Monday, Jan. 27, was Family Literacy Day in British Columbia. Every year on Jan. 27, and during the week leading up to, or after it - families and communities across the country and throughout B.C. celebrate this special day at literacy-themed events co-ordinated by public libraries, literacy organizations, schools and families.
Barriere and Area Literacy Oureach are hosting the ABC Family Fun Day For Literacy at the Barriere Ridge, this Saturday, Feb. 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. as a windup for Literacy Week. Families and caregivers are encouraged to bring the kids down and enjoy a few hours of fun at no cost whatever.
Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education says, “The importance of literacy cannot be underestimated. As we celebrate Family Literacy Day in B.C., it’s important to remember that parents are a child’s first teachers. Promoting early literacy in the home is one of the keys to success in later life.”
Family Literacy Day is a national awareness initiative created in 1999 by ABC Life Literacy Canada. In 2000, the B.C. government first proclaimed Jan. 27 as Family Literacy Day. Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested more than $1.5 billion in literacy and literacy-related initiatives to support preschool-aged children, K-12 students and adult learners.
Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with children is crucial to a child’s development. Even just 15 minutes a day can improve a child’s literacy skills dramatically, and can help a parent improve their skills as well.
ABC Life Literacy Canada is encouraging Canadian families to have “15 Minutes of Fun” learning together. Learning can happen at any time. Practicing literacy together every day has tremendous benefits for both children and parents. Here are some great ways to get started:
• Write a joke book with your family.
• Read a bedtime story to the grown-up putting you to bed.
• Make up a new recipe together and post it online.
• Tell knock-knock jokes together while doing the dishes.
• Make up riddles and tell them to your friends.
• Create a family book club.
• Build a drum with your family.
• Surf the Internet and learn about your favourite animal.
• Make up a song about your day to sing to your family at dinnertime.
• Write messages to your family on sticky notes and post them around the house.
• Create a story about what you’ll be doing for Family Literacy Day.
• Play a board game together.
• Build an acrostic poem using your hero’s name.
• Make an origami boat and see if it will float.
Contact Barriere and Area Literacy Outreach Coordinator Jill Hayward at 250-319-8023 or email: jill.h@yellowheadcs.ca, for information about literacy and tutor programs in the immediate area.