Bookstart

Contact us:

Email: help@suffolklibraries.co.uk
Telephone: 01473 584563

Relevant links

Bookstart activities at your library- find what is on offer near you
Bookstart events - photographs with the bookstart bear
Bookstart a gift for life - national web site
Suffolk libraries direct - renewals, catalogue, your library record

Bookstart bears with book

Bookstart is a national programme for giving a free pack of books to babies with guidance materials for parents and carers. It aims to promote a life-long love of books and is based on the principle that every child in the UK should enjoy and benefit from books from as early an age as possible.
Bookstart pack for babies
The Bookstart Baby pack will be given to babies by Health Visitors by the time they are one year old.
Bookstart + for toddlers
The Bookstart + pack will be given by a member of the Health Visitor team. This could be a nursery nurse,staff nurse or health visitor. It may be given at a 1-1 appointment or at a health promotion event sometime between two and two and a half years of age. Please phone before visiting and remember to take your child's Red Book with you for identification.
Bookstart Treasure Chest for three year olds
Playgroups, nurseries or childminders will give out the My Bookstart Treasure Chest during the term after a child’s 3rd birthday. Children who do not attend an Early Years Setting, may collect their pack from the library. Take your child’s Red Book as ID when collecting a pack.
Childminders may collect the packs for children in their care.
Booktouch pack for visually impaired children up to 4 years old
If your young child has a severe visual impairment please contact our Bookstart co-ordinator, so you can receive a special Booktouch pack.
Bookshine pack for hearing impaired children up to four years old
If your young child has a severe hearing impairment please contact our Bookstart co-ordinatior, so you can receive a special Bookshine pack.

If your child is three between	they can get their Bookstart Treasure Chest
1 September and 31 December	after 1 January
1 January and 31 March	after 1 April
1 April and 31 August	after 1 September

All libraries in Suffolk run Bookstart related activities for pre-school children:

Baby Bounce: Soothing songs and gentle nursery rhymes for babies and their grown-ups;
Tot Rock: Music, songs and action rhymes for toddlers with their parents and carers;
Storytime: Stories and more for young children accompanied by an adult.

Bookstart activities at your library - find what is on offer near you

Children's library