Article Source: Scottish Book Trust
Last Updated: 18 May 2020 13:18
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, will host online celebrations this year for Bookbug Week, which runs from Monday 18 May – Sunday 24 May.
As the Bookbug programme has been running since 2010, the charity will mark the ten year milestone with #HappyBirthdayBookbug, encouraging families across Scotland to send Bookbug their birthday wishes.
Bookbug Week is an annual celebration of Scotland’s national book-gifting programme and Song and Rhyme Sessions. There will be many ways for families to join in the fun at home, such as a daily drawalong with Bookbug's creator Debi Gliori, to learn how to draw Bookbug and friends. There will also be a special film with Debi, which explains how she created Bookbug ten years ago.
The popular live Bookbug Session on Facebook will run on Friday 22 May at 10am, for everyone to join in and sing happy birthday to Bookbug. The first live Bookbug Session was a great success with over 20,000 views. For those that cannot join the live session, there will be an option to watch later, or the option of acelebratory Bookbug Session for families to try at home themselves.
Scottish Book Trust’s home activities hub will be packed with more themed ideas to try at home, from making a party hat to colouring in sheets of Bookbug. All through the week, there will also be competitions on the charity’s website and social media. Scottish Book Trust will also be asking for families' memories of their child's Bookbug Bags and Bookbug Sessions with their little ones.
As always, families can access Bookbug’s Song and Rhyme library, via Scottish Book Trust’s website, or on the free Bookbug app. Building on the increasing demand for modern nursery rhymes, Scottish Book Trust commissioned Sprog Rock to develop a brand new birthday song, which will launch on Wednesday 20 May. The new song was created through interactive nursery workshops earlier this year with Bucklyvie Nursery in Glasgow. The song centres around the theme of being ten years old, with nursery children contributing their imaginative thoughts about what that age means to them.
Minister for Children and Young People, Maree Todd said: “I am delighted that we are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Bookbug programme in Scotland. To date, Bookbug has provided well over 6 million books to children and helped families across Scotland to take part in Bookbug activities and enjoy precious moments of reading, story-telling and singing together.
We know these are challenging times for families so it is heartening to see that the Bookbug online sessions are proving to be such a success. I am also pleased to see that this year’s celebrations will be packed with themed activity ideas for families to try at home.
I would like to thank Scottish Book Trust and everyone involved in delivering this wonderful programme and I hope that many families can join in the exciting virtual events and resources during the Bookbug week.”
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Scottish Book Trust is looking forward to celebrating Bookbug’s tenth birthday with families across Scotland through our website, social media channels and Bookbug app. We are extremely proud of the impact that the Bookbug programme has made in the last decade: from delivering free bags of books, to bringing communities together through Bookbug Sessions, to working with families at home who need our support to get started sharing stories and songs together.
“We'd like to thank all our colleagues from libraries, health, education, social care and the third sector for building Bookbug with us – it truly is a national partnership that shows how much we value books, and value children. We look forward to receiving everyone’s birthday messages for Bookbug and hope that families can join us to celebrate.”
Funded by the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland, Bookbug is Scottish Book Trust’s Early Years Programme. The Bookbug programme encourages mums, dads and carers to sing and share stories with their children from birth. It gives every child in Scotland four free bags of books in their first 5 years, gifting over 885,000 books every year. Bookbug also runs regular free story, song and rhyme events in libraries, shopping centres and other community venues which attracted audiences of over 720,000 parents and children in 2018-19.
From frosty gardens to cosy tearooms, National Trust for Scotland places in Glasgow and the West are offering a host of winter experiences and special events this festive season.
READ MORE
Glaswegians are being urged to embrace the unique spirit of the city's pantomimes with the launch of Get You in Panto Town!
READ MORE
The magic of Christmas has arrived at Buchanan Galleries, with a heartwarming line-up of festive activities taking place throughout November and December.
READ MORE
Scottish Ballet's Wee Nutcracker is coming to Glasgow's Tramway this December. The beloved festive ballet, The Nutcracker, has been specially adapted for wee ones aged 5+ and their families!
READ MORE
January needn't be a drag as Scotland's brand-new adult panto, The Wizard Wae The Big Bawz, hits the road, arriving just when the country needs a burst of joy!
READ MORE
Matthew Kelly and George Costigan star as Estragon and Vladimir in a new production of Waiting for Godot, co-produced with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and Octagon Theatre Bolton.
READ MORE
More than 1,300 Glasgow schoolchildren are being given the opportunity to access live music as part of a special tie-up between Hoolie in the Hydro and Glasgow 850.
READ MORE
Dedicated ASN sessions are to be hosted at Glasgow's Winter Wonderland at Glasgow Green to enable families in need of support to have a festive day out.
READ MORE
The 77th Glasgow (Disabled) Scouts has been recognised with The King's Award for Voluntary Service 2025, the highest honour for volunteer-led groups in the UK.
READ MORE
Topgolf's journey started in Watford at the turn of the millennium and has since grown into a global enterprise with more than 100 venues worldwide.
READ MORE
Doddie Weir’s emotional match ball delivery at Murrayfield in 2017 has been voted the greatest moment in the stadium’s 100-year history, after thousands of fans took part in a nationwide poll.
READ MORE
Christmas magic is set to return to Glasgow Fort on Thursday 20th November as the centre unveils its seasonal line-up!
READ MORE
Scotland's leading retail and leisure destination, Silverburn, opens Glasgow's first-ever Stradivarius store, further elevating its fashion offering.
READ MORE
Boney M featuring Maizie Williams are set to co-headline the Fun For Life Fest on Saturday 16 May 2026, with Newton Faulkner also joining the line up.
READ MORE
Global live entertainment company – Trafalgar Entertainment – has become the official sponsor of Box Office Radio.
READ MORE
Debut author, Marissa McCudden, has launched her new book, 'There's Lots of Different Types of Clever' with illustrator, Michael Spy on Amazon.
READ MORE
The Steamie has been scrubbed up ahead of making a return to theatres across the country next year as part of an exciting new chapter in its long-standing story in the theatre landscape.
READ MORE
Bard in the Botanics will be launching their 25th Anniversary year with a Scotland-wide tour of their award-winning version of Medea, by Kathy McKean (after Euripides).
READ MORE
From traditional Turkey Ballotine to a tangy Tamarind Beetroot & Endive Salad the festive set menu brings the best of festive flavours, reimagined by The Ivy across two or three courses.
READ MORE
Glasgow's Christmas lights are a much-loved tradition, and this year they will shine brighter than ever with a brand-new Christmas lighting trail set to illuminate the city centre from 20 November!
READ MORE
The West End will welcome KOCHCHI, the award-winning Sri Lankan street food brand, as it opens its first standalone restaurant in the former The Hanoi Bike Shop on Ruthven Lane.
READ MORE
Imagine Theatre proudly presents a spectacular lineup of family pantomimes across Scotland bursting with laughter, music, sparkle, and dance starring some of Scotland's best-loved entertainers!
READ MORE
The pop prince and former frontman of Wet Wet Wet realises his life-long dream of bringing the iconic Christmas Carol character to life on a major stage!
READ MORE
The cast of much-anticipated Pavilion panto Jock & the Beanstalk were spotted out and about at the Barras this afternoon, with a visit to Glickman's to sample their famous jelly beans!
READ MORE
Dobbies Garden Centres has a fantastic line up of Santa’s Grotto and Quiet Grotto experiences, with an exciting North Pole adventure inspired theme, running from 23rd November - 24th December.
READ MORE
Glasgow EV enthusiasts are in for a treat this week as the famous Tesla Cybertruck has arrived at Silverburn, Scotland’s leading retail and leisure destination.
READ MORE
Scottish Ensemble, a pioneering collective of musicians championing music for strings, announces its series of events for Spring/Summer 2026.
READ MORE
Scotland's biggest film festival has confirmed its highly anticipated Retrospective Programme, which gives audiences the chance to catch classic films back on the big screen for free.
READ MORE
Glasgow International Comedy Festival has opened applications for its prestigious Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award with acts, venues and staff in 2026's festival encouraged to apply now.
READ MORE
This week, Flight Club, the lively cocktail and Social Darts bar, is launching a brand-new game, available to play in all venues for the first time on Friday, 14th November.
READ MORE