I was thinking the other day that it just isn't summer unless we spend every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at the library! We've been doing this for years, supporting the library's summer program for kids. They divide the kids up into groups; one for preschoolers, one for elementary school age, and one for teens. They come up with some kind of theme like this year it's "Unbury the Treasure" with a fun pirate theme.
In the kids groups, they have people come in and talk up some books every week, and then do some kind of performance. Once they had a fencing demonstration. Last year, they had guys dressed up in medieval costumes and they had a "fight".
For the teens, they learn about some different thing every week with a guest speaker, and always there's a couple of author visits. This week, to kick off the program, they had a local author, Greg Park, come talk about writing books and he had several copies of his books to check out. (One summer Shannon Hale came and that was before she became a big-time Newbery Honor winner. She was SO COOL!)
The kids are encouraged to make reading goals each week, and if they do it, then they get coupons for some kind of treat or activity sponsored by different businesses in the community.
My kids love it (most days) and we look forward to participating every year. I usually hang out with the teens, or have an hour to browse on my own while waiting for the kids. This year, I have to avoid browsing though, because I have so many books stacked up for the challenges and book groups waiting at home already!
Truly, it wouldn't be summer without our weekly library visit!
I wish we had a library to visit.
ReplyDeleteWe usually go once a week or so during the summer, just to get books and DVDs. The kids love it (I have 4, well one's a baby, so 3 of them love it) and it's a sweat-free outing, since they have a wonderful A/C system.
ReplyDeleteWow, your program sounds so nice. My son is almost three so this is the first year we joined the one at our library, but it's pretty hands off. You just sign up, make a goal for yourself for the next 8 weeks, and then they have some name drawings along the way. I think that's pretty much it.
ReplyDeleteI love finding fellow library lovers... came to you through the Blogroll game. Will be subscribing to your feed because I think I'll get good reading recommendations from you!
ReplyDelete