Welcome to CBCA Book Week 2019! Every year in August communities across Australia celebrate Australian Children’s literature during CBCA Book Week. This year the week runs from 17 – 23 August, with the theme ‘Reading is my Secret Power’.
The week aims to bring children and books together to encourage literacy and reading. The children in Meerilinga’s Early Learning Program are encouraged to dress as their favourite book character and bring their favourite book in to share with their friends. (Talk to your child’s centre for details.)
In particular, the week aims to highlight the importance of reading. At Meerilinga we believe that reading and literacy in the early years are crucial, which is one of the reasons we actively engage with Book Week in our Early Learning Programs.
Studies have shown that children who come from homes who read daily will hear 1.4 million more words than homes who do not over the course of five years (Journal of Developmental Behavioural Pediatrics). Developing these early literacy and learning skills is crucial for ensuring that your child has school readiness.
It’s also a key factor in why all of our centres are now home to a Street Library. We want to share a love of reading with the community in a sustainable way. Everyone is welcome to come along and take, borrow or donate a book to our Street Libraries.
So, there’s only one question left… is reading your secret power?
Tips on reading in the home
- Choose a book together / let your child choose what they would like to read
- Make it a habit to read a bedtime story every night
- Set an example by reading yourself
- Attend storytime events at local libraries / community centres to get excited about reading
- Visit the library to discover a range of new types of books that you can borrow to read together
- Check out new books – have a look at the list of books on the shortlist for this years CBCA Book Awards in Early Childhood