£5m plan to teach parents nursery rhymes

MOTHERS AND fathers are set to be given advice on the simple activities to forge bonds between parents and their children that were once taken for granted.

Activities they can do with their children at home include singing nursery rhymes and learning the alphabet, to help get the youngsters ready for school.

Ministers have today announced details of two programmes which are aimed at helping parents to improve their youngsters’ language and literacy skills before they start their education.

The first initiative, which is backed by £5m funding, will trial projects that provide advice and information to parents on how to help their child learn new words – for example through reading or singing nursery rhymes.

The second is an £8.5m scheme for local authorities that will fund projects which improve early language and literacy skills among some of the country’s most disadvantaged youngsters.

The measures are designed to close the “word gap” in communication and vocabulary skills between rich and poor youngsters when they start school, according to the Department for Education (DfE).

Earlier this month, a study suggested that many children may be at risk of under-performing in the classroom because they have such a limited vocabulary.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: “This new support will help parents with early language learning at home by giving them practical advice on activities like reading and learning the alphabet which are so important in making sure no child is left behind.”