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(this link will open in a new window) (gifted at 3–5 weeks) and Bookbug Toddler Bag(this link will open in a new window) (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. We have prepared gifting guidance which you can download or print out to help you.

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.

Bag gifting webinar

Join us for our Bookbug bag gifting webinar (this link will open in a new window)to help support health visiting teams and others who gift the Bookbug Baby and Toddler bags: Tuesday 28th April 2026 4-5pm.

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.

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).