Stay Curious

Stay Curious. As the school year winds down, many families look forward to a break — but time away from the classroom can lead to the “summer slide,” where students lose some of the progress they made during the year. The good news? Just 15 to 30 minutes of learning activities a day can make a big difference. Our Senior Librarian for Children’s Services has shared some easy, effective strategies to keep young minds sharp all summer long.  

Daily reading is one of the most powerful ways to stay on track. Talk about what your child is reading to build comprehension or make it fun with flash cards for new vocabulary words. A few math problems or puzzles each day can help maintain those hard-earned skills, and reviewing grammar concepts or writing short paragraphs on fun topics encourages language growth and creativity. Identify any subjects your child found challenging last year and use the summer as a chance to build confidence through focused practice. 

We’re here to help! Our Summer Reading Program, hosted on Beanstack, rewards kids for reading and offers free activities that keep learning fun and engaging. The Summer Reading Program is open to all ages, so adults can model great reading habits for the kids in their lives. Small learning moments each day can lead to big progress — let us help you make this summer count. 

Smart Start

Smart Start. Early childhood literacy is foundational for lifelong learning, fostering cognitive development, imagination, and the skills necessary for academic and personal success. Summer with the Library includes a series of Storytime events to partner with parents and guardians in helping promote early childhood literacy.

Looking for activities to do at home? Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play is a great technique to help children develop early literacy skills through five simple practices: singing to build language, talking to encourage communication, reading to engage with stories, writing to enhance fine motor skills, and playing to foster cognitive and social development. These activities can be adapted to suit each child's individual needs, including those with disabilities, and can be incorporated into daily routines to support lifelong learning.

Reading aloud to your child not only strengthens their language skills but also nurtures a love for stories, sparks imagination, and creates lasting bonds through shared moments of learning.