All Aboard for Bookstart fun

Young children and carers can take a trip to their local library and enjoy National Bookstart Week together, and pick up free packs of books for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

 

This year’s Bookstart has a travel theme, and will focus on journeys, transports and flights of the imagination.

 

There are free events taking place at libraries around Leicestershire to encourage families to read together and have fun, including special Bookstart Wriggly Reader sessions for children aged four and under.

 

The free packs contain guidance for parents and carers on how their children can share and enjoy books. They can be claimed from your local Leicestershire library, children’s centre or from your health visitor. For more information click here.

The Bookstart events are taking place in the following libraries:

 

Enderby Library, Saturday June 4th, 11am – 12 noon

 

Syston Library, Monday June 6th, 10 – 10.30am

 

Birstall Library, Monday June 6th 10 – 10.45am

 

Glenfield Library, Monday June 6th 2.15 – 2.45pm

 

East Goscote Library, Tuesday June 7th 2.45 – 3.15pm

 

Loughborough Library, Tuesday June 7th 2.45 – 3.15pm and Thursday June 9th 2.15 – 2.45pm

 

Sileby Library, Wednesday June 8th 2.15 – 3.15pm

 

Oadby Library, Wednesday June 8th 2 – 2.30pm

 

Hinckley Library, Thursday June 9th 2 – 2.30pm

 

Coalville Library, Thursday June 9th 10.30 – 11am

 

Mountsorrel Library, Friday June 10th 10 – 10.45am

 

Ashby Library, Friday June 10th 10.30 – 11.30am

 

If you go down to Earl Shilton Library, you’re in for a big surprise…

A special Teddy’s Bear’s Picnic session for Wriggly Readers and their parents is coming to Earl Shilton Library as part of National Family Week.

Children and carers should bring their bears along to Earl Shilton Library on Wednesday 1st June for a free morning of fun activities from 10.30am. There will be a stroll in the local park, with stories, songs and rhymes for all to enjoy.

There are many other free events in Leicestershire County Council’s libraries in the Hinckley & Bosworth area during National Family Week, including a Once Upon A Time story session at Burbage Library on Thursday June 2nd between 2.30 and 3.30pm. Please contact the library on 0116 305 3558 to book a place.

There will also be special All Aboard! sessions of Wriggly Readers in three local libraries as part of National Bookstart Week, where there will be stories, songs and rhymes with a transport theme for pre-school children and their parents.

The first takes place at Newbold Verdon Library on Saturday June 4th, which is also Dad’s Day. Dads, grandads and uncles should bring their pre-schoolers along for 10.30am.

There are also All Aboard! Sessions at Earl Shilton Library on Wednesday June 8th at 10.30am, and at Barwell Library on Thursday June 9th, also at 10.30am. All the events are free.

There will also be an informative Afternoon Tea session at Newbold Verdon Library on Wednesday June 8th between 3pm and 4.45pm, when a talk by spokesperson from Vista – Leicestershire’s service for the visually impaired – will take place. This event is also free.

And you can live the Good Life at Newbold Verdon Library later in June, when there will be a coffee morning with health advice and an opportunity to exercise on a Wii Fit. The Good Life coffee morning takes place on Friday June 24th from 10am until 12 noon and is completely free.

For more information on these events, please call Newbold Verdon Library on 0116 305 3661, Earl Shilton Library on 0116 305 8392, or Barwell Library on 0116 305 3547, or visit www.leics.gov.uk/hinckleybosworth_libraries

If you go down to Melton Library, you’re in for a big surprise…

A special Teddy’s Bear’s Picnic session for Wriggly Readers and their parents is coming to Melton Library as part of National Family Week.

The Active Together team will be joining up with Melton Library on Tuesday 31 May for a free morning of fun outdoor activities from 10am. Children should bring their bears for a walk around the local park, followed by a round of ‘bearobics’ at the bandstand.

There will also be regular Wriggly Readers events every Tuesday and Thursday throughout June between 10am and 10.30am. All the sessions are free, so come along and have fun.

For more information contact the library on 0116 305 3646 or visit www.leics.gov.uk/meltonmowbray_library

Bedtime stories at libraries

Pyjamas and teddies at the ready! As part of National Family Week children and parents are invited to Bedtime Story sessions at two local libraries

These are early evening events involving stories and crafts for children aged up to 8 years of age and are completely free to attend. The first session is at Fleckney Library on Tuesday May 31st, the second is at Market Harborough Library on Thursday June 2nd. Both take place between 6pm and 7pm.

Booking is essential, so please call Fleckney Library on 0116 3053585, or Market Harborough Library on 0116 3053636.
Also at Market Harborough Library this month there will be a special coffee morning in aid of charity. The Marie Curie Cancer Care Blooming Great Tea Party takes place on Saturday June 4th between 10am and 12 noon, and is one of hundreds happening across the country. Visitors can enjoy a cuppa and cake, and donate to this worthy cause.

http://www.leics.gov.uk/fleckney_library
http://www.leics.gov.uk/marketharborough_library

Jigsaws, chats and carnival masks at North West Leicestershire libraries

There’s lots going on this February at Leicestershire County Councils libraries in North West Leicestershire, from carnival masks and wriggly reader sessions for children, to guided walks and book discussions for older visitors.

First off, Castle Donington Library will be launching a new jigsaw library service – just give 20p and you can keep a jigsaw for a whole month. The jigsaw library will run on the first Monday of every month from the 7th of February 2011 between 10am and noon.

There will be a free coffee morning at Ashby Library on Tuesday February 8th at 10.30, where book lovers can come and talk about their favourite novels, meet new people and find out about what they enjoy reading.

There will aslo be hour long guided walks from Ashby Library every Thursday morning at 10.30am. The walks, organised by the North West Leicestershire Active Together Team, are designed to keep people healthy while taking in the sights of the town and cost just £1.50 per person.

Over half term there are many events for children, all of which are free.

Learn all about the world with the Goofy Geography sessions on Thursday 24th at Kegworth Library (10.30am -11.30am) and Castle Donington Library (3pm-4pm), featuring fun learning and story times.

And for very young library users there’s Wriggly Readers with a difference – children can learn about objects and rhyming at the Pic n’ Mix sessions, taking place at Ibstock and Coalville libraries on Thursday 24th February at 10am and 10.30pm respectively.

Children can also bring a splash of colour to half term at Coalville, Ashby and Measham Libraries by making masks at the Carnival Masquerade sessions. Measham Library’s starts at 3pm on Saturday 19th, Coalville’s is at 10.30am on Wednesday 23rd and Ashby’s is at 2.30pm on Thursday 24th.

Finally, at the end of the month there will be a book, CD and DVD sale at Castle Donington Library. Prices of items start at 25p and the sale takes place on Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th of November during normal opening times.

David Sprason, Leicestershire County Council Lead Member for Adults & Communities, said, “Events like these across libraries in the North West area keep visitors of all ages stimulated and entertained, and for little or no cost.”

For more details of these and other events in libraries in North West Leicestershire contact Liz Evans on 0116 3053570, visit the Leicestershire County Council’s website at www.leics.gov.uk/nwleic_libraries, or visit your local library.

Broughton Astley Community Event

Broughton Astley Library is having an open morning for young families and OAPs to find out more about learning and community opportunities in Broughton Astley.

It takes place on Wednesday 26th January 10am – 12.30pm. It’s free and refreshments will be provided.

Activities include:

• Have a go on a computer – ICT taster sessions for adults (supported by Thomas Estley C C pupils)
• Games and stories for under 5’s
• Meet your local police officers
• Meet the Children’s Outreach Worker from the Children’s Centre
• Meet a representative from the Parish Council
• Broughton Astley Improvement Team – find out what we’ve been doing
• See the fantastic 3D model of Broughton Astley
• And lots more!!!

 

Get wriggly reading at East Goscote Library

Babies and toddlers and their parents and carers in the East Goscote are are invited to go along to a monthly session just for them. There will be stories, rhymes and books to share for Wriggly Readers aged up to four years of age on the first Tuesday of every month between 2.45 and 3.15pm.

Grown ups who have not already discovered the pleasure of sharing books with their baby or toddler should visit East Goscote Library on Ling Dale and find out more.

Leicestershire Library Services work in partnership with health visitors to ensure all babies receive a Bookstart Bag containing free books for babies and information for parents and carers.

It’s never too soon to share books with babies and research has proved that children who develop a love of books from an early age start school with an advantage in both literacy and numeracy.

All libraries have books for babies and young children. It’s free to join the library and no child is too young.

For more information phone East Goscote Library on 0116 3053510 or visit www.leics.gov.uk/eastgoscote_library
http://www.leics.gov.uk/libraries_wriggly_readers

Wriggly Readers going weekly in Castle Donington and Kegworth Libraries

Babies, toddlers and their parents or carers are invited to go along to free story and rhyme sessions at Castle Donington and Kegworth Libraries.
Starting on 6 October 2pm – 2.30pm at Castle Donington Library and the 7 October 10.30am – 11.15am at Kegworth Library, there will be stories, rhymes and books to share for Wriggly Readers aged 0 – 4 years and their adults.  So why not come along to our new weekly Wriggly Reader sessions
If you haven’t already discovered the pleasure of sharing books with your baby or toddler why not come along to Castle Donington Library or Kegworth Library and find out more.
Leicestershire County Council’s Library Service works in partnership with health visitors to ensure all babies receive a Bookstart Bag containing free books for babies and information for parents. It’s never too soon to share books with babies and research has proved that children who develop a love of books from an early age start school with an advantage in both literacy and numeracy.
All libraries have books for babies and young children. It’s free to join the library and no child is too young.
For more information about Wriggly Readers phone Castle Donington Library on 0116 305 3561
http://www.leics.gov.uk/castledonington_library
http://www.leics.gov.uk/kegworth_library

Bookstart bear urges children to get reading

A giant teddy bear will be helping children under five experience the love of books from an early age by introducing them to their local library.

Bookstart Bear, mascot of the national Bookstart Scheme, will be visiting libraries across Charnwood in Leicestershire encouraging families to share books together.

Bookstart is a national programme that aims to encourage a lifelong love of stories, songs and rhymes by providing free packs of books for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

In addition to this, all of Leicestershire County Council’s libraries offer ‘Wriggly reader’ story and rhyme sessions for children aged four and under, where families can come and enjoy books in a nice friendly environment.

Every child under five years old can receive three different bookstart gift packs, and in Leicestershire this means that over 21,000 children are entitled to them.

The packs contain free books and guidance for parents and carers on how their children can share and enjoy books. They can be claimed from your local Leicestershire library, children’s centre or from your health visitor. For more information please visit: www.leics.gov.uk/bookstart

Bookstart Bear will be visiting the following libraries during August:
•Wednesday 4th August at Mountsorrel Library from 11am – 12.30pm
•Monday 9th August at Birstall Library from 10am – 11am
•Thursday 12th August at Anstey Library from 2pm – 3pm

The events are free for children under five and include a teddy bear’s picnic, songs and craft activities.
For more information or to book a place call the libraries directly on the following numbers -
Mountsorrel Library – 0116 305 5892
Birstall Library – 0116 305 8756
Anstey Library – 0116 305 3536

Saturday Wriggly Readers at Syston Library

Babies, toddlers and their parents or carers are invited to go along to free story and rhyme sessions at Syston Library.

Starting on 5 June there will be stories, rhymes and books to share for Wriggly Readers aged 0 – 4 years and their adults every other Saturday at the new time of 10.00am until 10.30am.

This new bi-weekly Saturday Wriggly Readers is in addition to the very popular weekly session already being held at Syston Library every Monday morning from 10.00 – 10.30am. If you haven’t already discovered the pleasure of sharing books with your baby or toddler go along to Syston Library on Upper Church Street and find out more.

Leicestershire County Council’s Library Service works in partnership with health visitors to ensure all babies receive a Bookstart Bag containing free books for babies and information for parents. It’s never too soon to share books with babies and research has proved that children who develop a love of books from an early age start school with an advantage in both literacy and numeracy. 

All libraries have books for babies and young children. It’s free to join the library and no child is too young.
For more information about Wriggly Readers phone Syston Library on 0116 3053500.
http://www.leics.gov.uk/syston_library