THE MAGIC of story time is being celebrated at a Rugby nursery.
More than 120 children from the town’s Busy Bees nursery have joined the ‘Get the Reading Buzz’ pledge – a nationwide initiative aiming to share 45million books with children in 2026
The initiative comes as new figures reveal children’s love of reading has fallen to an all-time low in 20 years, with just one in three children enjoying reading in their free time, and fewer than one in five reading daily.
Children at Busy Bees are reading at least four stories each day, supported by dedicated story times and book-rich learning environments designed to nurture early literacy skills and a lifelong love of reading.
Jenny Shaw, Academic Lead Researcher and Developer at Busy Bees, said: “Every day in our Rugby nursery, we see how a simple story can capture a child’s curiosity.
“The new figures highlight a concerning national trend, and we know that to reverse it, we must ignite that reading spark long before a child reaches primary school.
“We’re committed to helping families enjoy reading again and recognise the lasting impact it can have on their child’s academic journey. We’re inviting families and carers to join in and rediscover the joy of reading at home – even just 5-10 minutes of reading together can spark a love of reading, nurture the bond between parent and child and support children’s emotional wellbeing.”
