Celebrating literacy with the whole family

Family Literacy Day is celebrated annually on Jan. 27; however, taking a little time each and every day to engage your child in talking, singing, reading, writing and playing is crucial to healthy brain development in children. At the Lethbridge Public Library, it’s an opportunity for us to inspire families to learn together. Literacy in all its forms allows us to gain new knowledge, no matter how young or old.

Strong literacy skills are important for both children and adults. It helps to build strong, resilient children, healthy families and, ultimately, stronger communities. Did you know that young children need to hear 1,000 stories before they can learn to read? Talking, singing, reading, writing and playing with your child all count! Parents and caregivers also benefit from these skills.

As adults, we need to learn to turn the page on stress. Reading can give us some mental space to take a break from the troubles we’re hashing out in our minds. Reading fiction has also been proven to increase empathy. Literacy isn’t just reading — talking, singing, writing and playing all count for adults, too!

Parents and caregivers are a child’s first teachers. To that end, here are some ideas for the whole family to have fun with literacy at home, from ABC Life Literacy Canada

(abclifeliteracy.ca/familyliteracy):

1. Write a joke book with your family.

2. Read a bedtime story to the grown-up putting you to bed.

3. Tell knock-knock jokes together while doing the dishes.

4. Make up riddles and tell them to your friends. 5. Create a family book club. 6. Build a drum with your family.

7. Surf the internet and learn about your favourite animal.

8. Make up a song about your day to sing to your family at dinnertime.

9. Write messages to your family on sticky notes and post them around the house. 10. Play a game together. And don’t forget to join us at the Lethbridge Public Library where we host fun family literacy activities all year long. Visit for details on all of our programs.

Remember, when it comes to literacy, the sky is the limit! Keep on talking, singing, reading, writing and playing!

lethlib.ca