Have you heard who is reading a bedtime story on CBeebies this weekend?! Yes, Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge. This is to mark Children’s Mental Health Week.
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The Duchess will be not only be raising awareness of children's mental health but also through reading a bedtime story she will inevitably be encouraging more families to read together. I love the work that The Duchess of Cambridge does supporting the early years and really interested in her upcoming trip to Denmark to learn about their approach to early years. There is a lot we can learn from the early years profession in Denmark andI think it is wonderful that Catherine is supporting such fundamental research.
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Reading with your child is a lovely bonding experience that can help children make sense of how they are feeling, understand a range of emotions and the time spent reading with someone they love is so valuable. Research has shown that children who enjoy reading and writing and do it regularly outside school are three times more likely to have high levels of mental wellbeing. (National Literacy Trust)
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Obviously nothing beats a story read in person with someone you love but if you choose to watch a bit of TV with your little one, this is right up there. It is not very often you will hear a member of the Royal Family reading you a bedtime story! The Duchess of Cambridge will be reading The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson and Paul Howard. This is a book you may have enjoyed yourself as a child about a little baby owl who finds darkness a little intimidating.
If you would like to get a copy of The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, you can find it in this one-off Storybox that we have launched as part of Children's Mental Health Week.
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