Books for Kinder
This program was launched in 2005 as an addendum to the very successful “Books for Babies” program, where each year the club presented kinder students at Rocherlea and Mayfield Primary Schools with a high quality book to take home to continue to enjoy reading.
The aim in presenting students with their very own book is to encourage literacy in children and build a lifelong love of books. Projects such as “Books for Kinder” demonstrate that so much can be achieved with not a lot of effort. A simple idea can improve the lives of others and make a real difference. In 2015 Rocherlea and Mayfield Primary Schools amalgamated as East Tamar Primary School and our association stalled. At the same time, a new partnership was formed with the Waverley Primary School where our Community Services Director is working with teachers to develop a new program to gain maximum benefit from the basis of this program. |
Books for Babies
First established in July 2000, this project was proposed by Charter Member Heather Fahey, who was at the time Principal of Mayfield Primary School. The methodology was to provide a quantity of books to Child Health Clinics in Launceston's disadvantaged areas, so that each new baby born in that area would be presented with a good quality, age appropriate book. In that first year 100 books were distributed.
Aim of the project:
Aim of the project:
- Foster in children an enjoyment and love of literature
- For parents to develop an understanding of the importance of reading to children from birth.
- To enhance parents understanding and knowledge that early literacy experiences become the cornerstone of a student's later
It was a simple yet effective project that not only met the aims of the Club, but Child Health Nurses who distributed the books found it a valuable benefit to them, because it provided:
As with all our long-term programs, Books for Babies was subject to an evaluation process and due to other literary resources being available for newborns and a new partnership with the Waverley Primary School, Books for Babies in its current form was withdrawn 15 years after it was first launched.
- a positive introduction to the new mothers, who may have been wary of a trip to the Clinic;
- a vehicle to introduce the concept of the importance of reading to very young children, even if you don't use the right words;
- to talk about books, show new mums how to make their own books and that it is even beneficial to read sales catalogues;
- the attention span of a very young child is very short, but they will still look at the pages and by six months will be grabbing for the book and
- once they have got the idea about the importance of reading, it gains momentum.
As with all our long-term programs, Books for Babies was subject to an evaluation process and due to other literary resources being available for newborns and a new partnership with the Waverley Primary School, Books for Babies in its current form was withdrawn 15 years after it was first launched.