Little Steps
What is Little Steps?
Little Steps is our free (and award-winning!) programme aimed at helping all children aged 2 to 5 reach the right level for starting school.
Our friendly animal characters will help you learn about new topics with brilliant books and related play activities.
There are eight new characters released each year.
New for 2025 - woodland animals:
- Understand your emotions with Hattie the hedgehog.
- Find out about families with Ronnie the rabbit.
- Learn about numbers with Sammy the squirrel.
- Go on a journey with Freddy the fox.
- Boost independence through daily routines with Maisy the mouse.
- Discover rhythm and rhyme with Wilbur the woodpecker.
- Explore nature with Bertie the badger.
- Move to the music with Olivia the owl.
How Little Steps works
On sign-up you will receive a Little Steps book bag, a card featuring tips for helping your child start school, and your first character card featuring recommended books to read and activities to try out at home.
Completing cards earns sticker rewards for your child to collect, with certificates for completing each year’s full set. The true reward will be the treasured time spent together, helping your child develop and grow.
Why not sign up at a library Storytime session?
All of the books and activities can be done at home but each library also runs regular Little Steps sessions featuring stories, activities and games, helping children to progress with the scheme and aid their development.
Information for parents and carers
Little Steps has been created to help children reach a school-ready level of personal, social and emotional development, improving their communication, supporting mental health and well-being, and being active.
At this young age the support a child receives from their primary care-givers, typically parents, is crucial to their development. Little Steps aims to make it easier for you to find ways to help increase your child’s understanding of themself and the world around them with no barrier to access.
Besides it being free to borrow library books, you and your child can choose to read any book you want. It can be a book from home, the library, an eBook or eAudiobook.
We hope you will find many great books for your child to enjoy. Books that are appropriate to the reading level of your child are best.
The Little Steps recommended reading has been chosen by Lancashire library staff, speech and language experts, and health practitioners to help children develop skills key to the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Help us encourage your child to flourish through reading, learning and playing with Little Steps.