Events

Her Excellency, Mrs Hurley launches REaD and Sing with Me at Home.

This morning, Her Excellency Mrs Hurley launched our national campaign, REaD and Sing with Me at Home, on the Governor General of Australia’s Facebook page, by singing a song she has composed for us.

The campaign aims to remind families everywhere to read and sing with their children during this time of social isolation — and beyond.

Mrs Hurley loves singing and, as a teacher, parent and grandparent, knows so well how important (and fun!) reading with children is.

She launched the campaign by reading ‘GoGo and The Lost Book’, compiled by Paint Liverpool REaD, singing the song she has written for PTTR, and placing her own teddy in the gates of Government House.

To get inspiration about how you can participate, follow Paint the Town REaD and — above all — read and sing at home!

REaD and Sing with Me at Home

On Monday 27 April 2020, Her Excellency Mrs. Linda Hurley, wife of the Governor General, will launch Paint the Town REaD’s (PTTR) new national campaign: REaD and Sing with Me at Home.

The campaign aims to remind families everywhere to read and sing with their children during this time of social isolation — and beyond.

Inspired by the social movement of children putting teddy bears in windows, PTTR groups will provide fun reminders and suggested activities to promote singing and reading at home.

So watch this space — and our Facebook page.

Rhonda Brain with Reading Bug and Apprentice Joey reading at home
Rhonda Brain, PTTR’s Creative Director, gets REaDy for the launch, by decorating her home in Parkes NSW in red, and reading with the Apprentice Joey from Paint the Swan REaD in WA, watched over by the Reading Bug.

WA Governor to open 2019 National Conference

We are thrilled that the Honourable Kim Beasley AC, Governor of Western Australia, will be opening our 7th national early literacy conference on Thursday 21 March 2019, following Marie Taylor’s Welcome to Country.

Register now for this innovative, research based (and fun) conference.

The theme for this year’s conference is Books and Bonding Builds Brains — it’s what the Doctor orders.

Children’s Week 2018 Celebrations

Across Australia, PTTR communities celebrated Children’s Week including hatchings of new mascots in Armadale, Gosnells, Rockingham (WA), Gin Gin, Childers and Bundaberg (Qld), birthday parties for mascots (Shoalhaven NSW) and the honouring of Vivi Martin in NSW as Summer Hill’s Granny of the Year, especially for her work with heading up Paint Marrickville REaD. http://www.localnewsplus.com.au/article.php?st_story_ID=141222&ratio=Landscape

READ REaDiculously!

In the Words of the Champion Post,
Hundreds of children turned out on Friday morning for Parkes’ annual Reading Day.
This year’s theme was LET’S GET REaDICULOUS and REaD REaDICULOUSLY.
Young and old alike were dressed REaDICULOUSLY for a jam-packed program of activities.

https://www.parkeschampionpost.com.au/story/5646371/children-get-readiculous-as-parkes-celebrates-annual-reading-day-photos/?cs=2711#slide=102

Politicians and Principals dressed readiculously and read in readiculous places down the main street of Parkes, to the delight of children and the whole community.

And best of all? When a young child was asked two days later about what had he learnt at Reading Day, his answer was: ‘Read, Talk, Sing and Rhyme with your baby all the time.’

It seemed like everyone was there in Cook Park, for the start of REaDiculous Reading Day

Book Week 2018

Paint the Town REaD groups across Australia took the opportunity to celebrate Book Week in fun and creative ways. Here are just a few examples.

Welcome Aunty Booka

Aunty Booka – the mascot for Paint the Booka REaD hatched last Friday. She had a great time at her birthday party, as she was read to by the Mayor of Wanneroo, Tracey Roberts, Cr David Boothman from the City of Stirling, Margaret Quick, the member for Girraween and Janine Freeman, the member for Mirrabooka plus lots and lots of children.

Aunty Booka meeting her new friends

Four Birth Announcements

Paint the Town REaD is proud to announce the births of four new mascots over the past four weeks:  Berky the Brush Turkey, Paint Mackay REaD (Qld), Parker the Platypus, Paint the Central Coast REaD (NSW), Agi the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo, Paint Shoalhaven REaD, Black and Yellow (NSW) and Lizzie the Lizard, Paint the Westside REaD (SA).

Berky wants to play the didge
Berky the Brush Turkey
Platypus mascot in deck chair reading
Parker the Platypus
Agi dancing
Agi the cockatoo
Lizzie the Lizard with friends
Lizzie the Lizard with her friends Parker and Di from Paint the Parkes and Gardens REaD
The crowd gathered for Lizzie’s hatching at Woodville Town Hall, Adelaide

Paint Parkes REaD Turns 20

On a near freezing day last month, just about everyone in Parkes turned out for the Reading Day with Friends, commemorating 20 years since Paint Parkes REaD began as Birth to Kindergarten. Children from birth were in attendance, through to High School students singing in shops and on the streets to children, shops were decorated in red, libraries took over a local club’s auditorium to act out a story, a local farmer sang and read with children in the Office Supplies store, carrier pigeons, and even Elvis spread the message of read with your baby from birth. Grandfathers spoke about it in the local pub, and young mums and their babies drove over an hour to get there.
Pietta Bridges, Reading Day Coordinator said that the day was a culmination of a few months of activities across children’s services, including pen pal writing, creating a friendship chain, and learning about being friends.

Paint Mackay REaD

Welcome to Paint Mackay REaD. Their magical REaDing Egg arrived at the Mackay Library, last Thursday. It was welcomed by a big group of children and their parents, supported by the Mayor, Cr Greg Williamson and Cr Ayril Paton.

As children read with the egg, their parents help them put their name on it. We can’t wait to meet the brush turkey which will hatch out! And how do we know it is a brush turkey? Because there have been two wonderful books written about the egg already by Pam Gargett and Carly St Clair, and beautifully illustrated by students from Slade Point State School.

Mackay’s Reading Egg has arrived!

Paint the Town REaD logo Paint the Town REaD ladybird Book Paint the Town REaD Ladybird body back Ladybird body front