Is there a child in your life who has a print disability? Encourage them to join the Summer Reading Club at their local library!
For kids with print disabilities, reading can sometimes feel extra challenging. When you have to work hard at something, it might be tough to find the fun in the activity. That’s where visits to the library and summer reading clubs can come in!
Every public library runs their summer reading club a little differently. Some participate in province or nationwide programs, like the TD Summer Reading Club, the British Columbia Summer Reading Club, or the New Brunswick Summer Reading Club. Other libraries design their own programs. They all are a great way to foster a love of reading and encourage children to keep reading even when school is out. They also help kids maintain the literacy skills they developed during the school year.
There’s lots for kids to do when they sign up for a summer reading club. They can join programs where they can make crafts, try science experiments, or play games. They’ll get to see their friends and make new ones. There might be reading-based activities, like book bingo. And there are usually prizes kids can earn just for reading books! Even if a child hasn’t yet developed a love of reading, libraries are becoming more inviting to reluctant readers by offering a broad range of activities and accommodations.
The Summer Reading Club programs are open to children of all reading abilities and there are many different reading format options. Children can read using audiobooks and ebooks or have a friend or family member read books to them. They can read fiction or non-fiction. Picture books, novels, magazines, and graphic novels all count. So do joke books, poetry, and cookbooks.
CELA supports kids with print disabilities by providing access to reading materials in accessible formats, including ebooks, audiobooks, braille, and printbraille. Check out our Kids and Teens page for lots of great reading suggestions. On our Summer Reading Club page, you’ll find book lists based on the themes of the three main clubs from across Canada. We also have accessible versions of several magazines for kids and teens.
Contact or visit your local library to learn more about how to register your child for the summer reading club. You can also consult the TD Summer Reading Club’s Accessibility page to find tips for supporting your child’s literacy development, as well as accessibility resources to ask about when you go to the library. What are you waiting for? Visit a library today!
