A FAMILY from Dinas Powys has helped launch a Welsh Government campaign to encourage parents and children to spend more time together.

Stacey Long and her son Parker, seven, are part of the Education Begins at Home campaign which aims to get families to "slow down, make time and have fun together" during this October half term.

The campaign is a Welsh Government initiative that aims to encourage parents across Wales to do more little things at home, as a family, to support the wellbeing and learning potential of their children at school.

Miss Long said: "From a very young age, I’ve always made sure that I did extra little things at home to help Parker get on in school.

"We’d regularly read a story before bedtime and make sure he had a good night’s sleep on school nights.

"Now he’s seven, and although he’s grown in independence and confidence, he still finds it hard around new people and can become quite shy.

"As a working single mum, it’s not always that easy to find time in the week to help him with this which is why we recently enrolled him in a local youth rugby team, something we get to enjoy together."

The idea is that Parker gets to make new friends at Penarth RFC and enjoy being active outdoors while his mum gets to enjoy cheering him on from the side lines and also make new friends in the other parents there supporting their children.

Miss Long said it’s a win-win for the both of them and gives them a common interest that they can both have fun with and bond over.

Welsh Government cabinet secretary for education, Kirsty Williams said: "The most precious gift we can give to our children is our time.

"Those little extra things we all do at home with our children can make a big difference to their wellbeing and performance at school.

"That’s why we’re encouraging parents across Wales to make one day a family day this October half term to have fun together.

"Whether it’s an hour’s walk, a morning’s bike ride or a family day trip, making that time to have fun as a family unit is what’s most important."

One of the campaign's suggested free activities for families for half term is a visit to Cosmeston Lakes Country Park.

For more information and ideas, visit facebook.com/beginsathome or facebook.com/dechraucartref or follow @edubeginsathome or @dechraucartref on Twitter.