The Summer Reading Program is for kids from ages 3-12 and all reading abilities. It is a country-wide program, offered through the Estevan Public Library.
“It’s a program for kids ages 3-12 who are interested in reading and are maybe just looking for something fun to do this summer,” said Tia Dayman, the Summer Reading Program co-ordinator. “It’s a mostly remote program this year, and we won’t be gathering together very much.”
The program also offers crafts and fun challenges to do at home.
“We have reading kits for crafts and stuff,” Dayman says. “I will be making Take-and-Make craft kits to bring home and use. Come on in, bring it home and make whatever craft is in there.”
She explains: “Everything from bracelets, to sun catchers, we’re going to be doing little cars and a bunch of other little crafts.”
This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everything the children do will be at home or online.
“In previous years, we’ve had in-person gatherings, and because the library is still in the middle of transitioning back, we aren’t going to gather together at all,” Dayman explains. “We will have a Zoom call for ages 6-12, doing essentially check-ins and sharing with each other what we’re reading, doing some games and having some extra challenges online.” ,
The kids will be given a link to a Canadian website where they can participate in more online activities.
“You also get a web access code to get into a website where you can get your login information and participate in a bunch of online games and resources that are shared throughout Canada.” Dayman says. “There’s an exclusive webcomic, there are writing prompts, I think they’re called silly writing prompts, little writing contests, as well as book recommendations, and they can write their own reviews for kids across the country.”
Through the website, they can find others who are doing the same program and see how far along they are, as well as find reviews from other kids who read the same books as them.
Along with the Zoom calls and crafts, Dayman also talks about a reading challenge and a prize draw.
“A reading challenge, every 45 minutes of reading they do, they could win prizes,” she said. “At the start of the program everyone gets a sort of notebook to track their reading progress and earn their prize draw entries.”
The Zoom meetings are not mandatory, however, Dayman reassures. “You don’t have to participate in the zoom calls to do the prize stuff.”
The reading program won’t follow a strict schedule, Dayman said. The activities will be based on what the kids want to do that day and what they want to work on.
“It’s pretty flexible, so a lot of progress is going to be what the kids want to participate in. Trivia challenges, some Jeopardy-style games, as well as some mad libs word games. Mostly a couple of games, quizzes, and other ways to challenge and engage with reading and books,” Dayman said. “All the information is on our website, so if you head on over to estevanlibrary.weebly.com, you can find all the links to register. The info is also up on our Facebook page. If anyone needs help or anything with online stuff, you can come into the library if you need to.”
In the end, Dayman is just excited to get the program started. She wants to get the children of Estevan engaged and interested in reading. There is a registration and sign-up form on the Estevan Public Library website, and the library does allow people to walk in and register.
