School may be out for the summer, but kids need not close the books – at least, not entirely. The Region of Waterloo Library (RWL) is running a weekly reading club at each of its branches, encouraging kids to pick up a book for the sheer fun of it.
“Every branch will have a weekly program and a different activity every week, so it’s a great way for kids to socialize together but also talk about their reading and get ideas from one another,” says Nancy Duncan, program supervisor for the RWL.
The TD Summer Reading Club is entirely free and is drop-in orientated, letting participants come and go as they please. Each week, the children report to the group on the reading they’ve accomplished since their previous visit.
“It’s to encourage reading throughout the summer because research has shown in the summer months that children lose the literacy skills that they develop during the school year,” says Duncan. “So having the summer reading programs to really encourage reading throughout the summer is really helpful.”
It’s not all books in, books out at the club, however. Next week is Bubblemania where kids learn the sophisticated art of blowing bubbles inside of other bubbles. They’ll have the opportunity to create their own bubble wands and, if weather permits, test them outdoors.
Then there’s frozen-yogurt making, for that perfect, reasonably healthy summer treat; Canadian sports like lacrosse, basketball and crokinole. The kids will even have a chance to put on theatrical performances of “Twisted Fairy Tales,” like the story of the “Stinky Cheese Man” and “Little Red Running Shorts,” and will get to design their own costumes and sets for it.
The club meets for an hour every week, and while the kids are occupied parents have free rein.
“Parents, unless the children are little, do not need to stay downstairs with the children,” says Susan O’Toole, librarian at the Bloomingdale branch. “Some of the parents use the lounge that we have downstairs, and they’ll sit down there quietly and read.”
Otherwise, it’s a great opportunity for parents to socialize with other like-minded people, says Duncan.
“I met a mother this morning who said she met other mothers through story time, and that’s how she made connections in the community.”
The reading club is just one of the many programs available for kids and adults at the library. There’s family story time, magic shows and music, movies, “Baby Connections” for the under-one-year-olds, computer lessons for the adults, book clubs and more. Those looking for something to do can head over to the Region of Waterloo Library website (www.rwlibrary.com), or to their local branch for more information.
