Language and Play

The first goal of the strategy is to ensure that 'no child begins school unprepared for learning'. What a challenge!

The Welsh Assembly Government is determined to break the cycle of underachievement, which puts so many young children in Wales at a disadvantage.

In consultation with Early Years and Sure Start Partnerships, health visitors, speech and language therapists and playgroup organisations they have developed a programme to show parents how to stimulate the language and literacy of their babies and young children.

Language and play is a short programme for parents in Wales who have children aged 0 - 3 years. If you have seen the Read with me adverts on television you will know about the campaign to help older children with reading. But, even more importantly, we know that babies and young children have and extraordinary capacity to learn. The Basic Skills Agency wants to make sure everyone is given information about the difference it can make to young children to hear lots of songs, rhymes, and stories, and if parents make time to talk and play with them.

Being a parent is the most important job in life and the most challenging. If parents want to give their child a great start they need to talk, play, cuddle, sing rhymes and share a story each day - and it's absolutely free!

For more information on how the project is developing in Carmarthenshire please contact: Kath Adams, Griffith Jones Centre, St Clears, Carmarthenshire. Phone: 01994 231866