Highlanders asked to nominate all-time favourite rhyme

As part of an initiative to encourage literacy development among pre-school children, people in the Highlands are being asked by The Highland Council’s Library Service to nominate their favourite nursery rhymes.

The competition to find out the top ten nursery rhymes of all time is being co-ordinated as part of Bookstart in Scotland Day celebrations, with the results to be announced on 15th May 2008.

Parents and children are invited to pick up an entry form at their local library, and nominate their favourite rhyme of all time.

Free Bookstart Rhymetime sessions are also being organised, where parents come together with their babies and toddlers to sing rhymes and songs in an informal and fun setting. Details of Rhymetime sessions are available at local libraries throughout the Highlands.

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee said: “Instilling the love of reading from an early age is one of the best gifts that any parent can give their child. The Council is delighted to support the Bookstart initiative both with English and Gaelic Bookstart packs throughout the Highlands. My favourite rhyme is ‘Ring a Ring o’ Roses’ as I always liked nursery rhymes that had actions and still find it fascinating to hear the legends behind the rhymes.”

Elizabeth Parker, Highland Council’s Senior Librarian for Children & Families is keen to encourage as many families as possible to take part, she said: “Everyone has at least one rhyme stored in their memory, usually learned in childhood and never forgotten. We want to find out which rhyme Highland residents love the most - it doesn’t have to be a popular or well-known rhyme, just the one that they most enjoy.

“Our Bookstart Rhymetime sessions are intended to bring rhymes, books and music into local parents or carer’s everyday routines by equipping them with the confidence and tools to sing with their children. Music is the perfect vehicle for learning, and the sessions, if attended regularly, have the potential to greatly increase Highland children’s literacy development and enjoyment of music.”

Highland Council’s results will be added to a top ten list of all Scottish local authorities favourite rhyme results which will be announced on Bookstart in Scotland Day. Ten randomly selected entries from across Scotland will also win a Bookstart Rhymetimes CD and book and five randomly selected entries will win a Bookstart Bear.

The theme for this year’s Bookstart in Scotland Day is Music, to highlight the Bookstart Rhymetimes pilot project currently running in several local authorities throughout Scotland. The initiative has been developed as an extension of the existing Bookstart Rhymetimes programme, and is intended to roll rhymetimes out on a national scale by providing in-depth training and Bookstart Rhymetime toolkits to local authorities throughout Scotland.

The overall aim of the initiative is to install music and books at the heart of the parent and child relationships at home, while raising awareness of the links between singing and rhymes and literacy development.

Bookstart is a national scheme offering free books to children and advice to their parents. The scheme was established to encourage parents to share books with children from a very early age. Bookstart begins with the first Bookstart pack which parents receive at their baby’s early health assessments between 8 and 16 weeks. Children really benefit from Bookstart and gain a head start with their language skills.  Anyone who thinks that they may have missed out on a baby Bookstart pack, can ask their health visitor or local library for details, or visit www.bookstart.org.uk