We are so thankful for our sponsors at Jefferson County Public Library for providing this wonderful opportunity to experience their Raise a Reader program firsthand!
I know I’m risking sounding like a broken record here, but I LOVE the library! My son loves the library too. Typically when I ask him if he wants to go to story time, he runs for his shoes, and shouts, “Go! Time! Go!” When I heard about the Raise a Reader event at most of the Jefferson County Public Libraries, I knew this was up our alley. A day of fun encouraging reading? Yes, please!
We were a little early to the event, and I peeked a bit at the different stations. I saw really cool crafts, games, and activities. It was kid heaven, but my heart sunk a little because I knew it was a bit too advanced for my 18 month old. However, when the event began, a librarian pointed me to the “baby zone” I hadn’t seen. This area was full of activities for younger ones, and we even explored a few of the toddler stations as well.
The “baby zone” was awesome! We made and played with “sensory bags” and “discovery bottles” and even played with play dough a bit. The sensory bag was the coolest, and my son loved to push the buttons around and trace shapes in the goo. My son is in that “sweet spot” where he’s not quite ready for all toddler activities, but some of the baby ones aren’t of interest anymore. The Raise a Reader activities presented were plentiful, and my son was able to be creative and explore things to please all ability levels.
The informational leaflet the library provided us with has all of the recipes and directions from the different stations. There are great ideas for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. It is a resource I’m absolutely keeping on hand to reference as my child grows.
Throughout our entire visit, the librarians were so hands-on, and took time out to help with projects, and just visit with the patrons and kids. One spent time drawing shapes and letters with my guy, and it was the sweetest! My son also enjoyed playing with the letter magnets and playhouse that is always out for use. We sang songs, made crafts, read books – it was the perfect afternoon.
We had such an fabulous time at this event. We got a swag bag full of goodies, free take-home crafts, a bunch of tips on how to foster early literacy. It’s not too late to check out one of the Raise A Reader events! Even the littlest of pre-readers will find a wealth of activities to participate in. This is a program you don’t want to miss!
