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PlayTalkRead: Discover free, fun easy ways to play...

... And you could win a £1,000 family photo shoot if you tweet your pics of #30daysofplay

Karen and Amelia

The Scottish Government has launched its Play Talk Read campaign with a fun #30daysofplay calendar to help give parents inspiration for easy, fun, cheap ways to keep their tots active this autumn. You can get a copy of the calendar below.

Like many parents across Scotland, Karen and Robbie Porter, from East Dunbartonshire, plan to take part in #30daysofplay with their 16-month-old daughter Amelia.

PlayTalkRead is really good at providing ideas that you don’t need money for

Robbie works in the merchant navy so he can be away from home for four to three months at a time, meaning Karen spends a lot of time looking after Amelia on her own. Karen enjoys taking Amelia (both pictured above) to the park because it’s free. At the park Amelia can get used to nature, listen to the birds and look at the trees. Parks with water are always a hit with Amelia because she loves the ducks and the swans.

Videos are a great way for Amelia and Robbie to see each other whilst Robbie’s away from homeVideos are a great way for Amelia and Robbie to see each other whilst Robbie’s away from home. Every day, Karen sends videos of Amelia to Robbie and Amelia now recognises him straight away and starts laughing when he starts singing to her down the phone.

Karen and Amelia will be taking part in PlayTalkRead’s #30daysofplay campaign and are looking forward to learning lots of new songs.

Karen said: “I think it’s the hardest job in the world, because you’re in charge of a wee person and you have to make sure they’re developing and they’re safe and healthy. I want her, whatever she does in life, to be happy and I want to know she’s got love and support.

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“PlayTalkRead is really good at providing ideas that you don’t need money for. If you start early then they’ll be skipping into school or nursery. Seeing them learn and knowing that you’ve done that, it’s the best feeling ever.”

“Amelia and I are looking forward to participating in #30daysofplay. We are working on Amelia’s language skills so we will be singing different songs each day. Practising the different actions with each song will help her with recognition, and will be lots of fun too. Amelia loves song time, it is her favourite activity at the various groups we attend. It will be great to see how many new songs we will learn through the PlayTalkRead #30daysofplay campaign.”

Discover lots more about PlayTalkRead on Facebook and Twitter and below:

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