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• October
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• Learning To Join In

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You’re never too young to join in – as a new children’s rhyming, picture book developed in Knowsley aims to prove.

The I Can, You Can, We Can book is aimed at encouraging participatory activities for children aged 0-4, and is the brainchild of Sure Start in Knowsley and the council’s Arts Service, based in Leisure and Community Services .

While the importance of participation for a child’s social, spiritual and academic development has long been recognised for youngsters aged five to 19, little has been developed for children aged 0-4 – until now.

Written by author and project coordinator, Hilary Keating, I Can, You Can, We Can is packed with fun activities and ideas for young children and their carers to enjoy and is beautifully, illustrated by Katy Taggart, whose work was chosen from a shortlist of potential artists by two groups of children under five .

The book was created following 10 weeks of workshops with six different early years groups, supported by artists Chris Ball, Faith Bebbington and Graham Marsden. The workshops aimed to promote good practice for participatory activities with very young children, providing a lasting resource that can be used again and again by parents and childcare providers up and down the country.

Cllr Eddie Connor, Cabinet Member for said: “It has already been proven that engaging children and young people in participatory activities is fundamental to their development, and this innovative project has proven there are far reaching benefits for very young babies and toddlers too.

“We were delighted to have been involved in such a groundbreaking project alongside Sure Start in Knowsley, and are proud that the end result – the I Can, You Can, We Can book, will provide a lasting legacy to promote participation activities for children aged 0-4 right across the country for many years to come.”

Photo: Young Pirate Drew Cross with the book ' I can You can We can

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For further information contact:

Gemma Melling

Media Officer

Tel: 0151 443 3537 24 hr: 07699 717 455