Growing a Reader: Kids' Books, Tips and More

Summer is almost over, but that doesn’t mean learning has to be. According to research, students can lose some of the skills they have learned during the school year over the summer break if they do not continue to participate in learning activities.  Toronto Public Library’s Summer Wonder programs and services aim to address this issue.

Summer Wonder is an exciting set of programs and services for kids 6-12 and their families that promote wonder, creativity and discovery and encourages kids to keep learning all summer long. The primary goal is to keep children engaged in learning opportunities during the summer by offering fun, engaging programs and activities every day that focus on interest-driven learning and discovery, and preventing learning loss.

It is being offered at all Toronto Public Library (TPL) branches this summer. Taking place over nine weeks, from the end of June until the beginning of September, these are high-quality, free programs led by our expert children’s staff.

Kids can learn a new skill, discover a new interest, meet friends and most importantly, have fun! There’s always something happening for kids at Toronto Public Library!

There are lots of programs to choose from, including week-long Summer Camps, high-profile author visits, TD Summer Reading Club, and STEM-focused programs.

TD Summer Reading Club

TD Summer Reading Club makes reading fun! Young readers can read whatever they like, where they like, whenever they like this summer. It is a free program that encourages and celebrates reading fun for kids nation-wide.

Visit your local Toronto Public Library branch to register your kid(s) for the Club, and get a free kit which includes a summer reading notebook and web access code to track books read throughout the summer. Kids are invited to tell library staff about the latest, greatest books they’ve read in exchange for stickers to fill up their notebook. If your child reads in French, be sure to ask library staff about French Reading Challenge!

Visit tdsummerreadingclub.ca to discover great new reads, rate books and submit reviews, read ebooks, submit and read jokes, and more! Keep in mind that the friendly staff at your library branch can help suggest even more books that’ll entertain, inspire, intrigue and inform.

Kids who register for TD Summer Reading Club on Saturday, June 23 will also be entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to see a Toronto Blue Jays home game from the TD Clubhouse at Rogers Centre!

Author Visits

Young writers and illustrators are invited to be part of workshops with award-winning authors including Kevin Sylvester, Andrew Larsen, Robin Stevenson, Marthe Jocelyn, Suzanne Del Rizzo and Melanie Florence.

Summer Camps

Kids can join a library summer camp at select branches. The camps run every day for one week and require registration in person or by calling the branches.

• Learn the basics of programming and leave with a fun project of your own at Coding Camps with Project Include
• Program the robot Dash using an intuitive tablet-based coding language to explore the deepest jungle and explore the galaxies at Robotics Camps with Logics Academy
• Discover how to avoid categorization and write and illustrate your own ‘Smorgasbook’ at Writing Camp with JonArno Lawson
• Learn amazing tricks and illusions and master magic tricks with things around the house at Magic Camps with WonderPhil
• Make art with a range of materials and processes to help your creative ideas come to life at Art Camps with The Power Plant
• Explore the process of writing and drawing stories with award-winning graphic novelist Kean Soo at Comics Camp

STEM

Every Sunday junior builders and their families can participate in hands-on activities that explore STEM concepts and sparks curiosity at select branches. For those interested in building their own robot, join STEAMLabs and build a robot with laser cut robotics parts and building materials.

Wonder Workshops

A design-thinking workshop for kids! In a team, kids brainstorm creative solutions to real-world pollution challenges, then build a model and bring their ideas to life.

The workshop is based on the book Me and Marvin Gardens about an eleven-year-old who comes across a new species of animal – a creature with a snout like a boar’s, a body and tail like a dog’s (but no hair or fur) and slimy skin.

MAP Family Saturdays

Kids can discover, interact and learn about artifacts, objects and new finds at museums around the city, including Royal Ontario Museum, Aga Khan Museum and Toronto Zoo.

French

They also have programs for kids in French! From a bilingual coding workshop to the history of Cameroon and Canadian folklore, kids can attend programs conducted in French for free at select branches.

Special Note for Paren'ts!

Make fun learning experiences part of your family’s summer plans. Try out these easy activities (PDF) to get started.

Visit your local TPL branch or explore online for a complete list of programs being offered this summer.