A new campaign has been launched to help more children reach a good level of development by the time they start school.
Led by Staffordshire County Council, the Mini Moments campaign supports parents and carers of children aged two to five with simple, free activities that can be built into everyday routines at home. The aim is to make it easier for families to support their child’s early learning and development through regular moments of connection.
Through regular emails, the campaign encourages parents and carers to chat, play, read and sing with their children every day, helping to reverse the decline in daily engagement that has been seen since 2019.
Activities are designed to fit naturally into daily life and familiar routines, including bathtime, washing clothes, storytelling, car journeys and exploring the outdoors. Each activity shows how small, everyday interactions can support early language, communication and confidence.
Every Mini Moments activity also includes a simple sign language word for parents and carers to learn alongside their child. This helps young children communicate before they have the words to express themselves, reducing frustration, building confidence and supporting early language development.
Mini Moments is free to access and flexible, showing that even short moments of quality interaction can make a real difference over time.
Janet Higgins, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“We are so pleased to be launching our brand-new campaign, Mini Moments. The pre-school initiative aims to help parents and carers build simple moments of play, learning and connection into everyday life. These free, simple activities support children’s confidence, communication and wellbeing all whilst giving them the strongest possible start when they begin school.”
Nick Lakin, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“Mini Moments is a powerful reminder that the smallest moments can make the biggest difference. By supporting parents and carers to weave learning and connection into everyday routines, this campaign helps give our youngest children the best possible foundations for the future.”
