Over 1,000 books have been generously donated to the ‘Book Swap Box Project’ in Catholic Education SA's Supported Playgroups, to help develop your child’s literacy skills and set them up for life.
Our brains do most of their critical development in the first three years of life. A baby’s brain doubles in weight in the first year, tripling by three years old. This is a great opportunity to build the foundation for learning in our children. We do this by reading, talking, singing and rhyming with our children so their brain connections can grow.
Opportunities to listen to stories and to engage with books within the first 3 years of life have been shown to improve literacy skills. It also improves social skills, understanding, talking and brain development. Children whose parents read with them in the early years of life show significantly better performance in school, even into their teens!
Paint the Town REaD is an early literacy community scheme that motivates communities across Australia to read with their children so they’re ready to learn to read at school.
'Paint Playgroups REaD' was established by Catholic Education SA in partnership with Paint the Town REaD, to encourage and build on early literacy skills in children in the 61 Supported Playgroups in Catholic Education (SPiCE).
The first project of the Paint Playgroups REaD initiative – the ‘Book Swap Box Project’ – is being rolled out across the 61 SPiCE Playgroups that currently support over 1,900 children and 1,600 families across South Australia.
The aim of the project is to encourage families to read with their children from birth by ensuring that all children in these communities have access to quality books.
Each supported playgroup has been provided with a box filled with donated books for families to access and take home each week when they come to playgroup. Books can then be returned to any of the supported playgroups across South Australia.
“We want every child to have access to books at home no matter what their individual situation in life may be, so our Book Swap Boxes are for families to take a book home at the end of each playgroup session,” said Emily Bowden, Early Years Consultant, Catholic Education South Australia.
There are currently 61 supported playgroups located within Catholic schools across the state. Each of these supported playgroups hosts a Book Swap Box for parents and caregivers to access at the conclusion of each playgroup session.
To find your closest Catholic school with Playgroup services, please see the Catholic Education SA School Directory.
The students at School of the Nativity, Aberfoyle Park are delighted with their newly refurbished learning facilities – with some lovely things to say about it!
