Gifting the 2026 Bookbug Explorer Bag

The Bookbug Explorer Bag provides an ideal opportunity to build links between your setting and the family home. Every ante-preschool child in Scotland receives a free Bookbug Explorer Bag. It includes books and materials to encourage families to read, sing and play with their children.

A note on the bags:

• The contents vary each year, so please familiarise yourself when you receive your delivery.
• These bags should only be given to children in their ante-preschool year, but there are other ways you can keep other children in your setting involved.

This year, we are asking early years settings (where possible) to gift the Bookbug Explorer bags during Bookbug Week (18–24 May 2026). By having a national approach, we can make a big splash about it and increase awareness of the benefits of sharing stories, songs and rhymes to all families.

To find out when your setting will be receiving Bookbug Explorer bags, please get in touch with your local Bookbug Co-ordinator.

Ideas and activities

Early years staff say they notice a difference in children’s excitement and engagement if children are familiar with the books and know they will receive their own copies.

You could:

• Read the books with the children several times
• Tell the children that Bookbug has a special gift for them and they will take home their own Bookbug Explorer Bag with copies of the books
• Involve children and their families in planning a gifting event to celebrate taking the bag home
• Post photos on social media or in your learning journals so families can share in the excitement
• You’ll find further suggestions linked to the Curriculum for Excellence in the learning resource below

Find out more

For more information about gifting the Explorer Bag, you can download the Explorer Gifting Guidance.

You can also find curriculum-linked activities for each of the books in this year's Explorer Bag here:

• A Good Place: Curriculum-linked activities
• The Bear and the Hare and the Fair: Curriculum-linked activities
• Trains, Boats and Planes: Curriculum-linked activities