Summer Reading Challenge still on this year!
Join the Silly Squad, an adventurous team of animals and celebrate books that make us happy and laugh, featuring bespoke artwork from award-winning children’s author and illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson.
Due to the Coronavirus, The Reading Agency has redesigned this year’s Summer Reading Challenge into a virtual one. As libraries are closed children can read books they have at home or borrow e-books and e-audiobooks from the library on BorrowBox
To help keep children reading over the summer and to support parents and carers with children already at home, the challenge started earlier this year, on Friday 5 June. The digital challenge platform is free for children and their families to join and use, providing a safe and secure sign-up process. Children can set up their own personal reading goals and keep track of their progress, unlocking virtual rewards as they work through their challenge. As well as finding book suggestions from the Book Sorter, the Silly Squad website will include games, quizzes and downloadable activities. So head over to the website and join in the fun at www.sillysquad.org.uk
E-book stories to enjoy and teach
Reading and listening to stories is a great way for children to learn at home, keep busy or to relax and escape to other worlds.
Below, Hertfordshire Libraries have provided links and updates about some of the many ebooks available
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Coming back to school in a bubble is a most informative You Tube story by Kezia Matthews
The story explains all about the new arrangements that children will find when they come back into nursery, like only being in a small group, having to wash their hands when they get to nursery, explaining 'the bubble and staying in the same space for dinner.
You can watch and listen to the story here.
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Staying Home - Sally Nicholls and Viviane Schwarz
‘Staying Home’ explains lockdown to young children through a family of energetic raccoons are going through a day in lockdown, no school, nursery or work – and explaining to the youngest members of the family how they’re doing their part to save lives just by staying at home!
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Talking is not my thing!
A follow on from ‘Me and my sister’, the autistic sister of this delightful sibling duo knows what she wants to say but can’t say it out loud. However, there is plenty of fun she and her brother can have together without verbal communication, and she is often one step ahead of him!
Copies have been ordered for Hertfordshire Libraries but until libraries are able to reopen you can watch author Rosie reading ‘Talking is not my thing’ on YouTube
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Visit NHS Health Education England for a good selection of information and resources on Covid-19 for children and other books from the Nurse Dotty series.
Free downloadable books such as ‘Dave the Dog is worried about Corona virus’ which aims to give children information without fear.
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Coronavirus: A Book for Children – Axel Scheffler
Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school age children, free for anyone to read on screen or print out, about the coronavirus. Download the book for free here.
Nosy Crow also have other great resources on their website like a daily picture book story reading and free activity sheets to download. https://nosycrow.com/free-resources/
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Everybody Worries - by Jon Burgerman
‘Everybody Worries’ offers your child the reassuring message that this crisis will pass, we are there for them, and we will get through this together. Read the eBook
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While we can’t hug – Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar (Faber & Faber)
Hedgehog and Tortoise want to give each other a great big hug, but they're not allowed to touch. Instead they find other ways to show their friendship for each other.
You can find the story here.
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Something bad happened – A kid’s guide to coping with events in the news - Dawn Huebner
Something Bad Happened guides children ages 6 to 12 and the adults who care about them through tough conversations about national and international tragedies. The non-specific term "bad thing" is used throughout, keeping this a flexible tool and therefore it is perfect to use during this Coronavirus pandemic.
You can watch and listen here.
This book will also available to borrow from Hertfordshire Libraries once they reopen.
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Extra help on the Local Offer
With children and young people out of education settings at the moment, families may be needing a bit of extra help to keep their child’s education progressing, or just to keep them entertained. The Local Offer, Hertfordshire’s website for families of young people aged 0 -25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), has a resources area where parents and families can find materials and resources they can use to help their child learn key skills. The resources area specifically looks to support those families whose child has an additional need, but it can be used by any family, and may have certain educational activities that can help any pupil to develop a skill they may be struggling with.
The resources area includes:
- Activity sheets and ideas provided by the Specific Learning Difficulties team, which can help progress in key areas including writing, memory, numbers and spelling
- Practical help for children who are struggling with their mental health, either as a result of COVID-19 or more generally
- Help with explaining COVID-19 to younger children and young people with autism, including social stories and easy read documents
- Materials which help young people to develop their independence, including cooking activities
- Lots of fun ideas for your children to do independently or as a family at home to encourage them to explore and use their imagination
Find it all at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/SENDresources
During times of extreme measures and social distancing, the Local Offer are also sharing good news stories from families, services and providers that have gone the extra mile to support others at this time: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/goodnewsstories