Central Coast Council has launched Paint the Central Coast REaD, a national initiative that focuses on children’s literacy development in preparation for school.

Council Connected Communities Group Leader, Ms Julie Vaughan, said a magical egg had been found in a dry creek bed by Council’s Environmental Education Officer and in order for it to grow and reveal a magical creature, children and their families need to read, sing, rhyme and talk to it.

“Paint the Town REaD is a children’s program that encourages everyone in the community to read, talk, sing, yarn and rhyme with their children from birth so that they will be ready to learn to read and write by the time they get to school,” Ms Vaughan said.

“This is an exciting initiative because it helps develop and advance the literacy skills of Central Coast children. Reading to the egg helps develop a solid foundation for literacy and builds a relationship with the mystery animal,” Ms Vaughan said.

“More than 20 per cent of Australian children arrive at school without the skills necessary to make the most of their early education.

“We can all include early literacy into our life in some way to ensure our youngest community members have the best possible start in their education.”

“Our libraries and childcare centres will host the egg, meaning children and parents can read to the egg on its journey across the Central Coast.”

Council is working with local children to nurture an egg through reading to it after it was discovered in Kibble Park, Gosford. The egg will then travel across the Coast visiting all Council libraries and child care centres before it hatches.

“We will need a name for our mystery animal, so I encourage children to come along and suggest a name while they read their favourite stories to the egg to help it hatch in October,” Ms Vaughan said.

Council experts predict the egg will likely hatch on Saturday 21 October at the Central Coast Kids Film Festival in Kibble Park, Gosford, where the egg was found.

For a full list of where to find the egg and read to it before it before it hatches - click here