Explorer Backpack
The Backpack in East Lothian
In February 2010, all 4 year olds in East Lothian received an Explorer Backpack, jointly funded by East Lothian Council and Scottish Book Trust, containing the following items:
- Animal ABC by Susan Rennie and Karen Sutherland
- On the Way Home by Jill Murphy
- A whiteboard set
- A parents magazine
- A Curriculum for Excellence leaflet
The main focus of the packs is to encourage a love of reading in the children who receive them, and to provide accessible information to parents and carers about how to interact and engage with books and reading within the home and how to support their child’s learning.
The week beginning the 12th February saw the launch of the Backpackers Club and associated Club Challenge in participating libraries across East Lothian.
Check out the video below from the Backpack launch at North Berwick Nursery School:
To sign up for Scottish Book Trust newsletter and to receive Explorer Backpack updates, email info@scottishbooktrust.com
The Backpack in Edinburgh
In February 2011, thanks to funding from One City Trust and the Fairer Scotland Fund, 1,700 four year olds in Edinburgh will receive a Scottish Book Trust Explorer Backpack.
One City Trust funding will be used to gift packs to children who attend a nursery within the Royal Mile district of the City.
The Backpackers’ Club Challenge
The Backpackers’ Club Challenge is a free programme for all four year olds in East Lothian and is intended to reward them for borrowing books from their local library.
You just need to follow these five simple steps to get your child joined up to the club:
- Join your child up to the library as a member in their own right.
- Ask the librarian to join your child up to the Backpackers’ Club Challenge.
- Your child will immediately receive an embroidered collectable badge to stick on their Backpack, and a baseball cap.
- Each time your child visits the library and borrows books he or she will be given a badge.
- When a child has collected all six badges, he or she will be given a special certificate.
The Backpackers’ Club
Every four year old who has received an Explorer Backpack is invited to attend fun, free Backpackers’ Club events at their local library, where they will gather around an electronic campfire, sing lots of fun songs, play games and listen to stories.
All library branches across East Lothian will be running Backpackers’ Club events throughout February, as follows:
Longniddry Library - 23 April, 11am
Gullane Library - 20 March, 17 April, 29 May, 10.30am
North Berwick Library - 2 April, 7 May, 4 Jun, 11am
Port Seton Library - 13 April, 4 May, 4 June - all at 10.15am
Click here for suggestions of Backpackers' Club songs to sing together
Click here for suggestions of Camping and Adventure themed books to read together
