Free events across Edinburgh for Bookbug Week 2019

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, invites families to join Bookbug’s Big Picnic from 13 – 19 May. During Bookbug Week 2019, hundreds of free events will be held across the country, as part of the annual celebration of Scotland’s national book-gifting programme and Song and Rhyme Sessions.

Five Fat Peas will be gifted during Bookbug Week sessions: a selection of song and rhymes about Bookbug’s favourites foods, that families can enjoy together. The actions, words and tunes are available in Bookbug’s Song and Rhyme library, via Scottish Book Trust’s website, or on the new, free Bookbug app.

Bookbug Song and Rhyme Mats, designed by illustrator Esther Kent, will also be distributed during Bookbug Week Sessions. The free, fun-filled Story and Rhyme Sessions for babies to four-year-olds are attended by thousands of parents and children every year. To tie in with this year’s theme, many Bookbug Sessions will provide healthy picnic food.

Wester Hailes library will be holding a Bookbug session on Tuesday 14 May 2019, 10.30am – 11.15am and then will be holding a special Teddy Bears Picnic on Saturday 18 May 2019, 11.00am – 12.00pm.

Scottish Book Trust is also partnering with Stoats to provide their new children’s ‘Stoaters’ oat bars to Bookbug Sessions in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. Stoats will also be running competitions across their social media channels, with the opportunity to win a custom bundle of books and a mini Bookbug doll for your child.

Schools and nurseries across the country can register to watch a special Authors Live event with illustrator Emily MacKenzie, who was shortlisted for The Bookbug Picture Book Prize 2018. Emily will read from her picture book, There’s Broccoli in my Ice Cream! The event will be streamed from 11am, Thursday 16 May and pupils can draw-along.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:

Bookbug Week is now in its ninth year, and families and carers can celebrating by joining Bookbug’s Big Picnic. We hope everyone enjoys the fantastic songs and rhymes in Five Fat Peas along with our beautiful Song and Rhyme Mats. If you’ve never attended a Bookbug Session before, Bookbug Week is the perfect time to try: everyone is welcome.

Maree Todd, Minister for Children and Young People said:

Bookbug’s Big Picnic helps to encourage an early love of books among children whilst also providing great opportunities for parents, carers and their children to spend time together, learning through reading and singing.

The Song and Rhyme sessions are a fantastic way for families to bond and the learning materials in the Bookbug bags have simple reading, writing and counting activities for parents to try at home with their children. Sharing just one song or rhyme a day can make a big difference to a child’s development and give parent and child a chance to share a special moment together.

Tony Stone, Managing Director at Stoats said:

Stoats are delighted to provide natural, tasty snacks for all the wee stoaters coming along to special Bookbug Week events in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. Have fun!

Funded by the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland, Bookbug is Scottish Book Trust’s Early Years Programme. The Bookbug programme encourages mums, dads and carers to sing and share stories with their children from birth. It gives every child in Scotland four free bags of books in their first 5 years, gifting 800,000 books every year. Bookbug also runs regular free story, song and rhyme events in libraries, shopping centres and other community venues which attracted audiences of over 660,000 parents and children in 2017-18

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