Engaging all ages in summer reading programs is one of the many achievements of the Prince George Public Library.
The theme for this year's programs, which include one for children, teens and adults, is Imagine the Possibilities.
Starting off the program last Tuesday morning from 10:15 to 11:15 with almost 50 children between the ages of five to nine in attendance at the main branch of the library, Noelle Pepin of Nusdeh Yoh, School District 57's Aboriginal Choice Program School was the special guest.
Pepin shared ways to use Indigenous beading to teach binary coding concepts. The children participated in a simplified version of this - finding binary code for each letter of their name and then stringing the appropriate beads to spell their names, Amy Dhanjal, communications coordinator for the library, said.
This week those in this age group got to experiment with fluids by making slime, creating floating dry erase pictures and other water-themed activities.
It is especially important for school-aged children to continue reading throughout the summer because research has shown there is such a thing as the summer slide, that sees children who don't read during the summer to lose some of their literary skills, Dhanjal explained.
The program is also held at the Nechako branch on Wednesdays from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.
"Programs like this encourage kids to keep reading daily over the summer," Dhanjal said. "These programs are free for everyone and encourage children from different neighbourhoods to enjoy these activities together."
Children are encouraged to pick up a booklet where they can track their progress. The goal is to read a book a day and if they do that they will earn a stamp for each day and at the end of the program they get a ballot that goes into a draw to win a bicycle.
There's a program for Tens to Teens offering self-led weekly summer challenges, including reading prompts and questions that sees participants get a chance to win weekly prizes that include $10 gift certificates as well as three grand prize packages up for grabs at the end of the program.
Some of the challenges include reading prompts, repurposing an old book into a piece of art, drawing a map of a neighbourhood, town or country from a book they've read, other challenges ask youth to get out of their house by asking them to share an interesting historical fact about Prince George, or create a poem about their favourite hang-out spot. For each challenge they complete they get a ballot to enter a draw for prizes.
The Adult Summer Challenge, also self-led, sees people pick up a booklet that includes reading prompts like read a book of poetry by a Canadian author and encourages activities in the community like visiting the Central B.C. Railway and Forestry Museum or The Exploration Place or photo opportunities like inviting participants to go get a picture with Mr. P.G. For every activity an adult does they get a ballot to enter a draw for prizes like $150 gift certificates to Books & Co., The London, and gift packages of food and drink that include gift certificates to The Birch and Boar, Cross Roads and Nancy O's.
"All the prizes are thanks to the Friends of the Library Society, so we're really lucky to be able to offer that this year," Dhanjal said. "We couldn't do it without their support."
All programs end in the middle of August.
For more information visit www.pgpl.ca.
