New campaign to get families playing and reading together

Foundation Years Trust and Wirral Council’s Early Childhood Services are launching a campaign to support parents in their role as their child’s most important educator.

Funded by the Department for Education and supported by the National Literacy Trust, the Hungry Little Minds campaign will be launched by the Mayor of Wirral, and the Minister for Children and Families, Michelle Donelan, at Prenton Park, home of Tranmere Rovers Football Club.

The campaign will provide lots of simple tips and activities to build children’s early speech and language skills that families can slot into their routine and that children love. Such as:

• Playing ‘I spy’ on the bus will build children’s vocabulary and light up their imaginations
• Chatting to children about what has happened so far in the day and what’s going to happen next
• Looking at picture books together and talking about what children can see.

To launch the campaign, Foundation Years Trust have partnered with Arriva North West and Wales bus services to decorate two bus ceilings with pictures and games for families to play and talk about as they travel.

The buses will be used on routes throughout Wirral, so that lots of families will have the opportunity to see them.  Wirral’s Arriva buses will also have posters with more games, tips and ideas for parents to help them encourage their children’s language development.

Head of Marketing for Arriva North West and Wales, Lisa Pearson said, “We’re thrilled to be a part of the Hungry Little Minds project. Encouraging children and parents onto buses and changing their travel habits is something we’re extremely passionate about.

Buses are a sustainable travel option and giving children a positive on-board experience is incredibly important in helping shape their future travel choices. As well as supporting reading, literacy and early education projects across our region”.