New digital campaign in Peterborough to help build children’s language skills

Peterborough Reads has launched Hungry Little Minds on its Facebook page (@PeterboroughReads). It follows research by the National Literacy Trust which found that one in two parents would like more digital resources to help their child’s literacy at home.

The campaign, which is funded by the Department for Education and supported by the trust, is currently being rolled out locally across 12 areas of the country, including Peterborough.

It will provide families of children under five with lots of simple and fun activities to build their child’s speech and language skills at home, which families can easily slot into their daily routine.

In the lead-up to the campaign launch, Peterborough Reads organised a socially distanced storytelling and book gifting event in Ferry Meadows which was attended by 100 local families over the course of the day.

Over the next six months the campaign will continue to share activities, events, news and videos around the themes of chat, play and read on the Peterborough Reads Facebook Page.

Hungry Little Minds and Peterborough Reads will also partner with early years’ settings, food banks, women’s refuges and more local organisations to provide physical home learning packs containing books, chat, play and read resources, and craft materials to families with children under five who have been most seriously affected by Covid-19.

Sally Atkinson, Peterborough Reads manager, said: “The development of young children’s speaking and listening skills is crucial to support lifelong learning.

“Supporting parents and carers at home to talk, play and read alongside their child through accessible play-based activities will provide firm foundations for children to ensure they achieve their full potential when they start school.”

For more information on the Hungry Littles Minds campaign in Peterborough visit www.peterboroughreads.org.uk or www.facebook.com/PeterboroughReads.

For more simple tips and activities that parents can do to support their children’s literacy at home, visit the national Hungry Little Minds website (https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/) or the National Literacy Trust’s Words for Life website (https://wordsforlife.org.uk/).