Reading and playing outside go hand in hand this summer with a series of outdoor storytimes in Tri-City parks.
Ann Johannes, Tri-Cities Literacy Committee co-ordinator, says the Stories Galore and More running July 12 to Aug. 17 in Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam parks will bring families, neighbours and good friends together over the sharing of a book.
There will be crafts, storytime and activities, and on July 26 at Port Moody Public Library, a chance to swap books.
"This is a great opportunity to get some new reading material," Johannes said.
Stories Galore is in its fifth year in the Tri-Cities and is a big part of the group's work to promote literacy. The summer program is geared to children up to age six with the goal of encouraging them to love books and reading from an early age.
"Obviously, there is a need to have something for children in the summer, something structured for kids to do," Johannes said, noting that the popular program fits in with the Live 5-2-1-0 mission to promote healthy habits. (Live 5-2-1-0 encourages families to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables, limit screen time to two hours, engage in one hour of activity and avoid sugary drinks.)
Johannes said programs such as Stories Galore and the Summer Reading Clubs at local libraries are also important for helping kids retain what they learned in school.
"It's critical for children," she said. "If you don't read to them or get them to read, it's two months of knowledge that they lose."
And according to information from School District 43, reading just four to five books in the summer can prevent a decline in a child's fall reading scores.
"School District 43 encourages reading in the summer to enhance literacy skills and promote the love of reading," said Paul McNaughton, the district's director of learning services.
READING CLUBS
All three public libraries in the Tri-Cities have Summer Reading Clubs. Kids receive a special record to keep track of their reading and if they read for seven weeks this summer, they'll be awarded an exclusive Summer Reading Club medal. Local libraries also have summer storytimes and other programs for children. For more information, visit: www.library.coquitlam.bc.ca, www.library.portmoody.ca or www.fvrl.ca (for Port Coquitlam's Terry Fox Library).
STORIES & MORE
Stories Galore and More runs from July 12 to Aug. 17 at parks in Port Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam. Dates and locations are:
• Tuesdays: Rocky Point Park in Port Moody from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. (There will be a change of location on July 26 to outside the PoMo Public Library for this day only; bring your books to swap.); and Wellington Park in Port Coquitlam, 1 to 2 p.m.
• Wednesdays: In Coquitlam, Galloway Park, 11 a.m. to noon; Blue Mountain Park, 1 to 2 p.m.; and Town Centre Park, 3 to 4 p.m.
For updates regarding weather, call 604-726-2745 or email [email protected]. Sponsors are needed for next year's program; if you're interested, email [email protected].
