IT’S NEVER too early to get reading in Warwickshire.
Parents and carers of newborns across the county are being offered the chance to register their baby for a free library membership.
As part of a birth registration appointment currently in Warwickshire, registrars gift BookTrust’s Bookstart packs to new parents.
These contain useful information about the benefits of reading books and sharing stories with their new baby from 0 to 12 months and include a free book and finger puppet to help parents get started.
In addition, Warwickshire Registration Services, in partnership with Warwickshire Libraries, offer parents the opportunity to sign-up for a free library membership at the same time, both for themselves and their newborn, at the birth registration appointment.
Babies listen to their parents’ voices even before they’re born, and so reading to them after they are born can be very comforting to hear these familiar voices and sounds. Reading together, even just a few words or talking about pictures in books, can help families to bond, develop babies’ social, language and learning skills, and help establish a good bedtime routine.
WCC’s customer spokesperson Coun Yousef Dahmash said: “We are delighted to create opportunities through libraries and all that they offer to every newborn and their family. Even at such a tender age, babies can get the best start possible with books being read to them or social sessions and we want all our new parents to make the most of all that is available.
“In 2023-24 Warwickshire Registration Services registered 6,649 births in Warwickshire, and it would be fantastic to welcome more babies, children, and their parents and carers into our vibrant, child-friendly library spaces.”
