Gifting Bookbug Baby and Toddler Bags

All babies and children in Scotland are entitled to four free Bookbug Bags as babies, toddlers, at nursery (age 3) and in Primary 1, available in English and Gaelic versions.

Health Visiting teams are responsible for gifting the first two Bookbug Bags: Bookbug Baby Bag (gifted at 3–5 weeks) and Bookbug Toddler Bag (gifted at 13–15 months) as specified in the Universal Health Visiting Pathway in Scotland. Families trust and value you as a reliable source of information, so your involvement makes a huge difference. Thank you for helping us to spread the joy of sharing books and encouraging families to talk, cuddle, sing and share stories and rhymes with their children from birth.

Please have a good look at what’s inside the Bookbug Bags and show them to parents before gifting them. The contents change every year.

Important messages to share

It's important to talk to mums, dads and carers about the books and resources in their Bookbug Bag. They are more likely to use the bags if you do.

Please tell them sharing stories, songs and rhymes is a great way to:

• Support bonding, attachment and attunement
• Calm and soothe your baby or child with a cuddles or the sound of your voice
• Talk about the pictures if you’re not confident with reading
• Boost your baby or toddler’s brain development
• Help speech and language development
• Relax and spend time together
• It’s never too early to share books with your baby – start today!

Libraries are great for families with young children. Please encourage families to:

• Join their local library and borrow books for babies and children for free. Babies and children can have library cards of their own
• Go along to local Bookbug Sessions – free sessions of stories, songs and rhymes for children from birth – 4 years and their families.

Getting More Bags

Contact your local Bookbug Co-ordinator to order more Bookbug Bags, Gaelic Bookbug Bags or tactile books.

Children who need additional support

Bookbug can provide tactile books in addition to the four free Bookbug Bags. Request these from your local Bookbug Co-ordinator.

Webinar: Gifting the Bookbug Baby and Toddler Bags for Health Visiting Teams

This webinar will support members of health visiting teams to have the greatest impact when gifting the Bookbug Baby and Toddler bags to families.

Watch catch up here:

Watch the Gifting the Baby & Toddler Bag webinar

play@home

Bookbug works in partnership with NHS Health Scotland and its book-based play@home programme.

Help for adults who struggle with literacy or numeracy

For adults who struggle with reading, writing or numbers, The Big Plus(this link will open in a new window) can help. Help is free, and available across Scotland with local tutors. Call 0800 917 8000 or visit www.thebigplus.com(this link will open in a new window).

Please note: The Bookbug Baby Bag has long handles, as it is intended for use by parents. Babies and young children should not be left unsupervised with it.

You can contact Scottish Book Trust’s Early Years team on 0131 524 0160 (Press option 1 for Early Years and Bookbug) or email [email protected](this link will open in a new window).