We offer free resources and activities to help families support their child’s early speech, language and communication. To sign up for a free library card for you and your child, please visit your local library or find further information online.
Working closely with national reading charities, we aim to nurture the love and benefits of reading from an early age.
National Literacy Trust
Access simple, free and fun activities to support children's early speech, language and communication skills.
Better Health Start for Life videos
These short videos show easy ways to support your child’s speech and language at home.
BookTrust
Programmes and support designed to help children and families start and continue reading and sharing stories.
The above video shows Waterstones Children's Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Diana Gerald MBE, BookTrust CEO, visited Professor Sam Wass at the University of East London Baby Dev Lab to see what happens inside a baby’s brain when they are read a story.
Bookstart baby packs
Every child in England, Wales and Northern Ireland aged 0 to 12 months is eligible for a BookTrust free book pack, designed to help families to read and share stories with their child from as early as possible. These packs are gifted by your Health Vistor. If you have not received a pack, a limited supply is available from your local library.
The pack contains:
- a brilliant book, specially selected to support healthy development in babies and is fun to read again and again
- a colourful finger puppet
- a helpful leaflet about how reading can change as a baby develops.
Additional books are available in other languages for English as an additional language (EAL) families and parental guidance is also available to download and print in 20 languages.
These short videos show easy ways to have fun at home supporting your child's speech and language: