Hosted every Saturday from 11am for 30 minutes on NBW\u2019s Facebook page during the lockdown, the stories are narrated by an invited guest.<\/p>\n
The event is an effort by NBW to provide support for parents who work in their home office and want to find educational and engaging activities for their children.<\/p>
The lockdown is an unprecedented event in the lives of many parents and children and came days after President Cyril Ramaphosa moved to shut all schools, universities and ban large gatherings.<\/p>\n
South Africans are being encouraged to stay indoors to contain the spread of the coronavirus and flatten the curve.<\/p>\n
\u201cThousands of families across the country are juggling work, care commitments and finding ways to keep children busy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe time spent together listening to a story as a family will definitely contribute to alleviating the stress of the coronavirus restrictions,\u201d said Elitha van der Sandt, CEO South African Book Development Council.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Children\u2019s Corner \u2013 Story time with Leigh<\/a><\/p>\n Children\u2019s Corner \u2013 Story time with Melissa<\/a><\/p>\n \n Last week, professional storyteller Bongiswa Kotta-Ramushwana, narrated Aesop\u2019s Fables The Ant and The Grasshopper<\/em> and Sikhalanjalo<\/em>, a traditional story.<\/p>\n Combining her unique skills and brevity to bring the story to life, she ignited the imaginations of many listeners.<\/p>\n The pilot broadcast last Saturday was viewed by over 500 families.<\/p>\n According to Kotta-Ramushwana, tuning into a narrative, its pattern and its plot cultivates a joy of reading.<\/p>\n She will be hosting the event once again on April 4.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are aiming for twin objectives, encouraging parents to read with their children during the lockdown and at the same time inspire children through Books Beyond Words to embrace books and stories over watching television or playing video games,\u201d added van der Sandt.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we all commit to stay home and save lives, being active mentally has never been more important.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing cut off from all social interaction can be stressful and enjoying an activity such as the live storytelling allows for enjoyment by adults and children alike.\u201d<\/p>\n While many sources like FunDza have offered access to digital libraries and e-books, reading, especially when you have young and impressionable children, is a shared activity, so parental involvement is key to making reading fun.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have such a rich identity of language and writing, and the event, motivated by less than ideal circumstances, hopefully serves to help families discover the joys of books, beat boredom and enjoy being in their enclosed spaces temporarily.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Busi Vilakazi (Journalist)\u00a0busiv@caxton.co.za.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Also follow us on:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Facebook.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Twitter.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Instagram.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/youtube.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2019\/07\/Newsletter.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n