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What is Family Focus?
Family Focus is a key project strand of Gloucestershire Libraries' National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status, supported by the Arts Council for four years. Family Focus will include a Family Festival and a continuous programme of events and activities offering vibrant creative and cultural opportunities to enrich literacy and storytelling experiences for families across Gloucestershire.
The main target age group is early years children and their families, aimed at spending quality time with families and communities to increase social connection and using creativity as a theme for reduction of anxiety and improvement of mental health. This non-digital project will focus on increasing creativity, dexterity, learning, literacy, and interaction with others.
Library Littles
Library Littles is a welcoming space for toddlers, with a recommended age range of 1 to 3 years, and their grown-ups to enjoy stories, songs and sensory play together.
Our sessions use a learning through play approach, supporting early language development and social skills in a relaxed, friendly environment. Every session is designed to spark curiosity and creativity, no need for children to sit still!
What to Expect:
-A warm, playful session led by our Library team
-Interactive storytime and familiar nursery rhymes
-Sensory toys and materials for free exploration
-Look out for themed sessions that bring stories and play to life, from Ocean adventures to Space explorations
Everyone is welcome.
The Library Challenge
What is The Library Challenge?
The Library Challenge is our big summer activity for children and families in Gloucestershire. Every year we choose a theme and invite children to get stuck into books, discover new ideas and enjoy a mix of events, sessions and fun things to do during the school holidays.
Reading is at the heart of The Library Challenge, but it is also about curiosity, imagination and spending time together in your local library. Children can join in by borrowing books, trying hands on experiences, exploring displays, visiting different libraries or enjoying special events. Families tell us this mixture is what makes the challenge special every year.
The Library Challenge 2025
The Natural World
During the summer of 2025 our theme was 'The Natural World', and children across Gloucestershire explored ideas linked to wildlife, oceans, dinosaurs and local nature at their own pace. Each library created it's own nature them and more than 6800 children took part across the county, with many families visiting more than one library, trying different events and discovering something new every time they came in.
There was plenty to enjoy, from science themed sessions and storytelling to nature crafts, drop in events and special guest visits. Our library teams also created lots of additional opportunities for families to take part throughout the Summer.
Feedback told us that the challenge encourage children to discover new books and feel excited about reading, while also giving the space to try new experiences, follow their interests and spend time in the library together.
Looking ahead to 2026
Tales Through Time
We are already getting ready for next year. The Library Challenge 2026 theme will be Tales Through Time, a chance for children and families to explore stories, history and heritage through books, creativity and activities across the county.
If you enjoyed this summer’s natural world adventure, there will be even more to discover in 2026 as we journey through tales from the past and the present.
You can read more about the new theme in our announcement on the Gloucestershire Libraries website.
Family Festival
The Gloucestershire Family Festival is our annual celebration of stories, creativity and community. Every October Half Term we bring the magic of reading and imagination to life through fun and inspiring activities for families across the county. The festival is designed to make books and creative experiences accessible to everyone, especially families who might not usually visit a library. By hosting events in welcoming community spaces, we help families discover new opportunities and connect with their local library.
Celebrating 2025
This year’s festival was full of energy and excitement. Over October Half Term we hosted seventeen family events in trusted community spaces and distinctive local venues. We welcomed 488 people including 202 adults and 286 children who joined us for pop up library sessions, creative crafts and interactive activities. Families spent time together, discovered new books and connected with friendly library staff in welcoming settings. Many families told us they learned something new about library services and others said the festival encouraged them to reconnect with their local library. There is a clear appetite for more and we are excited to build on this momentum.
Read More
A month on we have reflected on the connections made and the ideas shared.
Read the full news article here: Family Festival 2025 - One month on | Gloucestershire Libraries
Storytime
