Exercise Your Mind with the Library's Summer Reading Programs
May 19, 2016 —
This is the time of year that kids and families beat a path to the library: The annual Summer Reading Program kicks off Saturday MAY 21 in all the Springfield-Greene County Libraries.
They look forward to the reading incentives offered for each age group, thanks to the more than 30 area businesses that provide free books, food, admission to attractions, gift baskets and gift certificates. Then there’s the lineup of musical, theatrical and celebrity entertainment for nearly every age all summer through August 6.
Everyone can register online at thelibrary.org/exerciseyourmind, named for this year’s theme: Exercise Your Mind. Read!
Parents of tots from birth to 18 months can use an activity game board, read and earn books and other goodies. Kids from 19 months-grade 5, and teens in grades 6-12 can read to earn a Food ‘n’ Fun Flipcard of free treats, admissions and chances to win prizes through the summer.
And each book that adults read counts as an entry into drawings for gift baskets and a Kindle Fire. There are special programs for adults, too, from a special slide show by Arkansas photographer Tim Ernst on June 17, to nature center hikes.
Parents and kids tell us there are other benefits when they join the program:
- “I saw my child grow to love books even more this summer. She is so excited to go to kindergarten and learn how to read independently.”
- “My daughter kept me super regimented every night to read to her and my son.”
- “It helps me to read over the summer so I’m not watching TV and playing on the computer.”
- “It makes me take the time to read with my children. Sometimes in a busy day it is easy not to read.”
- “Her reading has improved!”
- “My 4-year-old loved to help his little brother read board books.”
- “Lucas looks forward to this every summer. When I picked him up from school thissummer he wanted to come straight over to the library to get started.”
We couldn’t say it any better.