City of Selkirk, Selkirk and District Community Foundation and United for Literacy team up for fun reading nights
Literacy is a really important skill and teaching children the value of reading early is essential to them navigating our world. To promote literacy in our community, the City of Selkirk, Selkirk and District Community Foundation, and United for Literacy have once again teamed up to host I Love to Read in PJs nights at the Gaynor Family Regional Library. These four activity nights will give local kids and their parents a chance to celebrate literacy in a fun way for I Love to Read Month.
“This is actually the fourth year we’ve had the I Love to Read in PJs nights. It’s held every week in February at the Gaynor Family Regional Library and the program has a guest reader each week. The guest reader reads to the kids, and then, after the reading, the kids get to do an activity and have a snack, and at the end of the program, they get to take home the book,” said Ellie Longbottom, Culture Coordinator for the City of Selkirk.
I Love to Read Month is a province-wide celebration of literacy that takes place annually in February.
This month’s I Love to Read in PJs nights will take place on Feb. 4, 13, 18, and 27.
Longbottom explained that this is a free program to attend but that residents do have to sign up in advance because there are a limited number of spots for kids and their families.
The readers for the evenings will be Avery Martin of Big Brother Canada reading Meet Viola Desmond by Elizabeth MacLeod, members of the Selkirk Steelers reading Erik the Elk: The Big Hockey Game by Chloé Baillargeon, Raeesa Hoque from Manitoba Council for International Cooperation will read I Am Cherished by Onome Ako, and local author Sharlene Yarish will read her book Hobbledy Gobbledy learns to be thankful.
Sandra Ross, Community Coordinator for United for Literacy explained that I Love to Read in PJs started as an online event during the pandemic which was transitioned into an in-person event once we were able to be together again.
“We thought, what better but to do it as I Love to Read in PJs so that (after the reading, activities, and snack) the parents can just take their kids home and put them to bed,” she explained.
Ross said that promoting literacy in our community is very important and having the whole family involved shows the children that their caregivers value literacy.
“The caregiver’s involvement has a really positive impact on children’s reading acquisition. So, it’s really a great way for us to promote early literacy through joint book reading,” she said.
She also wants residents to know that whether your child is more shy or outgoing they will be able to enjoy this program.
“The library is a great location. They’ve really got a great space for it. We’re able to encourage the kids to come up and to sit around with the guest reader, but at the same time, if they’re a little bit shy, they can stay back with their parents and still follow along with it,” said Ross.
Longbottom hopes that the kids who attend the program are not only excited about the books and reading but come away with a connection to our community and want to go back to the library.
“I hope what kids take away from the program is like positive memories, spending time at the library and connecting with people in their communities,” she said.
Longbottom’s favourite part of this program is seeing the kids enjoying.
