Free storytelling sessions at Summerhill

The free sessions at Summerhill Country Park and Visitor Centre – which are being funded by Hartlepool Borough Council’s ‘Talk Matters’ Project – will be based around the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Each session is suitable for children over the age of two years and will involve a short story, craft activities and games.

Free fruit will also be supplied by Tesco.

The sessions are as follows:

Tuesday 17 October	9:30am – 11:00am
Tuesday 17 October	1:00pm – 2:30pm
Thursday 19 October	9:30am – 11:00am
Thursday 19 October	1:00pm – 2:30pm

The ‘Talk Matters’ project – which is funded by Hartlepool Borough Council’s Education Commission – aims to promote the vital importance of ‘talk’ to support children’s early language development.

Next week’s free storytelling sessions come as two ‘Talk Matters’ booklets are about to be launched in schools across the town, focusing on five simple but key activities that provide important opportunities to support children’s language development.

Kath Mullen, Senior School Improvement Adviser (Primary and Early Years) at Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be offering four free storytelling sessions at Summerhill Country Park and Visitor Centre.

“Children who are confident communicators, who have a good vocabulary and have a good knowledge of stories and rhymes make good thinkers, readers and writers.

“Research shows that this makes a significant difference to their long-term achievement.

“We would love to see local families at next week’s sessions and it will also offer us an opportunity to talk to parents and carers about the ‘Talk Matters’ project.”

To book, or for more details, please call (01429) 284584.