To celebrate Take 10, we’re shining a spotlight on the benefits of reading “little and often”, and how it can move mountains when it comes to growing a parent’s confidence to read together as a family.
National Literacy Trust Project Officer Oni Hamilton sat down with Purity, a mum from the Black Country, who wanted to share the difference our activities, support and tips have made to her confidence so that she felt more equipped to read stories with her child.
Since joining our Mini-Explorers Early Years sessions—delivered in partnership with Brushstrokes Community Project—Purity has embraced guidance around reading, singing, and playing and harnessed these powerful tools to support her child’s language development.
Originally from Kenya, Purity grew up in a household where reading and writing weren’t part of everyday life—her parents were unable to read or write, and literacy wasn’t something she engaged with as a child.
Now a mum herself, Purity’s journey with the National Literacy Trust began when she and her child joined weekly Mini-Explorers sessions which were run by the National Literacy Trust in partnership with Brushstrokes—a community project that supports asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants across Sandwell and West Birmingham.
At first, Purity was drawn to the sessions by the offer of a free bus pass, provided courtesy of Transport for West Midlands. She wasn’t sure the sessions would be relevant—her baby was still very young, and she didn’t see how books or reading could play a role at that stage.
“We were not even interested… the babies were so young, they couldn't even be able to recognise books.”
But after attending that first session—and continuing to return—Purity began to realise the sessions were helping her address her own worries. She started to feel more confident about reading and singing to her baby at home and gradually embraced these activities as part of their everyday routine.
The early years sessions featured storytelling, nursery rhymes, sensory play, and take-home resources—all designed to empower parents to support their child’s language and communication skills from an early age. Inspired by the Little Moments cards, the sessions helped parents understand how small, everyday moments offer a great opportunity for interactions like chatting, playing, reading, and singing—and how these small actions can have a big impact.
Rather than introducing something extra Purity had to do in her day-to-day, the sessions helped her and the other parents to build on what they were already doing; boosting their confidence and reassuring them that they already have the tools and time to nurture their child’s language and communication skills.
When Purity first attended the sessions with her 14-month-old daughter, she felt unsure about reading aloud and engaging in literacy activities. But by spending one hour a week at Mini-Explorers she gradually gained the confidence to read aloud and now feels empowered to nurture both her own and her daughter’s literacy skills. Through the joy of reading and the practical tips modelled during the sessions, Purity has embraced new ways to support her child’s development and credits the National Literacy Trust’s sessions for helping her,
“Now I know to give her the books… I never used to do that, and we read together. Every day we do it. Every night, we share bedtime stories [and] we learned it through you people.”
Through the joy of reading and the practical tips modelled during the sessions, Purity began to embrace new ways of engaging with her daughter. She has noticed a stronger bond forming between them, and her daughter began to show excitement and initiative around reading and play (including singing and dancing).
“Life has become more fun. Most of our free time we spend singing because we are taught at the sessions how to do expressions, how to handle the books and how to show our children the books. Now she's the one requesting for me to read a story.”
As Purity shares, since attending Mini-Explorers sessions and our community events, life for her and her child has become “more fun”. Both sessions and events helped build her confidence as a parent, meet new people and make friends in the community which in turn, helped to boost her own mental health as a parent and try new things to support her daughter’s literacy development too.
“Coming to this place, we do more dancing. I've met new friends from this place. That lonely circle is now over because I got to meet new people.”
Additionally, Purity feels the sessions and events have boosted her child's confidence in singing, dancing, and choosing books to be read aloud—positively impacting her child's own mental health and wellbeing.
“She has developed courage, and it has been able to boost her self-esteem… Unlike when we were alone in the house all the time, now she's able to recognise books, stories and singing.”
Purity’s growing confidence has inspired her to take part in a range of other National Literacy Trust events, including Take 10 to Read with Baggie Bird, Bhangra Tots, Stories and Play in the Park, and this year’s World Book Day celebration at Asda Cape Hill. These experiences have helped her continue bonding with her child through storytelling, while also picking up valuable parenting tips—like singing nursery rhymes with confidence, something she once found challenging.
If you’ve been inspired by Purity’s story but feel unsure about committing to hour-long sessions, why not start small with Take 10? It’s a brilliant first step—just ten minutes of reading together can help you bond with your child while boosting their language and communication skills.
And if you’re ready to take the next step—or simply don’t know where to start—your local Family Hub is a great place to begin. Just one hour a week can help build you and your child’s confidence, connect you with other parents who may share similar worries, and offer support from friendly, welcoming Early Years professionals. You are sure to be empowered by staff to support your child’s development in a way that works for you.