The baby pack
In Birmingham, all babies should get their free Bookstart Baby Pack from their health visitor. This should be at the new birth visit, 12 to 14 weeks.
If you have not received your baby pack, check first with your health visitor – it may simply have been missed out. If they are unable to help you, email us.
Baby pack - for under 1 year old
Your health visitor can help you with ideas on how to share stories, rhymes and songs. See section 3 for further information.- Remember this pack is gifted to you by your health visitor at baby’s first home visit
How to use your baby pack:
- Find a quiet space if you can, away from distraction.
- Share the board books and rhymes every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes. You can share together with family too, for example, they can join in singing the rhyme or telling parts of the story.
- You can point to the pictures and talk about the story
- Use animal noises and sound affects to bring the story alive, and make yourself and baby laugh
- Do not worry about how you sound or how good a storyteller you are – just listening to your voice is comforting to your baby
- You can also join in at a session for under 5s at a library near you. Find your nearest library.
Find out more about the baby pack
There are more books to read and share online than just your Bookstart pack. You just need your library card to get started.
Babies can join the library as soon as they are born. There is no charge for damage to books. It is all absolutely free.
Page last updated: 23 April 2025
