Reading together

Family Literacy Day activities planned in schools and libraries across P.E.I. this week

Families are being encouraged to build their literacy skills together this week.

The P.E.I. Literacy Alliance is raising awareness of the importance of reading together as a family, with activities planned across the province to celebrate Family Literacy Day on Saturday, Jan. 27.

The theme for this year “Learn at Play, Every Day!”

Education Minister Jordan Brown said children feel reading and learning is important when families engage in literacy activities together.

“By building literacy into children’s everyday activities, parents and extended family members can dramatically improve their children’s literacy skills and sharpen their own skills at the same time,” he said.

Research shows that young children learn best through interactions with parents, grandparents and other family members.

Reading, singing or playing together for even 15 minutes each day enriches family relationships while helping to develop vital early literacy skills.

Saturday’s provincial event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Summerside Rotary Library.

The P.E.I. event, which is sponsored by the P.E.I. Public Library Service and P.E.I. Literacy Alliance, will offer families story-times in English and French, as well as music, puppet shows, healthy snacks, facepainting and giveaways.

Several other libraries will also be holding special programs on Saturday.

Staff at Montague Rotary Library will be trying to find out how many people can read at the library at the same time during a “read-in” at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Stratford Public Library will host “Play Dough and Learn” at 11:30 a.m. with stories and art based around books by Barbara Reid.

Tyne Valley Public Library will also be hosting a celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while O’Leary Public Library will have “Family Fun Board Games” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Some Island schools are celebrating literacy this week.

For example, Westwood Primary School students will dress up as their favourite literary character on Friday.

Mount Stewart Consolidated is inviting families to the school at noon for a “reading picnic” where they can bring a lunch and blanket to get cozy while reading. is