu yn y Cae / Singing in the Field', and poet and author Tracey Hammett with 'Y Goeden Barau / The Pair Tree', a fun, bilingual, nonsense poem about odd socks and where they may come from.

Families and early years settings can take part in their own rhyming fun at home using the videos and downloadable resources that will be available at booktrust.org.uk/bigwelshrhymetime and are encouraged to share their own rhyming experiences on social media.

Phil Savery, BookTrust Cymru Partnership Manager, says: "Sharing rhymes, poems and songs in the early years is a great way to develop children's speech, language and communication skills, increase their confidence and encourage them to read and enjoy stories.

"Thanks to the Welsh Government and our network of incredible early years partners, thousands of children across Wales will experience the benefits of sharing bilingual rhymes, poems and songs out loud this week.

"There's still time for families to get involved too, whether that's reading a poem or rhyming book together at home, making up a funny rhyme or song at the bus stop or in the supermarket, or checking out the new rhyming content on our website.

"On social media you can share your Big Welsh Rhyme Time celebrations using the hashtag #RhymingFunForEveryone and the @BookTrustCymru channels on X (previously known as Twitter) and Facebook will be sharing all new (and classic) rhymes, exciting competitions and more during the week."

Krystal S. Lowe, poet and dancer says: "After years of watching the Big Welsh Rhyme Time it is incredibly exciting to be able to contribute my own writing to this brilliant initiative. Through my rhyme I really hope for children to feel excited about words and how they connect to our bodies and the world around us!"