TODDLERS can spend their summer holidays reading and rhyming to give them a headstart in school, thanks to the Bookstart initiative.

The programme, run by Southend libraries, gives free books to every toddler in the town and provides storyrhyme sessions to help them learn.

At the session they can dance, listen to stories, sing nursery rhymes and shake maracas with their parents.

Katherine Pond, who works on the Bookstart team, said: "Some people don't think you should look at books with babies because babies can't read.But it's about bonding with parents or carers.

"They can look at pictures and talk about the pictures. It's amazing what a child can learn.

"People don't always realise, especially when it's your first child. You do see babies reach out and grab the book."

The first introduction to the scheme comes with Baby Bookstart, a package of free books for when the child is seven to nine months old.

A team of 37 volunteers distribute the goodies at clinics and through healthcare workers.

Figures show that at key stage one, Bookstart children are 25 to 30 per cent further ahead than other children their age.

Sara Monk, of Colchester Road, Southend, found the package helpful for her two-year-old son William.

She started to take him to storyrhyme sessions at just nine months old and believes it has helped his speech.

"He loves reading and he's always had books from a young age," she said. "He's quite articulate and I think that's because he likes books so much."

The Bookstart Plus package comes in a fabric folder when the child is about two years old and contains crayons, stickers, a number chart and other treats.

This is followed by the jewel in the crown - My Bookstart Treasure Chest - a cardboard pirate's chest full of books for three and four year olds.

Mrs Pond said: "It's marked top secret and has a false bottom so the child can put jewellery and money in there and the treasure is the books."

The Government-funded scheme took off in Southend in 1999 and has gone from strengt to strength. As well as storyrhyme sessions there is also a "book crawl" which rewards children with stickers and certificates for coming into the library.

The scheme has expanded further to provide dual language books, Booktouch, for blind and partially sighted children, and Bookshine for deaf children.

Lisa Ross-Harris, of Newington Avenue, Southend, said her daughter Maisy, three, has become a "little bookworm" since she started coming to the storyrhyme sessions.

"It gets children involved. It's nice for them to mix with other children and it's just a nice atmosphere," she said.

"I think it's important to get them into books young, even touchy, feely, texture books. She will take a book now and though she can't read yet, she turns the pages as if she was reading. It's helped my older children and I'm sure it will help her."

Sacha Lawrence, who runs some of the sessions, said it was important to teach nursery rhymes like Grand Old Duke of York and Humpty Dumpty to young children.

She said: "I firmly believe the repetition of your voice, with it going up and down, helps them talk and helps their literacy. When they do start reading they are used to picking up the books.

"It also helps calm them down at night before they go to bed, they know what's coming. If you're on a long train journey or an aeroplane you can get a book out and read it with them and hopefully calm them down."

To find out more about a range of events on offer throughout the summer, call 01702 615090.