Wear A Hat Day is back! A bedtime story for all ages from 1-10


Storytelling is the oldest of the arts. As far back as anyone can remember, experiences and feelings have been told to open ears. Reading to children before bedtime isn’t only good for helping to get them to sleep, it also benefits their development and gives them a head start at school, thanks to developing listening abilities, oral communication skills, vocabulary and creativeness!


Bedtime stories take children to imaginary worlds where the impossible is possible while also providing exposure to new knowledge and teaches correct behaviour, manners and empathy. The fun never stops during story time and by storytelling throughout childhood, you’re building that all important parent-child bond.


While in the early years you’ll find yourself reading to the child and helping them to follow the book through, as your child’s vocabulary builds, you’ll find them leading with your assistance. Before you know it, they’ll be reading independently, perhaps a couple of pages or even a chapter before bed!


Here, you can find Room to Grow’s recommended bed time stories for children of all ages, from one-years-old through to ten-years-old:


1. Peek-a-Who by Elsa Mroziewicz This innovative triangular board book will keep you and your little one on your toes. The book is beautifully designed and skilfully uses space, one page even opens out to display a peacock’s feathers! You’ll find clues;


which animal says, ‘woof woof?’ once you know the answer, open the flap and see if you’re right! This fun and interactive book is the perfect educational addition to a one-year-old’s bedtime routine.


2. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Ladybird Touch and Feel Rhymes by Ladybird Bored of the same story? This collection of five bedtime nursey rhymes includes, as the name would suggest, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star as well as Rock-a-bye, Baby and more, allowing you to vary bedtime and keep two-year-olds engaged! Featuring stimulating imagery and fascinating textures, little hands will enjoy touching fleecy blankets and sparkly stars as they doze off.


3. Will you help me fall asleep? By Anna Kang & Christopher Weyant Due to be published in May 2019, this cute book is designed to help children struggle to fall asleep independently. A great addition to your bookshelf, this story will make the bedtime process run more smoothly. Monty the frog just can’t sleep, he’s tried everything from counting sheep to bedtime stories and nothing seems to do the trick.


4. How to be a lion by Ed Vere


A powerful story,


celebrating daydreamers, individuality and the quiet courage to be yourself. This fun picture book will teach four-year-olds about fitting in and unlikely friends; the perfect bedtime read to prepare children who are starting school.


5. Giraffe Problems by Jory John and Lane Smith Cyrus the giraffe can't understand why his neck is long, bendy and ridiculous! He’s tried to disguise and hide it to no avail, until one day something makes him accept it. This hilarious bedtime story is about self-


acceptance. Ultimately good for any age, this delightful illustrated book is sure to teach five- year-olds the beauty of being different while preparing for a good night’s sleep!


6. A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin A 2018 hit, Little Star and her mother bake a tasty mooncake that Little Star can’t resist but take a bite


into. As Little Star nibbles on the Mooncake in the sky, readers can see her creating the phases of the moon, page by page. The dazzling illustrations make this a lovely read to relax your six-year old before bed, while also teaching them about the moon – quite fitting, really!


7. Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don't do bedtime by Cate Berry


Despite Penguin wearing PJ’s and Little Shrimp dressed in his sleeping cap, the characters exclaim ‘this is not a bedtime book!’ Relayed through charming speech bubbles, Penguin and Littler Shrimp are determined to have an adventure, leaping into a firework-lit sky and running from a lion… until they tire and drift off. Fun and entertaining, yet ending in sleep, this bedtime story is perfect for tiring children who refuse to go to bed.


8. Ordinary People Change the World (a series of books) by Brad Meltzer A New York Times


bestselling series, each book tells the story of a significant historical figure in a conversational and playful way. Suitable for inquisitive 5 to 9-year olds, your child will learn the tales behind role models, Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks and Amelia Earhart to name a few.


9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl


As your child begins to read independently and with more confidence, what better story to wind down at the end of the day than, a story of a poor boy (Charlie) who wins a trip to a fabulous chocolate factory with his grandad... it will leave them


wishing for the same luck in their dreams! This classic, fun read is relatively easy and a great introduction to longer, chapter books.


10. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis


Now more confident, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a classic tale to spark your 10-year old’s interest as they put themselves in the shoes of the four Pevensie siblings who enter the fantasy world of Narnia and meet a variety of magical characters. Cleverly blending fairy-tale and fantasy, capturing young imaginations, it won’t be long until your child makes their way through the 8 books that make up The Chronicles of Narnia.


14www.primarytimes.co.uk/teesside 4th February 2019 – 24th March 2019


Now in its hattastic 10th year, this important fundraising event is a must for every family and school in the nation. Taking place on Friday 29th March 2019, we want you to join the thousands of other children, parents and teachers across the country to join in, create entertaining and colourful hat-themed fundraising events in support of leading charity Brain Tumour Research. Wear A Hat Day creates a huge swell of support for research into brain tumours, and offers fresh hope for patients as well as their families and friends. This charity really needs your help to make it the biggest, boldest and hattiest EVER! Together, we will find a cure. Visit www.wearahatday.org to register and get your free fundraising pack today!


Food for Sharing


Pink Lady® apples and the Guild of Food Writers are delighted to announce the third year of their partnership with the Guild’s Write It competition for aspiring, young food writers. The competition, which opens for entries on 7 January 2019, encourages children from three age groups (10 and under, 11–14 and 15–18) to get their creative juices flowing by submitting a piece of writing inspired by food. The theme for this year’s competition is ‘Food for Sharing’. And we’re looking forward to sharing lots of delicious food with our winners and judges at the Winners’ Party, which is all part of the prize, next summer at an exclusive London venue. We want to encourage children and young people to capture their thoughts and feelings on what it is to share food. From the playground and beyond, with food we make friends by sharing, with age-old traditions of breaking bread to Sunday lunches with family, we want entries to conjure up what it means to them to share food.


Write It was established in 2008 and has


seen prestigious names from the Guild’s


membership judge entries from more than 1,200 aspiring food writers. This year’s judges include bestselling cook book author, celebrity MasterChef winner, actress and presenter Lisa Faulkner; Karen Barnes, editor of award-winning delicious magazine; award-winning documentary maker, TV presenter and author Stefan Gates; TV producer, cookery book writer and Guild member Kalpna Woolf and Sherry Ashworth, award-winning author of children’s and young adult literature. They’ll use their collective experience, enthusiasm for food, drink and writing to find and celebrate the outstanding work in each age group.


The competition opens on Monday 7th January and the closing date is Tuesday 30 April. To enter please visit www.pinkladyapples.co.uk/write-it-2019 For more details on the competition and prizes, visit www.gfw.co.uk


It’s Time to get Scientific!


British Science Week 2019 is nearly upon us and this year’s theme is Journeys! M-3 Science have created a programme of workshops which explore different science journeys, from rockets to digestion; a journey is waiting to be discovered. Each workshop is designed to not only educate but enthuse pupils about science, the best way to ensure this is to let them get hands-on and experiment for themselves. Warning: it can get messy! ROCKET SCIENCE: Follow a journey of energy transfer and create different types of rockets. VOLCANOES: Learn about the earth below and watch your volcano blow.


SQUISHY CIRCUITS: Make your own conductive dough and explore the world of circuits with squishy circuits. BODY BREAKDOWN: A hands-on graphic exploration of digestion, do you have the stomach for it?


HIGHLIGHTS: An action packed science trip. Dry ice, bubbles, rockets, slime and fire!


See our ad on page 3 for more information.


For more information about British Science Week which runs from 8th – 15th March why not visit www.britishscienceweek.org


Primary Times Magazine is proud to support Wear A Hat Day 2019 and is offering a prize for the school that raises the most money per pupil. See Primary Times and Wear A Hat Day websites for more details.


The competition winners from the last issue of Primary Times are – Ugly Duckling at ARC The winner of a Family Ticket to see Ugly Duckling at Arc, Stockton and a Meal at Arc’s Cafe Bar No. 60 is Lesley Harrison from Middlesbrough.


Runners up –


Sarah Shaheed, Stockton-on-Tees Henry Riches, Hartlepool Elizabeth Liju, Darlington Jessica Ivy Sweet, Darlington


RSPB Saltholme Wild Art Free Passes competition Star Prize - Emilie Bowdler, Redcar


VUE Cinemas Family Tickets for Laughing Larry Joke competition Eloise Clarkson, Darlington Lucia Huntingdon, Hartlepool Sonny Champion, Stockton on Tees George Riches, Hartlepool


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