Games, songs and activities
Singing or saying rhymes
Singing or saying rhymes while getting ready for bed can make the bedtime routine much more fun.
Download a Bookstart Rhymetimes song sheet to use at home or at an event.
> 2007 songsheets (illustrated by Polly Dunbar)
Download the English rhymesheets (Adobe Acrobat .doc 600Kb)
Download the Welsh rhymesheets (Adobe Acrobat .doc 517Kb)
> 2007 National Bookstart Day (illustrated by Axel Scheffler)
Download the English rhymesheets (Adobe Acrobat .doc 526Kb)
Download the Welsh rhymesheets (Adobe Acrobat .doc 528Kb)
> 2006 songsheets (illustrated by Jago)
Welsh rhymesheets (Adobe Acrobat .doc 613Kb)
> 2005 songsheets (illustrated by Sarah Garson)
English rhymesheets (Adobe Acrobat .doc 683Kb)
> 2004 songsheets (illustrated by Georgie Birkett)
English and Welsh rhymesheets (Adobe Acrobat .doc 5Mb)
> 2008 Bookstart in Scotland Day (illustrated by Karen Sutherland)
Download the Scotland 08 rhymesheet (Adobe Acrobat .doc 600Kb)
> Bookstart Rhymetimes Booklet
Download the Bookstart Rhymetimes booklet (Adobe Acrobat .doc 1.85Mb)
You may be able to borrow this booklet and CD from your local library. Or you can order it from us. It is available to purchase for £10.50 per unit.
If you would like to purchase a copy email Lee@booktrust.org.uk, quoting code PU CD BOOK.
Listen to soothing music
Get everyone to cuddle up close, lying down on the floor if possible, and listen to a little bit of soothing music. Play a minute or two of something relaxing like Brahms' Lullaby (Waltz No. 15, Lullaby) or Morning by Edvard Greig.
Activity sheets
> Bookstart Bears Love Books is a mark-making booklet available here to download for free either as single pages or as an entire booklet.
The booklet is included in the My Bookstart Treasure Chest pack, but has proved popular as a resource
Download the booklet (Adobe Acrobat .doc)
> Bookstart Bear Pirates Sharing a Bedtime Story
This lovely drawing sheet shows the Bookstart bears sharing a story. What do you think their book is about?
Download the 'Bookstart bears sharing a story' drawing sheet
Make All About Me, a special bedtime book to share
A simple book can me made out of a single sheet of paper or card. Parents can help younger children, while older children will love doing this themselves.
Download the instructions for making a book out of one piece of paper (Microsoft Word .doc 69.5Kb)
> Suggestions for each page:
Cover
All about [insert child's name] (photo or drawing of child)
This is me and my family (photo or drawing of child and family)
This is my hand (draw round or print with paint)
This is my foot (draw round or print with paint)
Other pages
Things I like to eat
Toys I like to play with
Books I like to read
Places I’d like to go
Jobs I’d like to have
People I’d like to meet
You could used the space for drawings or you could gather together lots of magazines and catalogues (ask for donations) and cut out lots of pictures ready to be stuck in.
Make a star bookmark/decoration for 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' rhyme
Use shiny silver or holographic card and a rectangle of card to make a shiny star bookmark. You could hold up your stars while singing Twinkle Twinkle little star together. You could print the words to the rhyme on the bookmark.
Or how about cutting out a shiny star to stick up in a child’s bedroom to point to when singing together at bedtime.
Download a star-shaped template (Microsoft Word .doc 31.5Kb)
View a Bookstart TV ad
