A Fun Summer of Reading!
As you're gearing up to send your kids back to school next week, the TD Summer Reading Club is winding down for the year. With only a couple of days left of summer break, there is still time for your kids to finish up those last few pages, report on books and fill the rest of their notebooks with stickers before the Club officially ends on September 7.
Overall, it was a pretty terrific summer! We enjoyed listening to all the great and not-so-great books kids reported on and inspiring the joys of reading through the programs and activities we offered. This summer, we had a fabulous illustrator, Josee Bisaillion, who brought the theme of play to life through her whimsical illustrations in this year’s artwork and we were lucky enough to offer workshops by Young People’s Theatre, Story Planet and TIFF at various branches throughout the city.
Kids learning how to make a film with TIFF staff at Weston Branch
And let's not forget when ACE stopped by Richview Branch and met with kids eager to join the Club at the beginning of summer.
The Club strives to engage all children in the joys of reading during the summer months and is an extension of what libraries do all year round. It's not always easy for kids to find time to read and participate in library programs during the school year because of homework, required readings and extracurricular activities. That's why it's important to continue the momentum of the Club and reading for fun by talking to your child before school begins and making sure they understand the importance of reading books outside of school.
As a paren't, there's plenty of things you can do to keep your child reading. Start by supporting their reading successes by encouraging them to bring their notebook to school on the first day to show friends and teachers all the books they read. Teaching children to celebrate their accomplishments and hard work when they have completed anything is important and reinforces positive behaviour. Remember that your child is an expert on their reading preferences and know far more about their likes and dislikes than you. Have your child select the books they want to read and and help them fit it in with their regular homework schedule. In your home, build excitement around books by encouraging them to read a little bit each day and build up to more pages every week. You could even make it a new bedtime routine!
Enthusiastic kids report on books at Cedarbrae Branch
Be sure to connect with your local library and remember that librarians love to hear about all the great stories and characters your kids discover in books, all year round! Next time you're in the branch with your child, encourage them to talk to staff about the books they are reading and ask for some recommendations if you're looking for something new, too.
We hope the Club inspired you and your kids to read new and old books, discover the joys of reading and kept your kids engaged in reading activities that will hopefully continue into the school year. If you’re looking for stories to get your kids geared up for the school year ahead, check out these titles in a previous post for some great suggestions.
Also, if you enjoyed participating in this year's TD Summer Reading Club, help us evaluate the program by completing a short survey. Your answers are valuable in helping us to improve the Club and we thank you for taking the time to participate!
We look forward to seeing you at the branch and next summer for more reading fun!
Club participant enjoying a book at the library
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