BookTrust supports families in Wales to ‘Take Time to Talk, Listen and Play’

Published on: 06 May 2018

BookTrust Cymru joins a new Welsh Government campaign encouraging parents and carers to take time to talk, listen and play with their children to help their child’s language development and communication skills.

The Take Time to Talk, Listen and Play campaign will provide practical tips to parents and carers to help children aged 3 to 7 improve their language skills and prepare for school.

Research shows that children who receive this attention have a greater capacity for language, and later literacy, boosting their communication skills and chances of success in later life.

Fun Take Time videos are available to support the campaign and families can download a special Take Time booklet,which includes a special Take Time rhyme read by the poet Anni Llŷn.

The Take Time campaign is part of a wider Welsh Government approach to help improve the language skills of learners and supports the Education Begins at Home initiative.

BookTrust Cymru is supporting the campaign and has been developing new activities to support children and families to live the Take Time message. This includes additional resources in our Bookstart packs, which encourage all families in Wales to start talking and sharing books, stories and rhymes from a very young age.

We are also developing a special new programme, extending our established Pori Drwy Stori Reception programme for children in Nursery (aged 3-4).

Helen Wales, BookTrust’s Head of Country – Wales, says:

'Pori Drwy Stori allows your child to gain confidence with words in a fun way. Our challenges help children learn and recite rhymes or poetry in a fun way, whilst the magazine we produce encourages children to speak, listen and make decisions.'

'Pori Drwy Stori aims to make learning fun and to give parents and carers ideas about ways they can support their children to talk and learn. The resources help children and families to have fun learning rhymes, to enjoy sharing books and stories and to play number games. The resources encourage children to speak, listen and make decisions building on our long-established Bookstart programme which encourages families to start talking and sharing books, stories and rhymes from a very young age.'

For more information about the campaign visit the Welsh Government website