The eight-week literacy program gives kindergarten children and their caregivers time to read, create, connect and learn together.
Article content
Whenever Beckett Kempinski finishes a piece of artwork, he signs it.
Article content
His father traces the habit back to a children’s book they read together at the Langley Literacy Network’s “Talk With Me, Play With Me, Learn With Me” when Beckett was in kindergarten.
Article content
Article content
The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds, was one of the books read during the eight-week program. It tells the story of a girl who believes she can’t draw until her teacher encourages her to make a mark — and sign it. The lesson stayed with Beckett, now in Grade 3.
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
“He signs everything now because of this book, to this day,” said Nick Kempinski.
Article content
Sunrise
Article content
That little flourish is an example of the power of books, the way a thoughtfully chosen story could spark a child’s imagination and turn reading into an experience that extends well beyond the page.
Article content
For eight Saturday mornings, Talk With Me, Play With Me, Learn With Me brings kindergarten children and their parents or caregivers together for stories, conversations and crafts. The program runs three times a year, rotating between three locations in Willoughby, Aldergrove and the City of Langley.
Article content
Families are greeted with coffee, while kids often make a beeline for toys scattered around the room.
Article content
Then, the children gather on a rug for reading time. Afterward, they do a craft that ties into the book. At the end of the session, the families get a copy of each session’s book to enjoy at home.
Article content
Article content
The program, which kicks off its third year next month, started after the Langley School District Foundation saw a need in the community for more opportunities to help families build early literacy skills, said program manager Kayla Powell.
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
But the benefits extend beyond reading and writing.
Article content
For many parents, it’s a chance to slow down and spend uninterrupted time with their child.
Article content
“It’s a nice Saturday morning reset, to have that one-on-one time with their child, meet other parents in the same situation, navigating kindergarten, and all that comes with that,” Powell said.
Article content
For parents who are new to Canada or learning English as a second language, the sessions served as a conversation circle, a way to practice English, meet other parents, and become more comfortable participating in their child’s education.
Article content
Powell, who has led the program since it launched, said she has seen first-hand how those shared experiences help children become more confident learners, and parents become more comfortable supporting their kids’ learning at home.
Article content
Article content
For Kempinski, one of the highlights of the program was the top-notch selection of books and the positive experiences created around reading.
Article content
“People who love to read, it’s not necessarily the reading they love. It’s the environment they’re in while they’re reading,” he said. The program provides “a nice, safe haven for that. It makes a good environment to foster these wonderful moments of reading.”
