Celebrating Children’s Book Week – Reading by the Railings

During Children’s Book Week I wanted to find a way to encourage not only reading in unusual places but also reading as a way of bringing people together. Thus Reading by the Railings was born.

For the duration of Children’s Book Week all over the school, but especially on railings around the playground and by drop-off and pick-up points we will have little laminated posters with snippets of fun reading; reading that might take place in breaktime, reading that parents might share with their children, reading that might get kids asking questions of their teachers.

Reading by the Railings will include poems from Poems for… which supplies free small poem-posters for public display – in class rooms, libraries, waiting rooms, nursery rhymes, jokes and also mini interviews with school staff about their favourite childhood books (accompanied by photos of them aged 4-7 where possible).

These snippets of reading will be printed out on coloured paper and laminated then hung all over to decorate the school grounds. The reading banners will sing out that we’re celebrating Children’s Book Week and hopefully also encourage everyone who visits the school that week, whether child, carer or contractor to enjoy a little bit of reading.

This is a really simple project for Children’s Book Week – there’s still time for you to do something similar at your child’s school or playgroup, with your local library or even just with your neighbours in your street.