Library Summer Reading season is here!
PBS’s Cheryl Kimber with Grace Librarian Callie Hamp.
The kick-off event to the Summer Reading in Soda Springs took place on May 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the library. The event was primarily a registration madhouse, as the canvases handed out to participants ran out at one point, and the numbers were higher than even the generous expectation. (Don’t worry—everyone ended up with art supplies!). Other than the registration itself, a story walk through the park introduced readers to some amazing books, as well as the theme for the summer, which is “Color Our World.”
For the participating libraries, the theme means that the activities for the summer will revolve around art in all its forms. The Soda Springs library will be hosting an “Art Museum” this first full week of events, where various art will be displayed to participants, with many of the artists on hand to discuss them. Eventually, participants will have the chance to display their own art work at the library to show off what they’ve done. Summer Reading will hold programs every Tuesday and (the same program on) Wednesday beginning at 10:30 a.m. for about an hour. The programs are the same on each day. June 3 and 4 will be “The Magic of Art”; June 10 and 11 will be “All the World is a Stage”; June 17 and 18 will be “Art is Musical”; June 24 and 25 will be the Grand Finale, with a water slide, prizes, and more.
The Grace Summer Reading program began this Monday. The kickoff event was held at 10:30 a.m. (younger kids) and 1:00 p.m. (older kids). The event was be held at the Legion Hall building in anticipation of possible rain, but the day dawned sunny, if a bit cooler than it has been recently. Cheryl Kimber, the Education Specialist from PBS, read to the attendees about Flowers, which are another way of thinking about color in the world. The dozens of kids that attended were given seeds, and taught how to plant them to grow at home.
Bancroft’s Summer Reading program will be holding events every Tuesday in June and July at 10 a.m. in the North Gem Library, with the first activity scheduled for June 3 (slightly too late for this week’s press time), when the 4-H will be on hand to present materials to students. The Sheriff’s department, Search and Rescue, Fire Department, Fish and Game, PBS, and many more are also on the calendar. There will be a story, activity, and snack each week, as well as book giveaways and prizes!
Summer reading is an excellent way to prevent kids’ academic skills from deteriorating over the three months that they’d rather not think about school, though you probably shouldn’t tell them that. It’s also a great chance for them to hang out with other kids, find out about things that didn’t realize they were interested in, and have a great time—you probably can tell them that. For more information, you can call the libraries at these numbers:
Soda Springs 208-547-2606; Grace 208-425-3695; Bancroft 208-648-7848.
