READING together with a child, even for just 10 minutes, can have a significant impact on their educational and social development.

This week is National Bookstart Week, which celebrates its 25thanniversary with a ‘Let’s Explore the Outdoors’ theme.

Bookstart is a national scheme offering a free reading pack to all children during their first year of life, and again when they reach the ages of three or four.

The baby packs, distributed by health visitors, include board books, a rhyme sheet and a booklet of tips for sharing books, and the pre-school packs, handed out by nurseries and children’s centres, contain a picture book and ideas for reading together. There are also dual language packs. So far the scheme has given more than 34 million books nationwide.

This year, Bookstart in Bradford has given 28,000 books via health visitors, libraries and children’s centres and has gifted an additional 8,000 books to newborn babies.

National Bookstart Week is BookTrust’s annual event celebrating the joys and benefits of sharing books, stories and rhymes with children from an early age. The theme this year is Let’s Explore Outdoors! and the chosen book is Everybunny Dance! by Ellie Sandall.

Bookstart Week events are aimed at getting families involved in fun events at libraries, children’s centres, bookshops and other places, where they can share free books and activities with their babies and young children.

The 35 events taking place this week across the Bradford district include a small animal experience, outdoor play in the woods, den making, messy play, carrot hunts, bunny discos, picnics and crafts including mini beasts, insect gliders and bunny headbands. Each activity will follow Everybunny Dance! and each child in attendance will receive a free copy of the book.

Bradford mother of two, Debs Wright said: “I love sharing books with my two boys. We read everywhere together. It’s especially easy when there are great books in the free Bookstart packs. The whole family is looking forward to the events to celebrate 25 years of Bookstart.”

* Bookstart Week events in the district include: stories, rhymes, bunny mask crafts and outdoor play at Bingley Library, and outdoor storytelling at Ilkley Library, today. Also today, there are Lets Explore Outdoors events at Hirst Wood, Menston, Highfield, Daisy Chain, Strong Close, Barkerend, Gateway, Mortimer House, Community Works and Low Fold children’s centres.

Tomorrow sees Lion Learners at Manningham and Wibsey libraries, and Lets Explore Outdoors events at St Stephen’s Church, Cottingley Cornerstone and Bierley children’s centre, and on Thursday there’s Rhyme Time at Baildon and a carrot hunt and bunny disco at St Edmund’s.

On Friday, events include Lets Explore Outdoors at Low Fold and Rainbow centres, a bunny picnic at Princeville and Let’s Make Musical Instruments at Lidget Green, while Saturday’s events include stories and bunny headband crafts at Laisterdyke Library and Woodland Play at Hirst Wood.

* Booking for all events is advised.

* For more information or to book a place go to bradfordlibs.wordpress.com