Summer book club for children

Jul 1 2009 by Gregor White, Stirling Observer Wednesday

KEEPING the kids happy over the long summer holidays can often be a hard task for parents.

A new club starting up today (Wednesday) at Stirling’s Beanscene coffee shop, however, aims to make it just that little bit easier.

While the grown ups get to relax with a cuppa tiny tots will be kept happy with a host of storytelling and craft fun at a special summer book club.

As well as the Beanscene branch in the city centre’s King Street the club is also being supported by book store Waterstone’s while stationery firm Staedler have supplied materials.

The club, however, is the brainchild of local parent Ian Wandless who said: “The idea is to read maybe two or three stories to the kids and then have them draw or write their own stories based on those, with a couple of games thrown in.

“Of course it’s important for children to get out and about, but reading is important too and it would be great if, as well as enjoying themselves at the club, they also go away wanting to pick up a book in their own time.”

Open to 4-7 year-olds and their parents the club will meet initially on Wednesdays and Fridays from 3-5pm, though this could be extended to include Mondays if it proves very popular.