Niagara youngsters need not spend most of their summer staring at a tablet or smartphone. “To the Stars” is the theme this year of the annual TD Summer Reading Club that has returned to public libraries for preschool and elementary school-age children across the country until the end of August. “We’ll be doing a lot of outer space-themed programming throughout the summer,” said Sarah McCarthy, supervisor of library programs at West Lincoln Public Library .
The annual program includes entertainment, movies, arts and crafts, story times and, of course, reading. One of the West Lincoln highlights is multiple presentations by the Ontario Planetarium at the Smithville branch on July 9 starting at 11:30 a.m.
The cost for the drop-in program is $2. Some library branches offer daytime and evening activities. West Niagara youngsters are encouraged to register for the program at their local branch of the public library.
At Lincoln Pelham Public Library , children’s services co-ordinator Leanne Good said “several hundred children” are expected to participate in its summer programs. “Just to keep them reading over the summer,” said Good, who noted children will be given a booklet to track their reading. “Just to keep the reading levels up so they don’t have summer reading loss, which sometimes happens between school years.
” Building on the outer space theme, Good said youngsters can get their photo taken in front of a green screen, and their image will be transf.
