Sunshine Coast Libraries’ Story seat brings the magic of children’s literature to Pioneer Park

Families and children have even more reason to visit Pioneer Park at Landsborough with the launch of Sunshine Coast Council’s inaugural First 5 Forever Story seat featuring artwork from the popular children’s book I’m a Dirty Dinosaur.

A fun, rollicking rhyming story from award-winning author Janeen Brian and award-winning illustrator Ann James, I'm a dirty Dinosaur is about a cheeky dinosaur who loves to play in the mud.

The rhyme and repetition throughout the book strikes a chord with young and older readers and is matched with unique and colourful illustrations created using a magic pencil, real mud from a dam and watercolour.

As part of the First 5 Forever family literacy program, families with children are invited to head to Pioneer Park to explore the magic of children’s picture books at the purpose-built Story seat.

Division One Cr Rick Baberowski said the Landsborough Story seat was the first of 10 to be installed in parks across the region.

“The Story seat is a colourful, engaging and positive way of encouraging parents and caregivers to play a proactive role in the development of their child’s early literacy skills,” Cr Baberowski said.

Community Portfolio Councillor Jenny McKay said Sunshine Coast Libraries had been granted $1 million over four years by the Queensland Government to implement the First 5 Forever program.

“The aim of this universal family literacy program is to support strong language and literacy environments for young children from 0–5 years and their families,” Cr McKay said.

“We have already implemented a number of programs through this initiative.

“We are now starting to install innovative Story seats in parks across the region which will be a visible and interactive way of inviting families to engage in sharing stories, playing, singing and talking together.

“The seats, designed by council’s Parks and Gardens area, reinforce the message, ‘the first five years last a lifetime’.”

Story seats will be rolled out progressively across the region in the following parks:

• Pioneer Park Landsborough

• Nelson Park, Alexandra Headland

• Power Memorial Park, Mudjimba

• Muller Park, Bli Bli

• Russell Family Park, Montville

• Kenilworth Town Park, Kenilworth

• Maroochy Lions Park, Maroochydore

• Shelley Beach Park, Shelley Beach

• Grahame Stewart Park, Currimundi

• Brightwater Community Lake Park, Brightwater.

In 2018, families will be encouraged to obtain a map and head off on an adventure to find all 10 Story seats, take a picture with the seats and share on social media using the hashtag #Storyseat.

First 5 Forever is a universal family literacy program aimed at supporting stronger language and literacy environments for young children from 0 to five years and their families.

The program is funded by the Queensland State Government and is being delivered by 320 public libraries across Queensland.

Visit council’s library website for more details and join the #Storyseat conversation by following Sunshine Coast Libraries Facebook page.