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from l to r: Candy Castle, Ice Cream Float River, Lollipop Woods, music and story areas, Gumdrop Mountains, Peppermint Forest
Yesterday we played Candy Land for summer reading.
Trail to the Ice Cream Float River
The Gingerbread Tree
But we played outdoors with no boards. We played Life-Sized Candy Land! The kids were the game pieces and they moved around the “board” in the park as I called out colors.
Music with Jim and the Gingerbread Baby
We also had someone reading The Gingerbread Baby by Brett and Hansel and Gretel by Marshall, a craft area for making a take-home gingerbread person, and a fabulous musician with his gingerbread friend. Kids moved from area to area as a group finished playing the game.
It took a week’s worth of prep with lots of help from all the staff and lots of helping hands that day (thank to all!). But we had no wind, a great turnout, and lots of fun, involved kids.
Who else has played a life-sized board game?
Babette
It’s almost that time, everyone! Summer Reading does fast approach. We’ll start registration this Saturday, May 15th, either online at 
www.alamosalibrary.org (and then look for the link in the left column) or register at the library. (It makes our planning easier if you register online.) But don’t panic! Registration runs through June 30th.
Click here to see info on the program in brief.
Click here for summary of directions (and keep reading here, too).
Click here to see the schedule of programs. Notice this year we have one set of programs for all ages, one set for ages six and under, and one for ages seven and up (especially “up’ 
). Dates and times will vary between the groups so check it carefully!
Also new this year will be weekly drawings (rather than the big end-of-the-summer drawings). Each week that your child completes his or her “reading brick,” they’ll get to put their name in for that week’s drawing. Drawings will happen at the programs and you must be present to win. (We will still have a weekly prize box they can select from, too, after turning in their brick.)
To complete a “reading brick,” your child needs to be read to, read to someone else, or read on their own for fifteen minutes a day. Why fifteen minutes? That’s the amount of reading that prevents “summer slide.” If children do not read during the summer, they will actually begin school in the fall at a lower reading level than when they left in the spring. So get ‘em reading! And remember, they can read anything–really, truly, honest to goodness, any type of reading works! In fact, if they pick it out, it “works” even better.
If your child is too young for fifteen minutes a day, never fear! Activity bricks are here! Each of these bricks list six activities that support the growth of early literacy skills. Early literacy skills are very basic skills that help your child be ready to learn to read years later when they begin school. No teaching is involved; just having fun with some simple, do-it-together activities. Each time you and your child complete an activity, check it off. Once completed, bring in the brick and we’ll put your child’s name in for the drawing. (Selecting from the weekly prize box is an option but it is at a parent’s discretion; all prizes may not be suitable for ages three and under.)
For more information, email me at children@alamosalibrary.org or call 589-6592 and speak with any staff librarian. There will also be program updates in the Valley Courier newspaper each week and a few more postings here as well. Help spread the word!
Looking forward to a great summer! Let’s build it!
Babette
As much as I love you guys, I’m taking some downtime beginning this week.
I’ll be back the week of July 19th. 
Reading logs continue as usual. Any of the librarians can help you any day of the week.
Schedule changes for that time period include:
ALL Wednesday morning programs will continue, 10:30 a.m.
- June 24 in Cole Park
- July 1 in the Old Museum
- July 8 in Cole Park
- July 15 in Cole Park
- July 22 Theatre Production at Boys & Girls Club
Thursday morning programs are CANCELLED. They will resume July 16 at 10:15 a.m. in the library.
Miss me terribly? Then check out my older posts; they go all the way back to September! Just scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “previous.”
Remember, it’s summer. Have fun with your kids!
Babette
Kids either love ‘em or hate ‘em–the infamous Summer Reading List!
Here’s Joe’s take on his from One Big Happy.
Smile!
Babette
OK, operative word in that headline (in case you didn’t notice) is FUN!
What kind of fun? All types certainly; it’s what summer break is about (or are you too ooolllddd to remember that?). But I want to talk about fun tha
t includes reading.
Kids love summer break. AND kids get bored. And they are honest enough to admit to both.
They need and want things to do in the summer and reading is one of the best and the most fun. But many of us adults spoil it.
Yep, the kids greet vacation time and “turn off” from school mode, but we adults have a harder time. Everyone needs downtime (did you know research has shown reading to be one of the best stress reducers, right up there with meditation?). Reading needs downtime too.
Let the kids read–whatever they want, whenever they want. If they don’t want to, set up a thirty minute a day quiet time when they sit down with a book or magazine.
But THEY get to choose the what! Choice is one of the elements that makes reading happen, even for reluctant readers. Number of words read is another factor. Both those elements can easily be a part of reading during the summer.
Notice, I did not mention reading levels, improving reading, quality of the book, quizzes, or comprehension questions. Put all that aside for the summer. If they want to read Goosebumps, Babysitters Club, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, car magazines, computer magazines, gaming magazines–(you get the idea?)–let them just read!
And when you see them reading and think “ick, why are they reading that?!” just repeat your summer mantra–”Number of Words, Choice of Book.”
Want to read more? Here’s a great article by Charlotte Canelli.
Have FUN!
Babette
These are primarily for ages 3ish to 6 ish.
Scroll down in the left column to the pages for Singing Games which will give you the words and directions.
Listen here for the tunes.
Have fun!
Babette
What’s Summer Slide? The latest water park? Or summer toy?A powerpoint 
for kids?
Nope, it’s what happens when kids don’t read over the summer. They end the school year at one reading level–and return in the fall at a lower level.
And it’s one of the big reasons librarians and teachers encourage Summer Reading programs.
It really doesn’t take much to prevent summer slide. Just 15 minutes a day–a child can read silently or to someone else or have someone read aloud to a him or her. 15 minutes a day holds summer slide at bay.
And type or content of reading doesn’t matter. Kids can read books certainly, but they can also read cereal boxes, recipes, comic books, magazines, anything with words!
And get your kids involved in the process. I tell kids it will make school easier in the fall. Encourage kids to pick out what they want to read (choice is an element in motivation in reading). Make you reading aloud to them a summer treat, no matter what their age. Make summer a time for leisure, fun reading–and wave the summer slide goodbye.
Have fun!
Babette
This week of May 24 is dedicated to getting all the last minute matters for Summer Reading done. You won’t be hearing much from me here on the blog as a result. I will be back next week though.
Babette
June 3 Lisa Moore and The Penny Project by the Train- June 10 Games in the Park: Get Creative with Play, Cole Park
- June 17 Christine Jones-Daboll, drama & music, by the Train
- June 24 Games in the Park: Get Creative with Play, Cole Park
- July 1 Peggy Godfrey, Sidewalk Poetry, check back for location
- July 8 Games in the Park: Get Creative with Play, Cole Park
- July 15 Games in the Park: Get Creative with Play, Cole Park
- July 22 Shadows & Journeys, Now or Never Theatre from Boulder, CO, Special location: Boys & Girls Club, Alamosa
- July 29 Games, Awards, and Ice Cream by the Train
Is there a connection between reading and playing? The jury may still be out on a firm conclusion but the articles linked below are very persuasive that there may be a connection.
And why not play games? What have we or our children to lose? Over the last couple decades, schools have taught and tested our children at younger and younger ages–yet scores have continued to decline.
Earlier is not better. Dr. David Elkind wrote in the 80′s about research showing that if we taught children too soon (in other words, taught them things that were not age appropriate) that they did not truly learn those things, they became stressed out, and by third grade they hated school.
So here’s to games and letting kids be kids!
School Recess Improves Behavior
Oakland Group Seeks More Play in School Day (summary and audio)
The 3 R’s? A Fourth is Crucial Too: Recess (based on a study from the journal Pediatrics)
And tell me what you think!
Babette
It’s hhheeeerrreee! What you’ve been waiting for! All the gory details on
summer reading! Read on!
Looking for fun, games, and creative ways to fill those summer hours? Then come “Be Creative @ your library” with the Sum
mer Reading Club at Southern Peaks Public Library in Alamosa from June 1 through July 31. The program is open to all young people, from birth through young teens, with visiting guests, prize drawings, storytime for toddlers, Mornings on the Lawn, and new this year—Games in the Park.
Why games this year? “Last summer we had a program when we all learned old dances—and then we got up and danced! Kids and adults alike had a great time. It got me to thinking about how little children get to play together any more,” says Babette Reeves, Children and Youth Librarian. “Since then, several studies have come out over the past year showing that in schools where games have been recently re-introduced to recess, the kids are doing better in their learning and social skills. Finally, games help us relax and loosen up and that helps us be more creative. We’re really sensing a lot of excitement around these game days and hope folks will come out and have a good time together.” All game days will be on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. in Cole Park behind the library.
On other Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. the library will continue its tradition of “Mornings on the Lawn” under the tents near the train with special guests and activities. The Penny Project and Sidewalk Poetry are just two of the programs offered. A special presentation by the Now or Never Theatre from Boulder, Colorado, will also be part of this summer’s creative line-up. Toddler Time for children from birth through age 3 will happen on Thursday mornings at 10:15 a.m. Complete schedules are available in the newspaper each week, from the library at 589-6592, or on the web sites, www.alamosalibrary.org or here at The Passionate Librarian, http://babetter.wordpress.com . All programs are free of charge.
New this year is the opportunity to register your children online at http://alamosalibrary.org under the Summer Reading link on the left. “We realize how busy parents are and hope online registration will make life a little easier while still encouraging parents and children to read during the summer,” says Reeves. “Registration is optional, there’s no deadline, and it can be completed from any computer anywhere at any time. Registration will help us with planning, and with a good response to it this year, we may be able to move reading logs online next year.”
Reading logs can be picked up at the library beginning May 25; children can begin recording their time as of June 1 and continue through July 31. Reading logs are time-based with opportunities to log “bonus reading” time as well. Studies show that children who read just fifteen minutes each day during the summer retain skills needed for school in the fall. And all reading counts! Children may read books, magazines (yes, you can check these out, too!), cookbooks, game books, comic books, hobby books, newspapers, menus, signs, even web sites! A child may be read to, may read on his or her own, or may read to another person in order to earn their time. The Summer Reading program hopes to encourage children and their families to be creative and enjoy the downtime of summer with books and with each other!
Come have fun!
Babette
OK now folks, I’m thrilled you’re so excited about summer reading coming up–but isn’t it a little early to be asking for details? It’s still only April! (Actually, I got my first call in March!) I promise I won’t let you miss anything!
But here’s the basic gory details for those who just can’t wait to hear:
- Program dates are June 1 through July 31.
- Flyers with program info will be available no later than May 15th. They will also be provided to Alamosa schools for teachers to send home.
- Registration is encouraged but optional and will be available online. There is no registration deadline. (You’ve got enough going on; I don’t need to put a deadline on you too).
- All programs will be on Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.; most (but not all) will be held by the train. More info later.
- Toddler Time (ages birth to 3-ish) will continue, date and times to be announced. Other storytimes will be on hold until September.
- Reading goals will encourage reading a minimum of 15 minutes a day. Why? Because 15 minutes a day maintains kids’ reading levels until they are back in school.
And THAT is the most important thing about summer reading!
Much, much more here later. Keep checking back.
Babette
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