Join in the Chatterbox Challenge

February 2008 sees the UK’s biggest nursery rhyme sing-along when I CAN’s Chatterbox Challenge kicks off. Thousands of children from all over the country will once again be performing their favourite rhymes, raising money for children’s communication charity I CAN.

Budding Bo Peeps and Little Jack Horners will be learning the words, rhymes and actions to old favourites and some exciting new songs, helping to highlight the importance of children’s communication. Supported by Openreach, a BT Group business, I CAN’s Chatterbox Challenge has become a firm favourite in the calendar, with parents and teachers alike all recognising the importance of fostering speech and language skills through nursery rhyme repetition and sound patterns.

I CAN Chief Executive Virginia Beardshaw says: “The Chatterbox Challenge is a really fun, simple and inclusive way for children of all ages to sing along to their favourite nursery rhymes, invent actions and enjoy a fantastic fun filled day. Whether taking part at nursery, with a childminder or at home, all the activities included in the free pack have been specifically designed by teachers and I CAN speech and language therapists with speech, language and communication development in mind.”

“Communication is the foundation life skill, yet one in ten children in the UK has a speech, language and communication difficulty. I CAN’s Chatterbox Challenge sees all children taking part benefit from the fun and educational activity, whilst also raising money and awareness to help others who struggle to communicate.”

You Can Join In!
If you want to join in - head down to your local Early Learning Centre on the 12th February (tomorrow) to add your voice by singing a favourite nursery rhyme for I CAN.

Visit www.chatterboxchallenge.org.uk for further information

Down Syndrome Fundraising

I've just been sent an email about two fantastic fundraising projects that will help you get ready for Christmas!

Firstly Downsed Christmas Cards - there are six designs to choose from including three of collages made by Downsed Pre-school Early Intervention groups - my favourite being this lovely Father Christmas card.

The Down Syndrome Educational Trust is a charity that is leading international research to examine how developmental and educational interventions can improve outcomes for people with Down syndrome. Their work improves the lives of many thousands of people living with Down syndrome around the world today.

Secondly, the PROUD Calendar 2008 - This calendar is produced by P.R.O.U.D and features photographs of the children from PROUD and other children who are gathered from various online communities from the UK and across the world, whose parents feel as proud about their children.

P.R.O.U.D. (Parents, Relatives & Others Understanding Down's) is a parent led support group (based in Walsall), which aims to provide for the needs of individuals with Down’s syndrome, to offer support, acceptance, advice and encouragement for parents, carers, family and friends of persons with Down’s syndrome, to increase awareness and knowledge of issues relating to Down’s syndrome and to educate the community about the presence, the potential and the needs of people with Down’s syndrome.

If you have any similar fundraising projects please let me know and I'll try and feature them here.

NAS - Thomas and Friends Suvey

I was just browsing the National Autistic Society (NAS) website and came across information about their Thomas and Friends Survey.

In 2002, The National Autistic Society (NAS) commissioned a small research project to better understand the special relationship between children with autism and Thomas & Friends. The research showed that for many children, Thomas has been a vital point of entry to the world of communication and play.

Since then, the NAS has worked closely with the Thomas & Friends brand and we are delighted to announce that donations raised through the partnership have just reached over £780,000!

To celebrate, they have launched a new research study on a larger scale to further explore the special connection between children with autism and Thomas.
To get involved, please complete the online questionnaire or call 020 7903 3648 for a telephone interview before Friday 8 June. As a thank you, all participants will be entered into a prize draw to win one of five family tickets for a 'Day out with Thomas'.

Red Nose Day

As you can see Red Nose Day is Friday 16th March - fundraisers all over the country are busy doing small things to make a BIG difference.

Here are some ideas celebrating the colour red: wear red clothes, collect as many red things as you can, eat red foods, paint red paintings, build red towers and colour with red crayons.

At Littlesheep Learning we will be celebrating Red Nose Day by donating ten pence from every order placed from now until Midnight on Friday 16th March - so hurry and place yours now!

Favourite Words

What's your favourite word? Can you help to build a mile-long Wall of Words by adding to it to the wall before the end of March (that's 50,000 words) and help raise money for I CAN, the children's communication charity. When the target is reached, Openreach will turn every word into cash and donate £50,000 to I CAN. It costs nothing to add your favourite word and you also get the chance to win an Apple MacBook or iPod Nano (terms and conditions apply). Visit http://www.wallofwords.co.uk to add your favourite word.

Make Chatter Happen

My friend's nursery are joining in the Chatterbox Challenge and I thought it would be worth mentioning here in case anyone reading wanted to join in!

The Chatterbox Challenge calls on children across the UK to practise and perform a rhyme or an action song to raise vital funds for I CAN , the charity that helps children communicate. Our 2007 Challenge has a jungle theme so your cheeky monkeys will have fun practising jungle jingles, roaring like lions and hissing like snakes!

Sing and perform your favourite songs and rhymes and join thousands of children across the UK to raise money for children with a communication disability. It's easy to join in, our free activity pack will give you everything you need, including sponsor forms, songs sheets, stickers and colour in certificates for all the children taking part. Register online today to receive your FREE activity pack.

I CAN is the children’s communication charity, they work to foster the development of speech, language and communication skills in all children with a special focus on those who find this hard - children with a communication disability.

For more information visit:

I CAN