Bookstart for Babies

The bookstart logo. A baby bear in the arms of its parent bear as it looks on at a book that the parent bear reads to it.

Bookstart for Babies encourages parents to share books with their children from an early age.

Is my baby eligible for a Bookstart library bag?

Parents of newborn babies receive a Bookstart library bag when their child is immunised at the age of 4-months. The bags are made available to parents through the baby health clinics at the 4-month immunisation visit. Parents whose babies are immunised by their local doctors can collect their Bookstart bags at any ACT Public Library. Bookstart bags are only available to babies immunised in the ACT.

The Bookstart library bag contains a board book, a rhyme booklet, library membership information, and other information of interest to parents.

What is Rhyme Time?

Rhyme times, special one-off story times for very young children, will be held occasionally at specially publicised times. These sessions will be specifically for a parent or carer with a single child. Bookings will be essential and Bookstart parents will receive newsletters giving dates and times. Regular preschool story times are usually aimed at 3-5 year old children, however younger children are also welcome to attend. No bookings are required for these sessions which are held during school term times.

Register your baby as a library member

Your baby can join the library at any age. If you register your baby as a library member you can also receive an occasional newsletter notifying you of rhyme times and resources for parents.

The ACT Public Library provides a range of resources suitable for very young children including board books, picture books, and nursery rhymes and music as well as resources for parents. For further details please ring 6205 9000 or visit your local library.

Resources

Some of our favourite stories for babies	Some of our favourite stories for toddlers	Explore these great resources for parents
Boo to a goose by Mem Fox	Alfie’s alphabet by Shirley Hughes	Babies need books by Dorothy Butler
Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? by Bill Martin Jr	Bartholomew Bear: five toddler tales by Virginia Miller	Read to me by Gloria Rolton
Good night, me by Andrew Daddo	Cuddle time by Libby Gleeson	Reading Magic: how your child can learn to read before school and other read aloud miracles by Mem Fox
How do I put it on? by Shigeo Watanabe	Do you want to be my friend by Eric Carle	The reading bug...and how you can help your child to catch it by Paul Jennings
Owl babies by Martin Waddell	Edward the emu by Sheena Knowles	Child Literacy Centre
Polar bear, polar bear, what do you hear? by Bill Martin Jr	Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell	Children’s Book Council of Australia
Sleepy bears by Mem Fox	Guess how much I love you? By Sam McBratney	Kididdles Children’s Songs
The very hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle	Hairy Maclary by Lynley Dodd	Mem Fox
Waddle giggle gargle by Pamela Allen	I went walking by Susan Machin	MotherGoose.com
Where is the green sheep? By Mem Fox	Kipper's A to Z by Mick Inkpen	Parentlink
Whose nose? by Jeannette Rowe	Max's Bedtime by Rosemary Wells	Playschool
Yoyo’s day by Jeannette Rowe	Snap! went Chester by Tania Cox	Reading Is Fundamental
Za-za’s baby brother by Lucy Cousins	We're going on a bear hunt by Michael Rosen	The Bub Hub
	Wibbly pig is happy by Mick Inkpen	Zero To Three

Background

The ACT Public Library began its Bookstart for Babies program in mid-2003.

From the very first day of life, babies learn by looking and listening. This time is a very important period for the development of language skills. Parents and carers can play a unique role in this development by talking and singing to their babies and sharing books, songs and rhymes in a happy, loving environment.

Bookstart was established in the United Kingdom in 1992, and more information about its origins can be found at Bookstart www.bookstart.org.uk and Booktrust www.booktrust.org.uk