By DENISE HERSCHEL
Since 1994, November has been recognized as “National Family Literacy” month, a united initiative to encourage not only reading in children but prioritizing it as a family affair.
As part of the national celebration, Bradley Beach Library is hopping aboard the literacy train with an upcoming event, “Together is Better: Family Literacy Night.” Scheduled for Tues., Nov. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. the night will feature games, snacks, and activities focusing on reading fun.
Sharlene Edwards, assistant library director, said this is the first year that Bradley Beach Library is partaking in the month-long event. Her hope for holding it is to “show families how to explore books together and how to make reading a daily occurrence.”
“It is so important to start exposing children at an early age There is really alot out there for parents and caregivers to introduce kids to literacy. My goal is to have families read together and to realize that there is alot of fun activities to do with your kids that can support them in reading,” she said.
The nationwide organization Reach Out and Read offers suggestions to encourage family literacy and stresses that parental involvement in a child’s reading time is vital to their future success. Some of their ideas include: Keep books around the house; read labels and signs wherever you go; point at pictures and talk about them and make reading a part of every day, even for just a few minutes. Children who are read to and learn to read from an early age are more likely to become better learners and successful in other areas of their education.
Edwards pointed out that it is important for kids to see their parents or caregivers reading as well.
“Even if it is just a magazine or a newspaper it is setting that example. They are role models for their children. They are making an investment in their child’s literary development,” she added.
Edwards said that she hopes the library’s event will be a learning experience for families.
“I think people can get turned off by the word ‘literacy.’ It can sound intimidating or boring. But there are really simple things to do with kids to make reading fun,” she added.
Some of the activities at the “Family Literacy Night” will include a giant Memory game, a large Scrabble game, reading bingo and different stations such as early literacy and early emergent literacy. In addition to games there will be snacks for all to enjoy.
For more information about the upcoming event contact Sharlene Edwards at Bradley Beach Library, 732-776-2995.
