New video shows benefits of Books Together family reading sessions

We are excited to share a new video about our Books Together programme. The video shows children and their families enjoying a Books Together session at a Family Centre in Lambeth.

Our Books Together sessions are free for parents and carers of children aged 2 to 4 in some areas of London. They support parents to find the fun in reading books together with their children and to build storytelling into their home routine, increasing children’s literacy skills.

The early years of a child’s life are when their brain develops the fastest. What happens during this time, at home, in early education and in the community, sets the foundations for learning, growth, emotional and physical development.

So supporting pre-school children to enjoy stories, and improve their communication and language skills, is vital.

Developed by Coram Family and Childcare and Coram Beanstalk and supported by the Mercers’ Company as trustee of the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, the Books Together programme is run in partnership with local authorities and supported by our Parent Champions volunteers. So far we have delivered 90 Books Together sessions, reaching 219 parents and 225 children across six London boroughs including Camden, Lambeth, Lewisham, Redbridge, Wandsworth, and Hillingdon. Sessions have now also started in Greenwich.

The new video shows what a Books Together session is like, and what families feel about the benefits of the sessions. You can watch the video here.

A dad who brought his daughter along to Books Together is featured in the video. He  explains how the learning from Books Together can extend beyond the session:

Another parent talks about the fun both she and her daughter had:

Reading from an early age brings a whole range of benefits, such as improved educational outcomes, greater language skills, and a boost in creativity and mental health. When children experience early book sharing, they are more likely to continue to read as they grow up. Reading for pleasure in the early years has a four times more powerful impact on a child’s progress across the curriculum at age 16 than parental education or socioeconomic status. But some children are more likely to miss out on these important benefits.

That is why our Books Together programme works to reach families with young children aged 2-5 who are most likely to start school with lower levels of literacy than their peers. It aims to reach children and families who may face barriers to accessing information, support, and services, to help them share books with their children.

The Books Together programme helps develop reading skills for both parents and children, so it becomes a habitual activity in the home environment, increasing children’s literacy skills. All parents who have attended a Books Together course said they will use some of the ideas at home with their children. The codesigned, co-delivered sessions develop confidence and skills for both parents and children. During the sessions, children and parents enjoy song, crafts and the chance to explore story stations with books and props. The first session focuses on ‘bringing stories to life’, the second encourages ‘choosing and sharing books’ and the third involves ‘having fun with rhymes’.

You can watch the video here.

Read more about our Books Together programme here.

If you are a parent or carer living in a London Borough, you can contact your local authority to ask if they are offering the Books Together sessions, or email us for information: info@coramfamilyandchildcare.org.uk

If you are a London local authority interested in participating in the programme, please do get in touch. Email: info@coramfamilyandchildcare.org.uk