The Andrews Labor Government has launched a new campaign to highlight the importance of reading to children in the years before they start school as part of the annual Premiers’ Reading Challenge for the Early Years.

Sharing books with your kids from the day they are born is a simple way to boost their literacy and numeracy skills, and improve their school results and future job prospects.

Research shows that regular reading with young children from birth has a direct impact on their performance at school and cognitive skills later in life.

The theme of this year’s Premiers’ Reading Challenge for the Early Years is ‘Share a Book Today’, in recognition of the positive impact simply sitting with a young child and opening a book can have.

The Challenge encourages families and early childhood centres to help children who have not yet started school to experience 40 books before September.

This year it will be accompanied by a digital campaign promoting the benefits that books have for young kids, including interviews with authors, ideas on great books to share and other helpful resources to help families with young kids.

More than 8,000 children and families participated in last year’s Premiers’ Reading Challenge for the Early Years, reading more than 265,800 books.

Member for Werribee Tim Pallas is encouraging parents to register pre-school children for the Premiers’ Reading Challenge for the Early Years online or at their childcare service.

The 2017 Challenge closes 8 September, with over 2000 books on the early years booklist: www.education.vic.gov.au/about/events/prc/Pages/booklist.aspx

Quotes attributable to Member for Werribee Tim Pallas

“Sharing books with children is one of the most powerful things we can do to help build a child’s love of literature and reading.”

“We want more Werribee families reading to their kids more often because we know how beneficial it is.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos

“We’re launching a new campaign as part of the Premiers’ Reading Challenge for the Early Years – so every parent knows the benefits of reading to their kids from day one.”