CHILDREN’S book packs began to be dropped around the Nambucca Valley on 16 February.

A neat little parcel, carefully wrapped and laid in locations easy to find, ready to fill a little heart with joy and provide some new stories to read with your child or children.

The Lifetime Connect Ready Set Go program, which is Federally funded through the Department of Social Services, has been delivering a variety of programs over six years in the Valley.

The main focus of the program is school readiness, and helping parents decide when is the right time for their child to start their formal school journey.

Fortunately for the community of the Nambucca Valley, the Ready Set Go program now includes a Book Hunt.

News Of The Area asked Ms Eddie Dangar, Early Years Coordinator for Lifetime Connect, why the Book Packs were added to the program.

Ms Dangar explained that good quality books were donated to Ready Set Go by the community, including from Nambucca Family Day Care, and Lifetime Connect educator Heidi Steele was inspired by the ‘Big Book Drop Nambucca Valley’ on Facebook.

The Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction at Frank Partridge VC Public School was contacted to see if Lifetime Connect could continue with the initiative.

Lifetime Connect was given the go-ahead and the Lifetime Connect Book Hunt was created.

The importance of reading to children to help with school readiness is well documented.

Ms Dangar explains that self-regulation is an important skill for children to develop prior to starting school.

“Building language skills can help children express how they feel.

“Reading is a wonderful way to help children learn sounds, words and language.

“Their imagination can blossom.

“Reading helps to build a healthy brain plus strengthening the ability to concentrate.”

Keep your eyes peeled over the coming weeks while you are out and about, and you may find a little pack of books.

These are for you and your child to take home to read, and then replace in a location to be found.

Instructions are in the packet, making it easy to keep the Book Hunt alive.

Organisers say community engagement will make the Book Hunt a success.

Ms Dangar told News Of The Area that if there is interest in the program then it will continue to run in the Valley.

Book packs have been found at Little Athletics, Bellwood Park and Gordon Park, to name a few.

The Book Hunt covers, said Ms Dangar, “The whole of the Nambucca Valley- from Scotts Head and Eungai Creek out to Taylors Arm and up to Valla, including Bowraville, Macksville and Nambucca inbetween.”

 

By Rachel MCGREGOR-ALLEN