Pyjamarama Party – Wokingham Library
Wokingham Borough Council’s library service is hosting its own pyjama party and distributing free books to celebrate BookTrust’s ‘Pyjamarama’.
On Thursday June 6 families are set for a day full of fun as Wokingham Borough libraries invites the community to join together and celebrate ‘Pyjamarama’, BookTrust’s inaugural celebration aimed at getting more children reading. The event takes place at California Country Park from 10am to 12 noon.
Authors Attending
Families can share stories with children’s authors – Katrina Charman, Layn Marlow, Rachel Jane and Tina Stubbs. There will be a Rhymetime with the Wokingham Borough libraries team. Additional activities will be available with My Journey Team, Wokingham Borough children’s centres and Home-Start Wokingham. There will also be information stands form the council’s early year’s team and NHS nursery nurses. Lots of playful activities to encourage families to have fun reading together, anywhere and anytime and to share the magic of books.
Week Long Fun
As part of Pyjamarama (Monday 3 –to Friday June 7), BookTrust is working with Wokingham Borough libraries and other community partners to ensure as many children as possible have their very own story to read before bed. More than one in four children in the UK aged between 0 and five are not read to regularly. This means more than 1.4 million children are missing out on the vital benefits of regular reading in the early years – the library service is committed to making sure every child has an equal opportunity to have a bedtime story. To help, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity is giving out over 450,000 free copies of the picture book Car, Car, Truck, Jeep by Katrina Charman and Nick Sharratt (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) at libraries, children’s centres and foodbanks across the UK who are getting involved with Pyjamarama themed events happening throughout the week starting June 3 2019.
On Friday June 7, schools, nurseries and workplaces will also join the fun by putting on their PJs and donating £1 to BookTrust so that no child misses out on a bedtime story. If families are unable to make it along to their local event they can join in the fun at home, with plenty of PJ themed arts and crafts on the BookTrust website: booktrust.org.uk/pyjamarama-books/
Comment
Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure, said “This fun initiative delivered by Wokingham Borough libraries is a great way of encouraging parents and children to read together on a daily basis. Reading for pleasure has a dramatic effect on many life outcomes for children such as their wellbeing, confidence, creativity and educational achievements. The events, activities and resources will help families to see the benefits of regularly reading together as well as being something that is fun and enjoyable to do. Our borough libraries offer an array of amazing books, e-books, story and rhyme sessions and much more. They are always open to everyone.”
Under 5’s
Under 5s officer Claire Groves said: “We are calling for all parents and carers from across Wokingham Borough to support the love of books and sharing the magic of stories together. Come along and meet local authors Layn Marlow, Tina Stubbs, Rachel Jane and Katrina Charman at our event at California Country Park, who will be sharing their stories.“
Dad of two, John Singh said: “I always look forward to reading my two little girls a story when I come home from work. It’s one of the most important bonding experiences parents and carers can share with their children. The whole family is looking forward to Pyjamarama at our library this year.”
Diana Gerald, chief executive of BookTrust, added: “We are thrilled that so many children will receive a copy of Car, Car, Truck Jeep and join the festivities for BookTrust’s first ever Pyjamarama celebration. It’s so important for parents and carers to find the time to read with their children and introduce their little one to the magical world of books. Quite simply, those children who read for pleasure are more likely to be happier, healthier and do better in life than those who don’t.”
