BARRY’S BAY – Kids were getting creative and festive at the Barry’s Bay & Area Public Library.
Celebrating Easter a couple weeks early this year, kids, parents and other relatives, as well as library staff, gathered on March 13, to take part in some Easter oriented fun.
Nearly 15 toddlers, ages three to six, plus family members showed up to take part in the event and the downstairs children’s library didn’t take long to fill-up full of smiles, bright-decorative colours and giggles from the children.
Karen Filipkowski, CEO for the library, told the Gazette, typically they always try to put something on for children and the families during the March Break.
This year, since Easter is coming early, the library decided to run with Easter activities.
Kids began the colourful afternoon with a paper basket template to decorate. After completing their basket creations, they sprung for an egg hunt all over the library.
“Overall, we thought the event would be great for everyone,” Filipkowski said. “Obviously, this is something the kids can truly enjoy too.”
But it’s also an opportunity for the library staff to meet with some of the kids and family, get to know them, and vice versa, Filipkowski said.
“More importantly, however, we’re also getting the kids here at the library,” she said. “It’s so important we begin at an early age to encourage kids to engage in reading.”
And this is the perfect age group, Filipkowski said. Giving the kids the appropriate attention now will prove to be beneficial for years to come, she added.
Statistics show, learning to read earlier on in life has a snowball effect – it proves to provide value to an individual over a lifetime.
For example, according to Statistics Canada, young people who learn to read and develop literacy skills earlier on in life, eventually develop a higher level of proficiency in reading. These people will then often go on to obtain higher levels of education and also attain higher paying jobs.
Story continues in the March 20, 2013 issue of The Valley Gazette.