When we talk about the early years, we have to inevitably consider the parents. If we can reach the parents, then we reach the children.  But the job of the parent isn’t easy. And likewise, there seems to be a fair share of condemning headlines these days accusing parents about a lack of ability to parent.

Marc Lambert, Scottish Book Trust CEO, recently wrote an opinion piece about why the teaching of reading and writing should be deferred a few years.

We all encounter new words every day – especially children.  We might hear an unfamiliar word during a story time or while having a conversation with another person. We might see an unfamiliar word printed in a book or on a sign. It could be a word you already know but have used in a different context.

Nursery World recently reported on the National Literacy Trust’s findings that parents think that nursery has more influence on their children’s communication and literacy skills than they do. I was thinking about this, and it kind of made me a bit worried.

I woke up singing this morning. Singing before my morning coffee is usually strictly prohibited. But as I was getting ready for another Monday morning, I couldn’t help but reflect on the last workday before the weekend. The day ended, as all good workdays do, on a singing note. As a result, I had two songs stuck in my head.

I’m delighted that Tracy has invited me to take over her blog this week. My name is Rhona Matheson and I am Director of an organisation called Starcatchers. Starcatchers is an arts organisation which develops and presents performances and creative experiences for babies and toddlers in Scotland.

Saturday, February 4th was a special day. It was National Libraries Day - a day to celebrate libraries and everything they offer to their communities. Through the twitter grapevine, I heard about all sorts of wonderful special events: reading flash mobs, city-library crawls, special Bookbug Sessions and author visits to libraries. The day was truly a celebration of libraries.

Children (and even some adults) love playing with wooden blocks. There is something ultimately satisfying about stacking, sorting, shaping and building. And sometimes the best bit of building something up is knocking it down.

‘Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,  

Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!’

The way we read a book aloud will have an enormous impact on the listener. Our tone can convey meaning. Our voice can build excitement or create tension. It can calm and soothe. Our body language can help children learn the meaning of new words or interpret them differently in the context of the story.